DLC Coated Plastic Enclosures for Gas Barrier and ESD Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plastic storage containers lack effective protection for environmentally sensitive substrates due to inadequate electrostatic discharge protection, gas barrier properties, and contamination from outgassing, while also being opaque and difficult to clean.
Innovation Solution
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) or doped DLC coatings are applied to plastic substrates, providing electrostatic discharge protection, reduced gas permeability, and increased transparency, which enhances the container's ability to protect sensitive substrates and facilitate cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plastic materials are used for storage containers, then manufacturing cost and ease of manufacture are improved, but protection against electrostatic discharge and gas permeation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on plastic substrates to create a composite material structure. The DLC layer provides electrostatic discharge protection and gas barrier properties, while the plastic substrate maintains ease of manufacture and structural integrity. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties of plastic substrates by applying DLC coatings with controlled thickness (50-500 nm) and composition (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen). This changes the electrical and barrier parameters of the container without fundamentally altering the manufacturing process, thus improving protection while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If diamond like carbon coating is applied to plastic substrates, then gas permeability protection is improved, but transparency for content identification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the DLC coating thickness parameter (50-500 nm) to achieve a balance between gas barrier properties and transparency. Thinner coatings provide sufficient gas protection while maintaining better optical transmission, allowing content identification through the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies DLC coating selectively to specific surfaces or regions of the plastic substrate where gas barrier properties are most critical, while leaving other areas with higher transparency requirements less coated or uncoated. This localized approach allows simultaneous optimization of both protection and visibility.
3Reliability
If diamond like carbon coating is applied to plastic substrates, then electrostatic discharge protection is improved, but surface hydrophilicity for cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the DLC coating composition by incorporating oxygen and nitrogen elements, which change the surface energy and hydrophilicity parameters. This allows the coating to maintain electrostatic discharge protection while improving wetting properties for easier cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a DLC coating with controlled porosity or surface roughness that enhances capillary wettability. The porous structure increases surface area and capillary action, improving liquid penetration and cleaning efficiency while maintaining the underlying electrostatic protection.
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 DLC or doped DLC coatings significantly reduce gas permeability, offer electrostatic discharge protection, and maintain sufficient transparency to allow visibility of contents, while improving the hydrophilicity for easier cleaning, thus effectively safeguarding environmentally sensitive materials.
Implementation Method 1
The DLC or doped DLC coatings significantly reduce gas permeability by up to 100 times
Implementation Method 2
provide electrostatic discharge protection, sufficient transparency to enable a user identify the contents of the container
Implementation Method 3
the diamond like carbon coating or the doped diamond like carbon coating can be further modified reduce the contact angle and increase wettability (hydrophilic property) of the diamond like coating
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention include articles comprising a diamond like carbon coating or doped diamond like carbon coating on one or more surfaces of a plastic substrate or a plastic enclosure. Embodiments of the DLC or doped DLC coatings reduce the gas permeation of the coated plastic or thermoplastic to hydrogen or helium compared to the permeability of the plastic alone. The DLC or doped DLC coatings coating provides a surface resistivity of from about 107 to about 1014 ohm/square and have a transmittance that range from about 0% to about 70% less than the transmittance of the underlying plastic substrate in the range of about 300 nm to about 1100 nm. The DLC coated plastic can be used in environmental enclosures for protecting environmentally sensitive substrates such as semiconductor wafers and reticles.