Plasma Array Coating System with Modulated Reagent Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plasma coating systems face issues with overspray, excessive reagent usage, and difficulty in balancing opposing plasma plumes, leading to uneven coating and wastage of reagents.
Innovation Solution
An in-line, continuous plasma coating system with a plasma array, upstream and downstream manifolds, and a controller that modulates reagent and flush gas flow based on substrate shape and position, ensuring precise reagent delivery and minimizing wastage by diverting reagents to a condensing vessel during gaps between substrates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reagents are continuously supplied during the coating process, then the coating formation is maintained, but overspray and excessive reagent wastage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system switches between reagent supply and flush gas supply periodically based on substrate presence. When a substrate is detected by the sensor, reagent flow is activated; when no substrate is present (gap between substrates), flush gas flow is activated to clear the chamber. This periodic switching maintains coating formation during substrate passage while eliminating reagent wastage during gaps.
2Manufacturing precision
If opposing plasma sources are used to coat both sides of substrate, then coating coverage is improved, but balancing opposing plasma plumes becomes difficult and precursors may condense on unintended sides
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the plasma sources into opposing pairs, with each plasma source independently controllable. This segmentation allows precise control of each plasma plume's reagent supply and timing, enabling independent optimization of coating on each substrate side without interference from the opposite plume, thus solving the balancing difficulty while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
3Manufacturing precision
If reagent flow is increased to ensure adequate coating, then coating quality is improved, but reagent consumption and overspray increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a sensor to detect substrate presence and provides feedback to the controller, which adjusts reagent flow accordingly. The controller activates reagent supply only when a substrate is detected and deactivates it when no substrate is present, creating a closed-loop feedback system that optimizes reagent consumption while ensuring adequate coating quality during substrate passage.
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 system achieves uniform coating thickness, reduces wastage, and minimizes extraneous coating on chamber walls, enhancing the robustness of the coating process while optimizing reagent usage and maintaining consistent pressure.
Implementation Method 1
During the coating process, the substrates are moved past the plasma source(s) as a coating reagent(s) is injected into the plasma jet issuing from the plasma source
Implementation Method 2
A second configuration of manifolds and plasma sources may also be employed and controlled to deposit a coating on a second side or opposing surface of the substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A system for coating a side surface of a moving substrate. The system includes an array of plasma sources, a first plurality of orifices located upstream of the array and a second plurality of orifices located downstream of the array. A coating reagent is injected from each orifice into a plasma jet issuing from plasma source associated with that orifice. A controller modulates the flow of coating reagent and the flow flush gas to the orifices according to the contours of the substrate and to the position of the substrate relative to the array. An additional plasma array and set of orifices may be employed to coat the opposite side surface of the substrate.