Apparatus and method for reactive atom plasma processing for material deposition
AssigneeRAPT Industries, Inc.
InventorJeffrey W. Carr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize, and clean surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are moved with respect to each other, whether by translating and/or rotating the workpiece, the plasma, or both. The plasma discharge from the torch can be used to shape, planarize, polish, clean and/or deposit material on the surface of the workpiece, as well as to thin the workpiece. The processing may cause minimal or no damage to the workpiece underneath the surface, and may involve removing material from, and/or redistributing material on, the surface of the workpiece.
Claims57
A method for shaping a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- placing the workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to add material to the surface of the workpiece and shape the surface with the discharge from the plasma torch.
A method for planarizing a surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- placing the workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- depositing material on the surface of the workpiece using the plasma torch;
- removing material from the surface of the workpiece using a discharge from the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to redeposit the removed material on the surface of the workpiece.
A method for cleaning a surface, comprising:
- placing the workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to deposit and remove material from the surface of the workpiece.
A method for redistributing a material on a surface, comprising:
- placing the workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to deposit and redistribute material on the surface of the workpiece.
A tool for shaping the surface of a workpiece, the tool being able to accomplish the following steps:
- positioning a workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to deposit material on the surface of the workpiece and shape the surface with the discharge from the plasma torch.
A tool for shaping the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- means for positioning a workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- means for translating at least one of the workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- means for using reactive atom plasma processing to deposit material on the surface of the workpiece and shape the surface with the discharge from the plasma torch.
A tool for shaping the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a plasma torch;
- a translator that can translate at least one of a workpiece and said torch;
- and
- wherein said torch is configured to deposit material and shape the surface of a workpiece using a reactive plasma process.
A chemical reactor for shaping the surface of a workpiece, comprising:
- a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- a translator that can translate at least one of a workpiece and said plasma torch, whereby said torch can shape the surface of a workpiece using a reactive plasma process;
- and
- a temperature regulator for affecting the at least one of the rate of removal and the rate of deposition of material by controlling at least one of the position of the workpiece, the power, the plasma gas flow rate, and the distance of the workpiece from the plasma torch.
A method for shaping an optic, comprising:
- placing an optic workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the optic workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to shape the surface of the optic workpiece with the discharge from the plasma torch by depositing and redistributing material on the surface.
A method for shaping a high-damage threshold optic, comprising:
- placing a high-damage threshold optic workpiece in a plasma processing chamber including a plasma torch;
- translating at least one of the optic workpiece and the plasma torch;
- and
- using reactive atom plasma processing to shape the surface of the optic workpiece with the discharge from the plasma torch by depositing and redistributing material on the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.