Apparatus for the Efficient Coating of Subtrates Including Plasma Cleaning

Abstract

A process for the coating of substrates comprising insertion of a substrate into a process oven, plasma cleaning of the substrate, dehydration of the substrate, withdrawal of a metered amount of one or more chemicals from one or more chemical reservoirs, vaporizing the withdrawn chemicals in one or more vapor chambers, and transfer of the vaporized chemicals into a process oven, thereby reacting with the substrate. An apparatus for the coating of substrates comprising a process oven, a gas plasma generator, a metered chemical withdrawal subsystem, and a vaporization subsystem.

1 . A chemical vapor reaction apparatus comprising:
 a fluid input portion;   a vapor chamber, said vapor chamber fluidically coupled to said fluid input portion;   a process chamber, said process chamber fluidically coupled by a first chemical vapor delivery line to said vapor chamber, wherein said first chemical vapor delivery line is coupled to said vapor chamber at a first location; and   a gas plasma portion, said gas plasma portion adapted to generate gas plasma within said process chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fluid input portion comprises a first metering pump. 
     
     
         3 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fluid input portion comprises one or more chemical reservoirs. 
     
     
         4 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said metering pump is adapted to deliver a pre-determined amount of chemical liquid to said vapor chamber with each use of said metering pump. 
     
     
         5 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said fluid input portion comprises a metering pump for each of said one or more chemical reservoirs, and wherein each of said metering pumps is fluidically coupled to one of said one or more chemical reservoirs, and wherein each of said metering pumps is fluidically coupled to said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said fluid input portion comprises a metering pump for each of said one or more chemical reservoirs, and wherein each of said metering pumps is fluidically coupled to one of said one or more chemical reservoirs, and wherein each of said metering pumps is fluidically coupled to said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a vacuum inlet line, said vacuum inlet line fluidically coupled to said process chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said vacuum inlet line is fluidically coupled to said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a vapor chamber heater, said vapor chamber heater adapted to heat said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a vapor chamber isolation valve, said vapor chamber isolation valve adapted to fluidically isolate said vapor chamber from said process chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a gas delivery system, said gas delivery system fluidically coupled to said process chamber at a second location in said process chamber, said gas delivery system fluidically isolatable from said process chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said plasma portion comprises:
 a ground electrode; and 
 an active electrode. 
 
     
     
         13 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said plasma portion further comprises an RF power supply, said RF power supply electrically connected to said ground electrode and said active electrode. 
     
     
         14 . A chemical vapor reaction apparatus comprising:
 a vacuum chamber;   a vapor chamber, said vapor chamber fluidically coupled to said vacuum chamber, said vapor chamber fluidically isolatable from said vacuum chamber;   a gas plasma portion, said gas plasma portion adapted to generate gas plasma within said process chamber; and   a chemical delivery system, said chemical delivery system fluidically coupled to said vapor chamber at a first location in said vacuum chamber, said chemical delivery system fluidically isolatable from said vapor chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a gas delivery system, said gas delivery system fluidically coupled to said vacuum chamber at a second location in said vacuum chamber, said gas delivery system fluidically isolatable from said vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a vacuum delivery system, said vacuum delivery system fluidically coupled to said vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said vacuum system is fluidically coupled to said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said vapor chamber comprises a vapor chamber heater, said vapor chamber heater adapted to heat said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said chemical delivery system is adapted to deliver a first amount of a first chemical liquid to said vapor chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The chemical vapor reaction apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said gas delivery system comprises a gas heating portion, said gas heating portion adapted to heat gas being delivered by said gas delivery system.