STTR PHASE I: Alpha phase crystalline aluminum oxide coated at temperatures below 500 C using PVD

The Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project is aimed at developing and commercializing an alpha alumina coating by using a PVD technology based on an inverted cylindrical magnetron that creates an unbalanced magnetic field. Current methods for producing these coatings require high temperatures and result in undesirable stresses, limiting their applicability. An important example is prosthetics, where corundum's high hardness and biocompatibility would make it an excellent wear surface in joints. The proposed work will develop a better understanding of how equipment design affects the physics and chemistry of the coating process and will demonstrate the feasibility of depositing corundum films on functional substrates for biomedical/surgical implants. Ceramics such as aluminum oxide are used in a wide variety of applications for their high wear resistance and thermal barrier properties. A low temperature process for depositing coatings of stable crystalline ceramic materials would greatly extend the number of product applications that could be improved with these materials. For instance, the lifetime, reliability and overall performance of engine components could be significantly increased using ceramic coatings. Reduction of deposition temperature and control of stresses would allow stable ceramic coatings for these and other important applications.