Advanced Plasma Surface Modification System

43 Advanced Plasma Surface Modification System--ISM Technologies, Inc., 9965 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92131-1105; (619) 530-2332 Dr. James R. Treglio, Principal Investigator Mr. Robert J. Stinner, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-97ER82412 Amount: $74,669 There is a need in industry to be able to deposit hard coatings, such as titanium nitride, on non-conducting materials, such as plastics and glass for improved wear resistance, lower friction, and, in the case of glass, better optical properties -- all of which can lead to lower energy usage. Adhesion of the coatings to such materials is greatly enhanced if the surface is implanted with metal ions prior to the deposition. However, systems are not commercially available that can metal ion implant and deposit hard coatings on insulators at the rates needed for commercial feasibility. This project is to develop a production capable surface modification system employing metal ions rather than gas ions resulting in less blistering, greater adhesion, and improved performance. A multi-source metal ion implantation system will be combined with a set of metal deposition sources -- sputtering, cathodic arc, et al. -- to form a high-throughput unit that can ion implant and coat a wide variety of substrates, including insulators. The purpose of Phase I will be to demonstrate the deposition of titanium nitride, a coating used extensively on cutting tools, onto insulating substrates. A cathodic arc source will form a titanium metal flux, which, in the presence of nitrogen, will deposit a titanium nitride coating. Prior to the coating, the substrate surface will be sputter cleaned by a titanium ion beam, which will also bombard the surface during the deposition to control coating structure. In Phase II, a multi-source metal ion implanter will be combined with multiple cathodic arc sources to demonstrate full commercial-scale surface treatment. Commercial Applications And Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Potential commercial applications include replacement of hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, on a large number of industrial and commercial components; deposition of hard coatings on insulators, including plastics; and large area decorative coatings.