External Electron Beam Chamber Layout for Flexible Surface Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface treatment technologies, such as electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) and sputtering, face issues like filament degradation, non-uniform evaporation rates, high vacuum requirements, contamination risks, and lack of versatility in performing multiple surface treatments.
Innovation Solution
An electron beam device with a treatment chamber, external electron beam sources, a differential vacuum pumping system, and movable support bases, allowing for various surface treatments like thin-film deposition, cleaning, and etching without a filament, and enabling operation across a range of vacuum pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) is used for thin film deposition, then a thin film can be deposited on the surface, but the filament degrades resulting in non-uniform evaporation rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the filament from the system entirely by using an external electron beam source positioned outside the treatment chamber. The electron beam is generated externally and directed through a port into the chamber to bombard the target material, eliminating the filament degradation issue while maintaining the EBPVD process effectiveness.
2Manufacturing precision
If high vacuum is maintained for EBPVD, then thin film deposition can proceed, but the vacuum level must be lower than 10^-4 mbar which is a stringent constraint
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vacuum system into two separate chambers: the treatment chamber requiring high vacuum for deposition and the electron beam source chamber that can operate at lower vacuum. This segmentation allows the high vacuum requirement to be localized only where needed, reducing overall system complexity and making vacuum maintenance more manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a port as an intermediary element that allows the electron beam to pass from the external source chamber into the treatment chamber. This port enables the electron beam to penetrate through the chamber wall, allowing the electron beam source to be positioned outside the high vacuum environment while still delivering electrons to the target material inside the treatment chamber.
3Manufacturing precision
If sputtering technique is used for thin film deposition, then particles can be deposited on surface, but contamination between plasma source and sputtering area must be avoided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the plasma generation zone from the deposition zone by positioning the electron beam source externally and using a port for beam passage. This spatial segmentation prevents contamination of the treatment chamber from the electron beam source region while maintaining effective thin film deposition capability.
4Reliability
If dedicated devices are used for each surface treatment technique, then each technique can be performed effectively, but the devices are not versatile and cannot perform multiple treatments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a treatment chamber that can perform multiple surface treatment functions including thin film deposition, cleaning, and etching using the external electron beam source. By positioning the electron beam source externally and using a port for beam passage, the system achieves multi-functionality while maintaining effective treatment capability across different operations.
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 device provides versatile surface treatment capabilities, including thin-film deposition, cleaning, and etching, while overcoming filament degradation and vacuum constraints, and allowing for flexible vacuum control.
Implementation Method 1
at least one electron beam source, each source being adapted to emitting an electron beam in a beam plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction so as to induce a plasma or an evaporation point in the treatment chamber
Implementation Method 2
a pumping chamber coupled to a first vacuum pump and to the treatment chamber, the pumping chamber being adapted to performing a differential vacuum pumping of said treatment chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The present description concerns an electron beam device (100) comprising:a treatment chamber (130) having a longitudinal direction (Z);at least one electron beam source (110), each source being adapted to emitting an electron beam in a beam plane (PF) substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction so as to induce a plasma or an evaporation point in the treatment chamber for the treatment of a surface of a part (106);at least one first port (122) for the passage of the electron beam into said treatment chamber, the diameter of the minimum circle in which said first port is inscribed being smaller than or equal to one eighth, for example smaller than or equal to one tenth, of the smallest dimension (D3) of a transverse cross-section of the treatment chamber taken in the beam plane.