The actual concentration, or partial pressure (58), of a target gas species in a partially-evacuated atmosphere (10) containing several gas species can be ascertained by generating a plasma (21) and by measuring (20) the intensity (24) of light emissions from the plasma (21) at characteristic emission wavelengths. The total gas pressure is measured with a total pressure gauge (17), and the relative intensities (24) of the light emissions are dependent on the said actual concentration or partial pressure (58). An equation is used, which compensates for variations in apparent emission intensity (24) arising from interactions between the different gas species. The system (100) can be used at higher pressures than known gas monitoring systems, thus reducing the need for complex vacuum systems (52).
G01N 21/73 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light thermally excited using plasma burners or torches
G01L 11/02 - Measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by means not provided for in group or by optical means
An apparatus (lb) and method of depleting a plasma of electrons in a plasma coating apparatus is disclosed. The invention involves generating a plasma comprising ions (9), particulate material (5) and electrons (6) adjacent a target (4); forming a plasma trap (52) to constrain the plasma near to the target (4), and depleting the plasma of electrons by: providing an additional magnetic field (8b) that is superimposed over the magnetic field of the plasma trap (3, 52), which extends beyond a boundary layer (52) of the plasma trap, and which draws electrons (6) from, or near to, the boundary layer (52) of the plasma trap away from the target (4). The invention proposes applying a baseline voltage (50) to the target (4); and by applying periodic voltage pulses (13b) to the target (4). The additional magnetic field (8b) depletes the plasma of electrons, such that when a voltage pulse (13b) is applied to the target (4), ions (9) can be ejected from the plasma with reduced electron shielding. This has been shown to improve ion bombardment and reduce adverse electron bombardment effects.
This invention relates to generation and control of electron emission and transport in a plasma device for the purpose of enhancing ionisation in sputtering, including magnetron sputtering, ion treatment, thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation. The device in question combines a sputtering enhanced electron emission on a cathodic element in which a strong electrical field around the electron emission element is created. In addition,this electric field area is in a magnetically confined space of nearly null strength and/or magnetic mirror features. The electron emission area would also comprise of guided magnetic field extraction magnetic field paths which could be either permanent or created at pulse modes. Also, the invention relates to reactive process and coating deposition ion bombardment management. This invention also relates to the use of present device in feedback control systems; manufacturing process and methods which use these devices and materials and components processed by the present invention are also part of the invention.
An ion source comprising: an electrode (1); a counter electrode (2); means (3) for generating an electrical potential between the electrode (1) and counter-electrode (2); one or more magnets (4) arranged, in use, to confine a plasma generated around the electrode (1) upon application of the said electrical potential; and an aperture in the counter-electrode through which ions from the said plasma can escape; characterised in that: the means (3) for generating an electrical potential between the electrode (1) and counter electrode (2) comprises a DC signal generator that is: electrically connected to the electrode (1) and the counter-electrode (2); adapted, in use, to apply a baseline DC potential to the electrode (1) and the counter-electrode (2) with the DC potential at the electrode (1) being positive relative to the DC potential at the counter electrode (2); and adapted, in use, to apply a sequence of DC pulses (33) superimposed onto the baseline DC potential.
A method is provided for automated tuning and calibration of feedback control of systems and processes. A series of actuator pulses are automatically performed and, based on the gradient of the sensor response, information is determined on the dynamics of the system to be controlled in what is described as the system identification procedure. An automatic sensor calibration procedure is performed to determine the controller's window of operation. Based on the information collected during the system identification procedure, controller parameters are automatically calculated for a specified time for the sensor to reach a setpoint. A system that is managed and/or controlled by a controller and/or control algorithm is also provided. The disclosed method provides a scheme for parameterization of control algorithms.
G05B 11/42 - Automatic controllers electric with provision for obtaining particular characteristics, e.g. proportional, integral, differential for obtaining a characteristic which is both proportional and time-dependent, e.g. P. I., P. I. D.
G05B 13/04 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric involving the use of models or simulators
G05B 13/02 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric
This invention relates to a (preferably brushless) electrical contact, suitable for use in an apparatus, such as a cylindrical magnetron sputtering device, in which electrical power needs to be transmitted from an essentially static part (5, 6) of the apparatus on the atmosphere side, to a dynamic (rotating) part (8) on the vacuum side. The electrical contact provides an electrical connection across a dynamic (moving) interface between a first static part (5, 6) and a second dynamic part (8) and comprises a liquid (7) retained, and interposed, between the static (5, 6) and dynamic (8) parts. The liquid (7) comprises a high electrical conductivity liquid, such as a liquid metal, and preferably Gallium or a Gallium alloy. The high electrical conductivity liquid (7) suitably provides a low-friction interface between the static (5, 6) and dynamic (8) parts, and may also form a dynamic seal therebetween. The high electrical conductivity liquid (7) is suitably retained by exploiting its surface tension properties.
A bio control surface (100) comprising a substrate (5) and a first plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (1) disposed on the substrate (5) and a second plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (6) disposed on the substrate (5), wherein the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of discrete, spaced-apart particles are formed from species having different chemical and/or electrical properties. An intermediate layer (4) may be interposed between the particles (1, 6) and the substrate (5). The bio control surface (100) can be activated by exposure to particular conditions, which cause the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of particles to adopt different potentials (+, −), such that flow of charge, heat, ions etc. can be used to neutralise or kill bacteria or microorganisms resident on the surface (100).
This invention relates to the automated tuning and calibration of feedback control of systems and processes. According to the present invention a series of actuator pulses are automatically performed and, based on the gradient of the sensor response, information is determined on the dynamics of the system to be controlled (this will be known as the system identification procedure). This is preceded by an automatic sensor calibration procedure in order to determine the controller's window of operation. Based on the information collected during the system identification procedure controller parameters are automatically calculated for a specified time for the sensor to reach the setpoint. The present invention relates to any system that is managed and/or controlled by a controller and/or control algorithm. The present invention relates to the use of the present method for parameterisation of any control algorithm, for example, PID, PI, P, PDF.
G05B 11/42 - Automatic controllers electric with provision for obtaining particular characteristics, e.g. proportional, integral, differential for obtaining a characteristic which is both proportional and time-dependent, e.g. P. I., P. I. D.
G05B 13/02 - Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric
9.
Pulse control of deposition and surface treatment processes
A method and apparatus for generating a control signal(12)for controlling an actuator(7), wherein the control signal (12) is generated, by a pulse generator (6) by superimposing a pulsed signal (3) and a reference signal(1), and wherein the control signal (12) comprises a pulsed control signal (4) that is representative of the pulsed signal (3) and the reference signal(1). The method and apparatus can usefully be used to control actuators in deposition systems whereby the pulse generator mixes a plurality of pulsed and/or non-pulsed signals to form a single pulsed output signal (12) that can be used to directly control the actuator (7) which may be controlled in response to a number of sensed process parameters, user inputs or computer-generated inputs.
This invention relates to the control of cracker valves for the injection of reactants into a reaction system and the control method of such valves, reactants, processes and systems. The present invention also relates to sensors, actuators and algorithms involved in such systems. According to the present invention a control feedbackmethod of cracker valve is disclosed. Cracker valves could be operated in continuous or pulsed mode or a combination of those modes. Pulsed frequencies of vapour in the process of the present invention could be, although not exclusively, from 1 Hz to 100 kHz. Different pulsed packages are also part of the present invention. The frequency (or period), time on/off, amplitude, maximum and minimum input values and phase of each pulse could also be varied according to the present invention. A feedback controller able to control in open loop or closed loop mode the totality or any one of the pulses is also part of the present invention.
A bio control surface (100) comprising a substrate (5) and a first plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (1) disposed on the substrate (5) and a second plurality of discrete, spaced-apart particles (6) disposed on the substrate (5), wherein the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of discrete, spaced-apart particles are formed from species having different chemical and/or electrical properties. An intermediate layer (4) may be interposed between the particles (1, 6) and the substrate (5). The bio control surface (100) can be activated by exposure to particular conditions, which cause the first (1) and second (6) pluralities of particles to adopt different potentials(+, -), such that flow of charge, heat, ions etc. can be used to neutralise or kill bacteria or microorganisms resident on the surface (100).
