Patent ID: 9657387
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: C23C

Claim:
1. A method of forming a thermal barrier coating system on a surface of a component, the thermal barrier coating system comprising a thermal barrier coating that has columnar grains, the method comprising: introducing the component into a coating chamber, wherein a first ceramic source material and a second ceramic source material are positioned within the coating chamber of a physical vapor deposition apparatus; directing an energy source onto the first ceramic source material to vaporize the first ceramic source material to deposit a first layer on the component; alternating the energy source between the first ceramic source material and the second ceramic source material to form a blended layer on the first layer, wherein the blended layer is formed from vapors from the first ceramic source material and the second ceramic source material; and after alternating the energy source between the first ceramic source material and the second ceramic source material, directing the energy source onto the second ceramic source material to vaporize the second ceramic source material to deposit a second layer on the blended layer such that the blended layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer.