Fluorinating Apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for fluorinating a substrate. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber and a means for generating a fluorine-containing plasma throughout the entire chamber. The apparatus includes a capacitively-coupled system within the chamber that has at least one electrode powered by an RF source and at least one grounded electrode substantially parallel to the powered electrode. The electrodes are separated by about 25 mm or less.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for fluorinating a substrate, which apparatus comprises:
 a vacuum chamber;   a capacitively-coupled system within the chamber comprising at least one electrode powered by an RF source and at least one grounded electrode substantially parallel to the powered electrode wherein the electrodes are separated by about 25 mm or less; and   a means for generating a fluorine-containing plasma throughout the entire chamber; wherein the powered electrode is a rotating drum.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the electrodes are separated by about 16 mm or less. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a second rotating drum powered electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the capacitively-coupled system comprises a concentric electrode substantially parallel to the powered drum electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second rotating drum electrode in the vacuum chamber, and wherein there is a second concentric electrode substantially parallel to the second rotating drum electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are separated by about 13 to 16 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum chamber is a reaction chamber that is evacuable. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the reaction chamber allows for the control of pressure and the flow of reactive gasses. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the reaction chamber comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one electrode powered by an RF source and the at least one grounded electrode that has an asymmetric surface area ratio. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio is from 2:1 to 4:1. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the RF source is an RF generator. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power source is connected to the electrode via a network that acts to match the impedance of the power source with that of a transmission line. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to fluorinate more than one article at a time. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grounded electrode is concentric to the powered drum electrode. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a feed reel and a take-up reel.