This invention relates to magnetically enhanced cathodic plasma deposition and cathodic plasma discharges where the charged particles can be guided in a rarefied vacuum system. Specifically, a cluster or combination of cathodic plasma sources is described where a least two plasma source units are arranged in a rarefied gas vacuum system in such way that the resulting magnetic field interaction offers a guided channelling escape path of electrons in essentially perpendicular direction to the main bulk of neutral particles and droplets generated in the cathodic plasma source. In addition the cathodic plasma source arrangement of the present invention would generate a zone of very low magnetic field where the electrons are trapped via electric and magnetic fields. Ions generated by the plasma cluster would follow electrons via escape paths determined by electric and magnetic fields. The direction for the ions is fundamentally different from those of the neutral particles offering in this manner a charged particles filtering method. The invention could take form in different embodiments and different arrangements of these plasma clusters, interacting by magnetic interactions in such a way that the plasma would cross areas for the desired plasma treatment and/or coating of suitable substrates.
This invention relates to the in-vacuum rotational device on a cylindrical magnetron sputtering source where the target or target elements of the target construction of such device are enabled to rotate without the need of a vacuum to atmosphere or vacuum to coolant dynamic seal. This invention relates to the use of the device in vacuum plasma technology where a plasma discharge, or any other appropriate source of energy such as arcs, laser, which can be applied to the target or in its vicinity would produce suitable coating deposition or plasma treatment on components of different nature. This invention also relates but not exclusively to the use of the device in sputtering, magnetron sputtering, arc, plasma polymerisation, laser ablation and plasma etching. This invention also relates to the use of such devices and control during non-reactive and reactive processes, with or without feedback plasma process control. This invention also relates to the arrangement of these devices as a singularity or a plurality of units. This invention also relates to the target construction which can be used in such device. This invention also relates to the use of these devices in different power modes such as DC, DC pulsed, RF, AC, AC dual, HIPIMS, or any other powering mode in order to generate a plasma, such as sputtering plasma, plasma arc, electron beam evaporation, plasma polymerization plasma, plasma treatment or any other plasma generated for the purpose of a process, for example, and not exclusively, as deposition process or surface treatment process, etc.
The invention relates to a barrier coat for coating a base substrate (1) and to the production method thereof. The barrier coat comprises a group including at least one inorganic layer (2a) and one polymer layer (3), wherein a metal-rich interphase layer (2ay) is disposed between the inorganic layer (2a) and the polymer layer (3).
B32B 15/04 - Layered products essentially comprising metal comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific substance
B32B 9/00 - Layered products essentially comprising a particular substance not covered by groups
C23C 14/00 - Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
C23C 16/00 - Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes
The invention relates to an ionisation device comprising a linear hollow cathode device (1) including: hollow cathode electrodes (3a and 3b) defining a main hollow cathode electrode space (10) which confines a magnetic field created using magnetic elements (4a-4b); and a gas dispensing element (2) containing a gas dispensing cavity (2a) which dispenses an adequate uniform supply of gas into the main hollow cathode electrode space (10) and which, under suitable vacuum conditions, can produce a substantially continuous plasma discharge (6) extending spatially between the position of the hollow cathode electrodes (3a and 3b) and an anode element (5), in which the extended plasma (6) allows extensive interaction with particles travelling from the source (7) of ionised coating material in order to produce a plasma treatment or coating on the surface of the substrate (11).
B05B 7/22 - Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas incorporating means for heating the material to be sprayed electrically, e.g. by arc
H05H 1/40 - Plasma torches using an arc - Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles using applied magnetic fields, e.g. for focusing or rotating the arc
C23C 4/14 - Coating by spraying the coating material in the molten state, e.g. by flame, plasma or electric discharge characterised by the method of spraying for coating elongate material
A magnetron sputtering apparatus (100) comprising: a magnetic array arranged to create a magnetic field (103) in the vicinity of a tubular target (2) which target at least partially surrounds the magnetic array and acts as a cathode (2a); an anode (2b); the magnetic array being arranged to create an asymmetric plasma distribution with respect to the normal angle of incidence to a substrate (3); and means (1b) for enhancing the magnetic field to produce a relatively low impedance path for electrons flowing from the cathode (2a) to the anode (2b).
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