Method for forming carbonaceous hard film
AssigneeEpion Corporation
InventorsIsao Yamada, Jiro Matsuo, Teruyuki Kitagawa, Allen Kirkpatrick
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Abstract
A method for enabling the formation of a carbonaceous hard film having a high hardness, strong adherence to the substrate, a wide range of substrate compatibility, and structural stability, which can be formed at room temperature and may cover a large area. The method includes vapor depositing a hard film of a carbonaceous material onto a substrate under vacuum by depositing a vaporized, hydrogen free carbonaceous material, which may be ionized or non-ionized, onto the substrate surface while irradiating the carbonaceous material with gas cluster ions, generated by ionizing gas clusters to form the film.
Claims12
A method of vapor phase formation of a carbonaceous hard film on a substrate material under reduced pressure, comprising:
- depositing a vapor of a hydrogen free carbonaceous material on a substrate to form a covering layer;
- ionizing gas clusters of aggregates of atoms or molecules of a material, which is gaseous at ambient temperature and pressure;
- and
- irradiating said covering layer with said ionized gas clusters while said covering layer is being deposited to form said carbonaceous hard film, wherein the Vickers hardness of said carbonaceous hard film is greater than approximately 3000 kg/mm2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.