Coating insulating materials by glow discharge.

摘要

Coatings of hard carbon, silicon, or germanium are applied to electrically insulating materials in a D.C. glow discharge chamber. Initiation and maintenance of a glow discharge is ensured by using a cathode of larger area than the material to be coated. For example the cathode 7 may be twice the diameter of the material 8 to be coated. Materials capable of being coated include zinc sulphide, zinc selenide, silica, and glass. The gases used are hydrocarbon e.g. butane, methane etc. for carbon coatings; silane for silicon coatings; and germane for germanium coatings.