Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to an interior region of a hollow, tubular, high aspect ratio workpiece are disclosed. A plurality of anodes are disposed in axially spaced apart arrangement, to the interior of the workpiece. A process gas is introduced into the region. A respective individualized DC or pulsed DC bias is applied to each of the anodes. The bias excites the process gas into a plasma. The workpiece is biased in a hollow cathode arrangement. Pressure is controlled in the interior region to maintain the plasma. An elongated support tube arranges the anodes, and receives a process gas tube. A current splitter provides a respective selected proportion of a total current to each anode. One or more notch diffusers or chamber diffusers may diffuse the process gas or a plasma moderating gas. Plasma impedance and distribution may be controlled using various means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to an interior region of a hollow, tubular, high aspect ratio workpiece are disclosed. A plurality of anodes are disposed in axially spaced apart arrangement, to the interior of the workpiece. A process gas is introduced into the region. A respective individualized DC or pulsed DC bias is applied to each of the anodes. The bias excites the process gas into a plasma. The workpiece is biased in a hollow cathode arrangement. Pressure is controlled in the interior region to maintain the plasma. An elongated support tube arranges the anodes, and receives a process gas tube. A current splitter provides a respective selected proportion of a total current to each anode. One or more notch diffusers or chamber diffusers may diffuse the process gas or a plasma moderating gas. Plasma impedance and distribution may be controlled using various means.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to an interior region of a hollow, tubular, high aspect ratio workpiece are disclosed. A plurality of anodes are disposed in axially spaced apart arrangement, to the interior of the workpiece. A process gas is introduced into the region. A respective individualized DC or pulsed DC bias is applied to each of the anodes. The bias excites the process gas into a plasma. The workpiece is biased in a hollow cathode arrangement. Pressure is controlled in the interior region to maintain the plasma. An elongated support tube arranges the anodes, and receives a process gas tube. A current splitter provides a respective selected proportion of a total current to each anode. One or more notch diffusers or chamber diffusers may diffuse the process gas or a plasma moderating gas. Plasma impedance and distribution may be controlled using various means.

Abstract: Enhanced corrosion resistance is achieved in a coating by using a germanium-containing precursor and hollow cathode techniques to form a first layer directly on the surface of a workpiece, prior to forming an outer layer, such as a layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC). The use of a germanium or germanium-carbide precursor reduces film stress and enables an increase in the thickness of the subsequently formed DLC. Germanium incorporation also reduces the porosity of the layer. In one embodiment, a cap layer containing germanium is added after the DLC in order to further reduce the susceptibility of the coating to chemical penetration from the top.

Abstract: A method of coating at least one exterior surface of at least one workpiece is disclosed. The method may be used for coating inner and outer surfaces of pipes. A hollow workpiece is positioned within a chamber. A spacing between a multi-dimensional interior surface of the chamber and an exterior surface of the workpiece is fixed. Conditions are established to maintain a hollow cathode effect within the spacing and within the hollow workpiece. The conditions include biasing anodes at opposite ends of a hollow cathode effect region, and biasing the interior surface of the chamber and the workpiece as cathodes. The interior surface and the workpiece may be maintained at a common bias voltage or, in at least one embodiment, at differing voltages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to an interior region of a hollow, tubular, high aspect ratio workpiece are disclosed. A plurality of anodes are disposed in axially spaced apart arrangement, to the interior of the workpiece. A process gas is introduced into the region. A respective individualized DC or pulsed DC bias is applied to each of the anodes. The bias excites the process gas into a plasma. The workpiece is biased in a hollow cathode arrangement. Pressure is controlled in the interior region to maintain the plasma. An elongated support tube arranges the anodes, and receives a process gas tube. A current splitter provides a respective selected proportion of a total current to each anode. One or more notch diffusers or chamber diffusers may diffuse the process gas or a plasma moderating gas. Plasma impedance and distribution may be controlled using various means.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating surfaces of a workpiece configured to establish a pressure gradient within internal passageways through the workpiece, so that the coating within the internal passageways exhibits intended characteristics, such as those relating to smoothness or hardness. The coating apparatus may include any or all of a number of cooperative systems, including a plasma generation system, a manipulable workpiece support system, an ionization excitation system configured to increase ionization within or around the workpiece, a biasing system for applying a selected voltage pattern to the workpiece, and a two-chamber system that enables the plasma generation to take place at a first selected pressure and the deposition to occur at a second selected pressure.

