Patent ID: 7250196
Filing Date: 2007-07-31
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
1. A method for plasma plating comprising: positioning a substrate with a threaded surface on a platform within a vacuum chamber, wherein an inwardly facing surface of the substrate faces a center of the platform and an outwardly facing surface of the substrate faces an edge of the platform and wherein the platform further comprises a turntable operable to rotate the substrate; positioning a first depositant in a first evaporation source within the vacuum chamber, the first depositant includes at least a first metal; positioning a second depositant in a second evaporation source within the vacuum chamber, wherein the first evaporation source and second evaporation source are arranged so that rotation of the turntable moves the inwardly facing surface of the substrate past the first evaporation source at a first time and the outwardly facing surface of the substrate past the second evaporation source at a second time; reducing an initial pressure in the vacuum chamber to at or below 4 milliTorr; flowing a gas through the vacuum chamber at a rate to raise the pressure in the vacuum chamber to at or between 0.1 milliTorr and 4 milliTorr; applying a negative dc signal to the substrate at a voltage amplitude at or between one to 1,500; applying a radio frequency signal to the substrate at a power level at or between 1 watt and 50 watts; and heating the first depositant and the second depositant to temperatures at or above the respective melting points of the depositants, whereby a plasma is generated in the vacuum chamber, the plasma includes a mixture of positively charged depositant ions and negatively charged electrons, and the depositant ions are plated on the threaded surface of the substrate to create a plated threaded surface, wherein the inwardly facing surface and the outwardly facing surface of the substrate encompasses the plated threaded surface, and wherein the plated threaded surface reduces galling between the plated threaded surface and a surface of a mated component.