Deposition processes for low-emittance and solar control coatings can be improved through the use of advanced plasma technology developed at LBNL. A new type of constricted glow-discharge plasma source was selected for the 1997 R&D 100 Award. Invented by LBNL researchers Andre Anders, Mike Rubin, and Mike Dickinson, the source was designed to be compatible with industrial vacuum deposition equipment and practice. Construction is simple, rugged and inexpensive. It can operate indefinitely over a wide range of chamber pressure without any consumable parts such as filaments or grids. Several different gases including Argon, Oxygen and Nitrogen have been tested successfully.
 |
 |
Among the potential uses of the source are densification of coatings for greater
durability, crystallization at low temperatures for increased reflectivity or electrical
conductivity, enhancement of reactivity to produce an otherwise unstable phase or increase
deposition rate, and control over composition. Several of these sources have been
fabricated for specific uses by glazing manufacturers. LBNL will assist these
manufacturers to optimize the source characteristics and to develop new coating types.
Recently, a linear configuration was successfully tested. Consisting of an array of
miniaturized versions of the original source this linear source is extendible to a
deposition system of any width.
The operation of the source is described in more detail in the following papers:
For more information about this subject contact Andre Anders