Plasma enhanced sheet bonding method and device
AssigneeGeoMat Insights, LLC
InventorRonald J. Barnett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for bonding solid sheets together is presented. A modulated directional flow of plasma is applied at and between the bonding surfaces of the sheets to be bonded prior to and during the application of pressure to compress the bonding surfaces together to form a direct contact or diffusion bond.
Claims34
A plasma enhanced sheet bonder, comprising:
- a first compression roller;
- a second compression roller operating with said first compression roller to feed and simultaneously compress a first sheet and a second sheet between said first compression roller and said second compression roller;
- a plasma generator which applies a modulated directional flow of plasma at and between a bonding surface of said first sheet and a bonding surface of said second sheet, wherein said modulated directional flow of plasma is directed at and between said bonding surfaces of said first and second sheets prior to and during said compression of said bonding surfaces by said compression rollers.
A plasma enhanced sheet bonder for bonding a first surface of a first sheet of a first material to a second surface of a second sheet of a second material, comprising:
- a compressor which compresses said bonding surface of said first sheet against said bonding surface of said second sheet;
- a plasma generator which applies a modulated directional flow of plasma at and between said bonding surface of said first sheet and said bonding surface of said second sheet prior to and during compression of said bonding surface of said first sheet against said bonding surface of said second sheet by said compressor.
A method for bonding a surface of a first sheet of a first material to a surface of a second sheet of a second material, comprising:
- generating a modulated directional flow of plasma;
- applying said modulated directional flow of plasma at and between said bonding surface of said first sheet and said bonding surface of said second sheet;
- and
- compressing said bonding surface of said first sheet against said bonding surface of said second sheet, wherein said modulated directional flow of plasma is maintained prior to and during said compression of said bonding surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.