Abstract: A method of depositing a hard silicon oxide based film is provided by controllably flowing a gas stream including an organosilicon compound into a plasma. The organosilicon compound is preferably combined with oxygen and helium and at least a portion of the plasma is preferably magnetically confined adjacent to a substrate during the depositing, most preferably by an unbalanced magnetron. These silicon oxide based films may be reproducibly deposited on small or large substrates with preselected properties.

Abstract: A process for the plasma enhanced vapor deposition of a silicon-containing compound having one to three Si atoms onto a surface of glass, mirror, microchip or polymer substrates in flat or complex shape to provide thereon anti-fog and/or anti-scratch coating(s) is provided. The surface modifying step is conducted with a plasma composition derived from a gas stream consisting essentially of from about 80 to 40 mole percent N.sub.2 O and from about 20 to 60 mole percent CO.sub.2.

Abstract: In a process of depositing a thin film onto a surface of a substrate with the use of a plasma, wherein the plasma optical emission is monitored, analyzed, and the results used to automatically control the nature of the plasma in order to control the characteristics of the deposited thin film. One aspect of the emission that is detected is the intensity of each of two emission lines of different wavelength bands from the same plasma species, the intensities being ratioed and the ratio compared to a predetermined value known to provide a resulting film with uniform and repeatable characteristics. This ratio is also related to the average electron temperature of the plasma, which can be calculated from it. Additionally, the intensity of another emission line from another of the plasma species may be measured and ratioed to one of the foregoing line intensities if additional control is desired.