Fore-vacuum plasma-assisted deposition of dielectric coatings and process characterization

Abstract

The paper aims at imparting electrical insulating properties to conductor surface via deposition of dielectric coatings. The originality of the method consists in the deposition of ceramic coatings as a result of direct electron-beam evaporation of solid dielectric (ceramic) target in the fore-vacuum pressure range (1-100 Pa). As the evaporating material we used alumina ceramics. The spatial distribution (geometrical shape of vapor clouds) of ceramics vapors was also studied using the system of the identical substrates placed at different angles and distances from the target. Raster microscopy have demonstrated that we achieved uniform alumina ceramic coatings with thickness up to 5 µm (measured by a non-contact profile meter), with deposition rate of ≈ 0.3 µm/min and surface resistance up to 140 MOhm (measured by thera ohmmeter).