APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR METAL CARBONYL VAPOUR DEPOSITION

摘要

An improved process and apparatus for the production of metal or a metal- coated object by a metal carbonyl vapour deposition process, comprising a) placing an object having a surface to be treated with metal carbonyl gas by the metal vapour deposition process into a deposition chamber having an IR transparent window; b) feeding the gaseous metal carbonyl gas to the deposition chamber; c) passing 1R radiation from an infrared source through the window for radia nt heating of the surface of the object to a temperature at which decomposition of the metal carbonyl gas occurs or the surface of the object, the improvement wherein (a) the window is formed of a material having an effective transparency to radiation of wavelengths in the range 0.2 .mu.m-2.5 .mu.m; and (b) the infrared source provides said IR radiation to the window at a power level intensity insufficient to heat the window material to a temperature of at least 100.degree.C under steady state conditions, but is sufficient to heat the object surface at a temperature sufficient to effect decomposition of the metal carbonyl on the object surface. The process and apparatus does not produce fogging of the chamber window with deposited metal, for example, nickel.