Patent ID: 8753723
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: C03C,C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. A process for depositing a film onto an inorganic substrate, performed in a reaction chamber comprising: an amplitude- and frequency-stabilized power supply of at least 200 kW that comprises an HF transformer comprising a primary and a secondary circuit, wherein at least two electrodes are connected to terminals of the secondary circuit; and optionally an adjustable inductor (L) placed in parallel with an intrinsic inductor of a circuit comprising the at least two electrodes so as to reduce a phase shift between a voltage and a current that are generated in the secondary circuit of the transformer, the process comprising: (A) introducing a substrate into, or running the substrate through, a reaction chamber comprising two ends and filled with an atmosphere, in which the at least two electrodes are placed, wherein at least one dielectric barrier is placed between the at least two electrodes; (B) generating a stabilized high-frequency voltage in the secondary circuit of the HF transformer, wherein the high-frequency voltage is such that it generates a filamentary plasma between the at least two electrodes; (C) optionally, placing the adjustable inductor (L) in parallel with the intrinsic inductor of the circuit comprising the at least two electrodes so as to reduce the phase shift between the voltage and the current that are generated in the secondary circuit of the transformer; (D) introducing a mixture into the reaction chamber, wherein a composition of the mixture is such that, upon contact with the filamentary plasma, the mixture decomposes and generates species capable of being deposited as a film onto the substrate; (E) adapting at least one of the voltage and the frequency of the stabilized high frequency voltage generated in the secondary circuit of the HF transformer and/or the inductance of the adjustable inductor (L) placed in parallel with the circuit comprising the at least two electrodes, at the start of or during the process, so as to increase an active power/reactive power ratio; (F) adapting at least one of the voltage and the frequency of the stabilized high frequency voltage generated in the secondary circuit of the HF transformer and/or the inductance of the inductor (L) so as to the promote production of harmonics, extending a time during which the voltage remains above that for sustaining the electrical discharge and, as a consequence, a time during which a current flows between the electrodes; and (G) keeping the substrate in the chamber for a period of time sufficient to obtain a desired thickness of the film on at least one side of the substrate.