Radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process and reactor

摘要

An improved capacitively coupled radio frequency-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus and process are disclosed for depositing a uniform coating of material on substrates. The apparatus includes a secondary electrode defining a reaction zone within an outer chamber and an RF electrode in concert with the secondary electrode for generating a plasma within the reaction zone. The electrode comprising a base and a finger extending through the reaction zone for distributing a plasma field uniformly throughout the reaction zone. The process comprises heating a substrate to a deposition temperature in the range of about 300 DEG to 650 DEG C. Reactant gases are introduced into the PECVD reactor and a coating of about 0.2 to about 20 mu m is deposited onto the heated substrate. This low temperature process is particularly adapted to coating three-dimensional objects of metals, metal alloys and mixtures of metals.