Amorphous Carbon Film Adhesion via Silane Coupling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Amorphous carbon films face insufficient adhesion with secondary layers and struggle to uniformly impart water repellency without using fluorine-based gases, which can harm devices and environments.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating Si and O into the amorphous carbon film to enhance adhesion durability and binding uniformity with a layer that condensation-reacts with hydroxyl groups, using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent to achieve water repellency and other functional properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fluorine-based gases are used to impart water repellency to amorphous carbon film, then water repellent power is improved, but film hardness decreases and harmful effects on devices and environment occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater repellent powerVSAvoidhardness decrease and environmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a silane coupling agent as an intermediary substance to transfer fluorine functionality to the amorphous carbon film surface without requiring fluorine-based gases. The silane coupling agent contains both silane groups (for bonding to the film) and fluorine-containing groups (for providing water repellency), thus acting as a mediator that achieves the desired effect without the harmful byproducts of gas-phase fluorination

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a surface treatment agent containing ultra-stable perfluoroalkyl radical as a disposable coating layer that provides water repellency without permanently modifying the bulk film properties. This surface layer can be applied and removed without affecting the underlying amorphous carbon film structure, avoiding cumulative harmful effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Strength

If silane coupling agent is applied to amorphous carbon film to improve adhesion, then adhesion between film and second layer is improved, but uniform holding power is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadhesionVSAvoiduniformity of holding power

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the amorphous carbon film surface by controlling the concentration and type of hydroxyl groups through plasma treatment conditions. By adjusting plasma power, treatment time, and gas composition, the surface chemistry is optimized to provide uniform distribution of bonding sites for the silane coupling agent, ensuring consistent adhesion across the film surface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite surface structure where the amorphous carbon film is combined with a silane coupling agent layer that contains both inorganic (silicon oxide) and organic (fluorinated alkyl) components. This composite structure provides both strong chemical bonding to the substrate and uniform distribution of functional groups, achieving both high adhesion and uniform holding power

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting a-C:H:Si:O film exhibits high holding power and stability, allowing for repeated use with improved water repellency, abrasion resistance, and chemical resistance, while avoiding the drawbacks of fluorine-based gases.

Implementation Method 1

Silanol groups generated by hydrolysis of a silane coupling agent are formed into a polymer by self-condensation and are condensation-reactable with hydroxyl groups on the surface of an amorphous carbon film

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

a surface treatment agent containing an ultra-stable perfluoroalkyl radical is used as an active component in surfaces of amorphous carbon films prepared on surfaces of a variety of solid materials, without using fluorine gases, thereby introducing fluorine into the surfaces of the amorphous carbon films

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSurface treatment with perfluoroalkyl radical: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS9828671B2Method for fixation onto layer comprising amorphous carbon film, and laminate

Publication Date: 2017.11.28 TAIYO YUDEN KK

AI summary

A method for fixation, onto a layer comprising an amorphous carbon film and provided on a base material, of a layer comprising a material condensation-reacting with hydroxyl groups on a surface of the amorphous carbon film, whereby, in the layer comprising an amorphous carbon film and provided on the base material, the amorphous carbon film can have a holding power which is strong enough to fix the layer comprising a material condensation-reacting with a hydroxyl group on the surface of the amorphous carbon film and can have uniformity of the holding power. Si and O are added into the layer comprising an amorphous carbon film to thereby improve adhesion durability and binding uniformity of the layer comprising a material condensation-reacting with a hydroxyl group. Particularly, by using a fluorine-based silane coupling agent, it is possible to impart high functions such as water repellency/oil repellency, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, low friction properties and non-tackiness to the amorphous carbon film.