Vacuum deposition of hard layers - is carried out using beam activation

摘要

Layers of hard material are deposited by known vacuum coating methods, particularly ionic medium techniques. As the deposited layer grows in thickness it is irradiated by one or more, identical or different laser beams. The energy of the beams is below the melting or sublimation limit of the material, and irradiation may be continuous or intermittent. The process may be carried out in the presence of trace gases. The substrate may be pretreated e.g. by a layer of graphite structure. Large areas of substrate are swept by the laser beam. It is possible to obtain extremely hard and adherent layers, either amorphous or partly crystalline, e.g. diamond crystallites in amorphous carbon. This is done without crystal seeding, catalysts, high pressure apparatus, or subsequent heat treatment.