Rotating Sample Roller Sputtering for Uniform Magnetic Powder Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum coating techniques struggle to achieve uniform doping of metal atoms on the surface of magnetic powder materials, particularly due to the large size of the magnetic powder and agglomeration issues during mixing, which affects the uniformity and efficiency of metal deposition.
Innovation Solution
A device and method involving a vacuum chamber with a sample roller that rotates horizontally, allowing the magnetic powder to reciprocate along the circumferential surface. This setup includes a magnetron sputtering target with a built-in magnetic field and a cathode ion source for cleaning and metal deposition, ensuring uniform metal deposition across the surface of the magnetic powder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If vacuum coating techniques are used to deposit metal on magnetic powder materials, then metal deposition can be achieved, but uniform deposition on the surface cannot be obtained due to large particle size and agglomeration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotating sample holder that continuously rotates during the sputtering deposition process. This dynamic rotation ensures that all surfaces of the magnetic powder particles are uniformly exposed to the metal flux from the sputtering target, eliminating the non-uniform deposition caused by static particle arrangement and agglomeration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs ultrasonic vibration of the sample holder at frequencies of 20-100 kHz during the deposition process. This mechanical vibration prevents particle agglomeration, disperses the magnetic powder uniformly, and ensures consistent metal deposition across all particle surfaces by counteracting the tendency of particles to clump together.
2Manufacturing precision
If vibration component is added to achieve uniform deposition, then surface uniformity improves, but treatment capacity for large-scale material is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sample holder into multiple independent rotating segments or tiers, each capable of holding and rotating subsets of magnetic powder samples simultaneously. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple samples, maintaining uniform deposition on each while significantly increasing the overall treatment capacity and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-plane vibration approach to a three-dimensional rotating sample holder configuration where samples are distributed across multiple radial positions and heights. This dimensional expansion allows simultaneous uniform deposition on numerous particles throughout the vacuum chamber volume, greatly enhancing treatment capacity while preserving deposition uniformity.
3Quantity of substance
If ball-milling and high temperature tempering are used for doping, then metal can be introduced, but impurities are introduced and uniform doping is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ball-milling process with a vacuum sputtering deposition system. Instead of using mechanical impact and high-temperature diffusion to introduce metal atoms, the system uses physical vapor deposition where metal atoms are directly deposited onto the magnetic powder surfaces in a vacuum environment. This eliminates contamination from ball-milling media and achieves uniform doping distribution through controlled deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the metal deposition process in a high-vacuum environment with pressure controlled at 10^-3 to 10^-6 Pa. This inert vacuum atmosphere prevents oxidation and contamination of the magnetic powder and deposited metal layers, ensuring pure metal doping without introduction of impurities from air or processing equipment, while the rotation and vibration ensure uniform distribution.
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 solution achieves high uniformity in metal deposition on the surface of magnetic powder materials, enhancing the coercive force stability and suitability for industrial-scale production.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetron sputtering target 5, a cathode ion source 6, a water-cooled anode 7, and a sample holding component arranged in the vacuum chamber... carrying out, by using the magnetron sputtering target 5, magnetron sputtering on the rotating purified magnetic powder material for metal deposition
Implementation Method 2
after introducing inertia gas into the vacuum chamber 1, cleaning the magnetic powder material by using an arc plasma column formed by a cathode ion source 6 and a supported water-cooled anode 7
Implementation Method 3
a water-cooled anode 7 extends inwards into the sample roller 2 from an opening in the other end of the sample roller 2
Data Source
AI summary
A device and method for sputtering and depositing metal on the surface of magnetic powder materials utilizes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump set, a magnetron sputtering target, a cathode ion source, a water-cooled anode, and a sample holding component arranged in the vacuum chamber. The sample holding component is a sample roller, an axis of the sample roller is arranged in a horizontal direction, the sample roller can rotate around the axis thereof. Two ends of the sample roller are open, and the sample roller further comprises a power device capable of driving the sample roller to rotate. The cathode ion source and the magnetron sputtering target extend inwards into the sample roller from the opening in the same end of the sample roller. The water-cooled anode extends inwards into the sample roller from the opening in the other end of the sample roller.