COATING INFRA RED TRANSPARENT SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL

Abstract: A shaped element (8) of germanium or silicon is coated with a layer of hard infra red transparent carbon. The carbon is deposited on the element, used as a cathode (7, 8) in a glow discharge charge chamber (1) by applying a D.C. voltage (12) to a hydrocarbon gas at a pressure of e.g. 10⁻¹ to 10⁻² Torr. Prior to depositing the carbon the element may be heated and cleaned using argon ion bombardment. Layers of germanium and silicon may also be deposited using the gases germane and silane respectively.

Description: This invention relates to the coating of infra red transparent germanium and silicon. The materials germanium and silicon can be produced in infra red (IR) transparent optical quality and are thus useful in lenses and windows for thermal imager systems. Such systems are used for night time viewing e.g. as part of burglar alarms, or for externally detecting high temperature areas in buildings to assist in applying insulation. One problem with germanium and silicon is their high refractive indices - hence the need for anti-reflection coatings. There are various single and multiple anti-reflection coatings for germanium, some of which are able to provide abrasion and chemically durable layers. It has been reported, "Thin Solid Films" 58 (1979) 107, L. Holland and S. M. Ojha, that infra red transparent thin hard carbon layers may be deposited on germanium by use of an r.f. glow discharge system. In the same paper reference is also made to D.C. glow discharge being used to deposit a hard carbon film on a metal cathode. It appears to have been believed that growth of hard carbon in a D.C. glow discharge system would not be possible on germanium due to charging of the surface. It has now been found that hard carbon layers can be deposited onto a germanium cathode using the straightforward D.C. glow discharge without the need to compensate for surface charge. According to this invention a germanium or silicon element is coated with a thin infra red transparent layer of hard carbon grown in a D.C. glow discharge chamber. The germanium or silicon element is shaped in the form of a flat or curved plate, or a lens. The hard carbon layer is deposited in a chamber which is evacuated, then filled with a hydro carbon gas. A D.C. voltage is applied to a holder carrying the germanium or silicon element and a glow discharge is established. This forms a plasma from which carbon ions strike the germanium or silicon and form a hard diamond like layer that is very hard (diamond-like) and transparent in the 3 to 5 and 8 to 14 µm wavelength regions of the electro magnetic spectrum. According to this invention a method of coating an infra red transparent germanium or silicon element with a layer of hard carbon transparent to infra red radiation in the 3 to 5 and 8 to 14 µm wavelengths comprises the steps of : arranging the element on a cathode in a glow discharge chamber, maintaining a vacuum within the chamber whilst admitting argon gas, applying a D.C. potential between the cathode and an anode in the chamber to establish a glow discharge between the cathode and anode, subjecting the element to argon ion bombardment in the glow discharge to clean the element prior to growth of said layer, stopping the flow of argon gas and admitting a hydrocarbon gas whilst maintaining a vacuum within the chamber, providing a hydro carbon glow discharge plasma from the application of a D.C. potential between the cathode and anode, maintaining the temperature of the element below 300°C during the growth of the layer. Additionally to the argon ion bombardment, which both cleans and heats the element, the element may be heated by a heater in the holder. Such heating is to a value below 300°C to avoid graphite being deposited. A layer of silicon or germanium may further be deposited by glow discharge using silane or germane gas respectively. The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows apparatus for coating germanium. As shown in the drawing a chamber 1 has a gas inlet port 2, and an outlet port 3 connected to a vacuum pump 4. Valves 5, 6 control flow through these ports 2, 3. Inside the chamber 1 is a holder 7 which carries a piece of germaniun 8, a flat plate or lens. The holder 7 may contain a heater 9 and/or cooler and is electrically insulated from the chamber 1. Electrical leads 10, 11 pass from the holder 7 to a D.C. power supply 12 and heater/cooler supply 13 outside the chamber 1. The germanium plate or lens 8 is an optical quality material transparent in the 3-5 and 8-14 µm wavelength, its electrical resistivity is around 5-20 ohm cm. Operation to coat the germanium 8 is as follows. The chamber 1 is evacuated to about 1.3x10⁻²Pa (10⁻⁴ Torr) or lower to remove air and contaminants. Argon gas is bled into the chamber 1 whilst the pump 6 is throttled down to give a pressure of about 13.3 to 1.3 Pa (10⁻¹ to 10⁻² Torr). A D.C. voltage of about -2 to -5 kV is applied to the germanium 8 and holder 7 causing initiation of a glow discharge. Argon ions from the plasma thus created strike the germanium 8 to both clean its surface and raise its temperature. Typically 10 minutes of argon ion bombardment is used. Whilst maintaining the glow discharge, the argon supply is stopped and a hydrocarbon gas emitted into the chamber 1. This gas may be butane, methane, acetylene, etc. and forms hydrocarbon plasma. A layer of hard diamond like carbon is formed by positively charged carbon ions being attracted to and striking the negatively charged germanium 8 where they gradually build up a layer of the required thickness. Typically a 1 µm thick layer is formed in about 1 hour. To provide an anti-reflection layer the optical thickness of the carbon is about one quarter wavelength at the required operating wavelength e.g. 1.2 µm thickness in the 8-13 µm wavelength band. When the layer is fully grown the D.C. supply is stopped, the vacuum inside the chamber is released, and the germanium plate or lens removed. Heating of germanium to e.g. 250°C may be by the heater 9 in the holder 7. Above about 300°C the carbon deposit becomes graphite and absorbing to infra red. The negative potential applied to the germanium substrate may be increased as a carbon layer builds up, to overcome the insulating effect of the carbon layer which tends to limit the layer thickness. To prevent deposition of carbon where not wanted e.g. on side and lower surface of the germanium, such areas may be covered with aluminium foil prior to placing the germanium element in the chamber. Additionally electrode screening 14 may be used to prevent deposition on the cathode structure. Silicon is coated in a manner similar to that for germanium. Multilayers of anti-reflection coatings may be formed by the apparatus shown in the drawings. For example silicon and germanium layers may be grown in a DC glow discharge using the gas silane and germane. Thus for example alternate layers of carbon and germanium may be grown on a germanium lens using butane and germane gas supplies. The final layer is preferably carbon because of its abrasion resistance.

Claims: A method of coating an infra red transparent germanium or silicon element with a layer of hard carbon transparent to infra red radiation in the 3 to 5 and 8 to 14 µm wavelenghts comprising the steps of: arranging the element on a cathode in a glow discharge chamber, maintaining a vacuum within the chamber whilst admitting argon gas, applying a D.C. potential between the cathode and an anode in the chamber to establish a glow discharge between the cathode and anode, subjecting the element to argon ion bombardment in the glow discharge to clean the element prior to growth of said layer, stopping the flow of argon gas and admitting a hydrocarbon gas whilst maintaining a vacuum within the chamber, providing a hydro carbon glow discharge plasma from the application of a D.C. potential between the cathode and anode, maintaining the temperature of the element below 300°C during the growth of the layer. The method of claim 1 wherein the element is heated to a temperature below 300°C before deposition of the carbon layer. The method of claim 1 wherein a layer of silicon is also deposited by glow discharge from the gas silane. The method of claim 1 wherein a layer of germanium is also deposited by glow discharge from the gas germane.

Inventors: GREEN, GEOFFREY WILLIAM, LETTINGTON, ALAN HAROLD
Applicants: NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Application year: 1981
Main classification: C23C14
IPC codes: C30B29, H01L31, C23C16, H01L21, C01B31, G02B1