Abstract: A system (10) for coating surfaces of a workpiece (12) comprises a biasing system (242) for connection to said workpiece (12) and an anode (76) such as to negatively bias the workpiece relative to the anode and a vacuum source (42, 44) for evacuating an interior of the workpiece (12). A gas supply (224, 226, 228) is employed for introducing a gas containing a treatment material to said workpiece and a control system (244) controls the biasing system (242), the vacuum source (42, 44) and the gas supply (224, 226, 228) so as to establish a hollow cathode effect within the workpiece (12). A pair of coupling heads (16, 18) are supported on articulated arms (22, 24, 26) movable in one or more of three axes and include removable shields (78) to protect the heads (16, 18) and an anode mount (74) for receiving an anode (76). The articulated arms allow the system to accommodate a plurality of different shaped and different sized workpieces while the shields protect the coupling heads during a deposition process.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a workpiece having a smaller cross sectional dimension (e.g., diameter) is centered within a workpiece having a larger cross sectional dimension, with the workpieces being electrically connected. In this embodiment, surfaces of the two workpieces can be coated simultaneously, either with the same coating material or different coating materials. In another embodiment, holes are located along the length of an internal metal tube which functions as a gas distribution injector and anode holder. A ceramic liner may be placed inside the internal metal tube, with a conductive wire within the ceramic liner. The internal metal tube may be biased as a cathode, while the internal wire is biased as an anode. The hollow cathode effect is applied in all spaces directly adjacent to the surface or surfaces being coated. In some applications, different surfaces being coated are biased at different voltages.

Abstract: Plasma Enhanced Bonding (PEB) during a coating process is used to improve both adhesion and corrosion resistance of the resulting coating. New interfacial compounds may be formed, offering the increased resistance to corrosion, as well as enhanced bonding to the workpiece being coated and any subsequently formed layer, such as diamond-like carbon. In one embodiment, the PEB processing is employed during coating of at least one interior surface of the workpiece, which may be a pipe. In a first step, a thin film is deposited. Then, the film is exposed to a high energy etch-back plasma. This two-step cycle of depositing a film and then providing bombardment of the film may be repeated a number of times. Typically, the deposition step of the cycle is much shorter than the bombardment step.

Abstract: An electrode assembly comprises a coil of electrode material surrounded by a shield having one or more outlets and a supply of shielding gas directed along an axis X-X of said coil before exiting from said shield.

Abstract: A method and system for coating the internal surfaces of a localized area or section of a workpiece is presented. Conductive structures are inserted into one or more openings of a workpiece to define the section to be coated. In some embodiments, a bias voltage is connected to a workpiece section, which functions as a cathode. A gas source and vacuum source are coupled to each conductive structure through a flow control system. The flow control system enables a first opening to function as a gas inlet and a second opening to function as a vacuum exhaust. Only the section encompassed by the conductive structures is coated. When the coating process is completed, a means for varying the conductive structures along the length is utilized to move onto the next section to be coated.

Abstract: A method and system for coating the internal surfaces of a workpiece is presented. A bias voltage is connected to a workpiece, which functions as a cathode. A gas source and a vacuum source are coupled to each opening through a flow control system. The flow control system is capable of a first mode which enables a first opening to function as a gas inlet and a second opening to function as a vacuum exhaust. The flow control system also has a second mode which enables a first opening to function as a vacuum exhaust and a second opening to function as a gas inlet. The cycling may also be used to coat internal surfaces of a workpiece with a single opening. Cycling the flow control system between the first mode and second mode is performed until a uniform coating along the internal surfaces of the workpiece is achieved.

Abstract: A “hybrid” photovoltaically active layer is homogenous (in a direction parallel to the major surfaces of the layer) with respect to film constituents, but is non-homogenous with respect to photovoltaic properties. First regions exhibit high absorptivity, while second regions that are perpendicular to the major surfaces of the layer exhibit a higher carrier mobility. The method for forming the layer includes one or all of chemical vapor deposition, the hollow cathode effect, and high power DC pulsing.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating surfaces of a workpiece configured to establish a pressure gradient within internal passageways through the workpiece, so that the coating within the internal passageways exhibits intended characteristics, such as those relating to smoothness or hardness. The coating apparatus may include any or all of a number of cooperative systems, including a plasma generation system, a manipulable workpiece support system, an ionization excitation system configured to increase ionization within or around the workpiece, a biasing system for applying a selected voltage pattern to the workpiece, and a two-chamber system that enables the plasma generation to take place at a first selected pressure and the deposition to occur at a second selected pressure.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating surfaces of a workpiece is configured to establish a pressure gradient within internal passageways through the workpiece, so that the coating within the internal passageways exhibits intended characteristics, such as those relating to smoothness or hardness. The coating apparatus may include any or all of a number of cooperative systems, including a plasma generation system, a manipulable workpiece support system, an ionization excitation system configured to increase ionization within or around the workpiece, a biasing system for applying a selected voltage pattern to the workpiece, and a two-chamber system that enables the plasma generation to take place at a first selected pressure and the deposition to occur at a second selected pressure.

Abstract: The coating of internal surfaces of a workpiece is achieved by connecting a bias voltage such that the workpiece functions as a cathode and by connecting an anode at each opening of the workpiece. A source gas is introduced at an entrance opening, while a vacuum source is connected at an exit opening. Pressure within the workpiece is monitored and the resulting pressure information is used for maintaining a condition that exhibits the hollow cathode effect. Optionally, a pre-cleaning may be provided by introducing a hydrocarbon mixture and applying a negative bias to the workpiece, so as to sputter contaminants from the workpiece using argon gas. Argon gas may also be introduced during the coating processing to re-sputter the coating, thereby improving uniformity along the length of the workpiece. The coating may be a diamond-like carbon material having properties which are determined by controlling ion bombardment energy.