Moisture barrier coatings

Abstract

A barrier assembly having a flexible or rigid substrate overcoated with an all polymer multilayer stack. A multilayer on the substrate includes alternating diamond-like glass or carbon layers with polymer layers. Another multilayer includes alternating polymer layers using different types of polymers. The barrier layers can be used to mount, cover, encapsulate or form composite assemblies for protection of moisture or oxygen sensitive articles

1 . A process for fabricating a composite assembly for protection of a moisture or oxygen sensitive article, comprising:
 providing a substrate;   placing the substrate on an electrode in a chamber;   introducing a plasma into the chamber;   biasing the substrate using the electrode;   overcoating a polymer layer on the substrate using the plasma; and   overcoating a diamond-like glass layer on the polymer layer using the plasma,   wherein the diamond-like glass layer comprises an at least substantially amorphous glass including carbon and silicon and has an oxygen to silicon ratio less than 1.5.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein during the overcoating steps the pressure in the chamber is less than 50 mTorr. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein, during the overcoating steps the bias of the substrate is greater than 500 V. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond-like glass layer further comprises nitrogen. 
   
   
       5 . A process for fabricating a composite assembly for protection of a moisture or oxygen sensitive article, comprising:
 providing a substrate;   placing the substrate on an electrode in a chamber;   introducing a plasma into the chamber;   biasing the substrate using the electrode;   overcoating a polymer layer on the substrate using the plasma;   overcoating a diamond-like glass layer on the polymer layer using the plasma; and   overcoating an inorganic barrier layer on the diamond-like glass layer,   wherein the diamond-like glass layer comprises an at least substantially amorphous glass including carbon and silicon.   
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the diamond-like glass layer has an oxygen to silicon ratio less than 1.5.