Patent ID: 7556695

Claim:
A thermal barrier coating deposition apparatus for coating an article, the apparatus comprising: a vacuum chamber; at least one electron beam gun disposed at least partially within said vacuum chamber and configured to emit at least one electron beam; a primary crucible configured to contain a primary ceramic material and positioned within said vacuum chamber to produce a first vapor cloud of the primary ceramic material when impacted by said at least one electron beam; a secondary crucible configured to contain a secondary ceramic or metallic material and positioned within said vacuum chamber to produce a second vapor cloud of the secondary ceramic or metallic material when impacted by said at least one electron beam, said second vapor cloud entering into a mixing zone of said first vapor cloud and said second vapor cloud; a rotary holder rotationally mounted within said vacuum chamber and adapted to hold and rotate the article and positioned relative to said primary crucible and said secondary crucible such that the article is rotated within said first vapor cloud and said mixing zone of the first vapor cloud and the second vapor cloud so that only two non-homogeneous alternating layers are deposited on the article, a first of said only two non-homogeneous alternating layers comprising said primary ceramic material and a second of said only two non-homogeneous alternating layers comprising an interfacial layer of said primary ceramic material and said secondary ceramic or metallic material the first and second vapor clouds coexisting within the vacuum chamber while the article is rotated on the rotary holder; and one or more oxygen bleed supply tubes protruding into said vacuum chamber, said oxygen bleed supply tubes aimed in the direction of the rotary holder.