Ion plating deposits thin film on complex surface in one operation. The ionized materials follow electric lines of force to all points on the objects, uniformly plating the surface from all sides simultaneously

Buckley, D. H.

Przybyszewski, J. S.

Spalvins, T.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

January 1967	 Brief 67-10006 
NASA TECH BRIEF im 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Complex Surfaces Plated by Thin-Film Deposition in One Operation 
The problem: 
To develop a method for plating by thin film vapor 
deposition complex surfaces such as ball bearing 
assemblies, gears, seals, springs, etc., in one opera-
tion, without rotating or moving the object. Present 
vacuum deposition methods deposit material in a 
"line of sight," requiring the object to be rotated 
or moved many times. 
The solution: 
Deposit the thin film on the object by ion plating. 
The ionized material to be deposited follows electric 
lines of force to all points on the object, thus uni-
formly plating the surface from all sides simul-
taneously. 
How it's done: 
A direct-current gas discharge is established be-
tween the cathode (object to be plated) and the 
anode (evaporant source) by admitting an inert gas 
(e.g., argon) into a previously evacuated system and 
applying a potential (3 to 5 kv) across the two 
electrodes. At low pressures (15 to 40 microns), a 
glow discharge is formed from the ionized inert gas. 
These positive argon ions (gaseous plasma) are ac-
celerated and bombard the negatively charged cathode. 
This process, known as sputtering or. cathodic bom-
bardment, is used to prepare the surface for metallic 
deposition. The plating material is then heated and 
evaporated into the positive glow region of the gas 
discharge. The evaporated atoms are ionized and 
accelerated toward the substrate with a high velocity, 
thus forming a film. Essentially, in ion plating there 
are two processes, sputtering and ion plating, taking
place simultaneously, each of which has a cancelling 
or competing effect on the other. To obtain a film, 
the rate of deposition must be higher than the rate 
of sputtering. 
In ion plating, the object to be plated is the ter-
mination point for an electric field which exists 
between the evaporation source and the object. There 
is a difference of potential between any point on the 
object and the source. Once the evaporant is ionized 
in the argon glow discharge, the charged ions follow 
the electric lines of force to all points on the specimen 
surface if shielding effects are not present. A strong 
bond is secured between the film and the substrate 
since the surface is continuously cleaned (by ion 
bombardment) before and during the deposition 
process. 
Note: 
Inquiries concerning this innovation may be di-
rected to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B67-10006 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: T. Spalvins, D. H. Buckley, 
and J. S. Przybyszewski 
(Lewis-292) 
Category 05 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19670000006 2020-03-11T20:15:28+00:00Z


Complex surfaces plated by thin-film deposition in one operation

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