# US 8,540,786 B2 · Method for producing PVD coatings

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- Number: US 8,540,786 B2
- Document ID: US8540786B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/602,879
- Filed: 2008-05-28
- Published: 2010-07-22
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2007-06-08
- Assignees: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
- Applicants: Erik Wallin; Ulf Helmersson
- Inventors: Erik Wallin; Ulf Helmersson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540786B2

## CPC

- C23C 14/081: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- H01J 37/3467: {Pulsed operation, e.g. HIPIMS}
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing coatings of metal oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, whereby operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharged on one or more target (s) (3), in an argon and reactive gas mixture (5, 6), at peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm−2, in which the deposition rate is improved and in the need for partial reactive gas pressure feedback systems is eliminated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for depositing a coating of crystalline metal oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, comprising operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharge on one or more target(s), in a mixture of argon and a reactive gas, at a peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm−2, a pulse length up to 100 μs and a repetition frequency from 100 Hz.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the deposition is started by applying negative voltage pulses, generated by a power supply, in the range of 200 V to 2000 V to the target relative to the anode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the pulse length is 2 μs to 40 μs.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the repetition frequency is 300 Hz to 10 kHz.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, comprising using a power supply comprising a pulsing unit fed wherein the pulses ignite a magnetron sputtering glow discharge with a current rising to a maximum peak during each pulse, at which the peak pulse power is reached, where after the current is constant or drops to a minimum 50% of the peak value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein a total pressure is 15 mTorr or lower.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein said coating is deposited on a cutting tool.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein said coating comprises a crystalline oxide layer, as measured by X-ray diffraction.

### Claim 9

Method for depositing a coating of crystalline metal oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, comprising operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharge on one or more target(s), in a mixture of argon and a reactive gas, at a peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm−2, a pulse length up to 100 μs and a repetition frequency from 100 Hz, wherein said coating comprises a two phase oxide, or a mixed oxide of the type (Al1−xMex)2O3 or spinel (Me)xAl2O3+x, where 0<x≦1 and where Me is one or more of the metals of the group Mg, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Cd, Cu, Cr and Sn.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

Method according to claim 8, wherein said oxide coating comprises a crystalline alpha-Al2O3 layer, as measured by X-ray diffraction.

### Claim 11

A cutting tool comprising a substrate of a hard material and a coating of oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, wherein said coating is deposited by operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharge on one or more target(s), in a mixture of argon and a reactive gas, at peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm−2, a pulse length of up to 100 μs and a repetition frequency from 100 Hz.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A cutting tool according to claim 11, wherein said coating comprises a crystalline oxide layer, as measured by X-ray diffraction.

### Claim 13

A cutting tool comprising a substrate of a hard material and a coating of oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, wherein said coating is deposited by operating a High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, HIPIMS, discharge on one or more target(s), in a mixture of argon and a reactive gas, at peak pulse power higher than 200 Wcm−2, a pulse length of up to 100 μs and a repetition frequency from 100 Hz, wherein said coating comprises a two phase oxide, or a mixed oxide of the type (Al1−xMex)2O3 or spinel (Me)xAl2O3+x, where 0<x≦1 and where Me is one or more of the metals of the group Mg, Zn, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zr, Cd, Cu, Cr and Sn.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

A cutting tool according to claim 12, wherein said oxide coating comprises a crystalline alpha-Al2O3 layer, as measured by X-ray diffraction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

Method according to claim 2, wherein the deposition is started by applying negative voltage pulses, generated by the power supply, in the range of 500 V to 1000 V, to the target relative to the anode.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

Method according to claim 15, wherein the deposition is started by applying negative voltage pulses, generated by the power supply, in the range of 6500 V to 750 V, to the target relative to the anode.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

Method according to claim 3, wherein the pulse length is of 10 μs to 40 μs.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

Method according to claim 17, wherein the pulse length is of 20 μs to 40 μs.

### Claim 19 (depends on 4)

Method according to claim 4, wherein the repetition frequency is 500 Hz to 10 kHz.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

Method according to claim 19, wherein the repetition frequency is 500 Hz to 3 kHz.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

Method according to claim 20, wherein the repetition frequency is 500 Hz to 1.5 kHz.

### Claim 22 (depends on 4)

Method according to claim 4, wherein the repetition frequency is 300 Hz to 3 kHz.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

Method according to claim 22, wherein the repetition frequency is 300 Hz to 1.5 kHz.

### Claim 24 (depends on 6)

Method according to claim according to claim 6, wherein a total pressure is 10 mTorr or lower.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

Method according to claim 24, wherein a total pressure is 6 mTorr or lower.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

A cutting tool comprising a substrate of a hard material and a coating of oxide, nitride or carbide or mixtures thereof, wherein said coating is deposited by the method of claim 1.