Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Coating Methods, Systems and Apparatuses

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for depositing a substantially transparent film coating onto a substantially transparent substrate via atmospheric pressure plasma deposition techniques and apparatuses.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tuned thin film coating for a substantially transparent substrate, said thin film coating comprising:
 a plurality of differing precursor materials configured to form a doped plasma at atmospheric pressure, said differing precursor materials selected from the group consisting of at least two of: hexamethyldisiloxane; diethoxydiethylsilane; glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane; tetraethoxysilane; triethoxyvinylsilane; hexamethyltrisiloxane; octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane; tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane; hexamethyldisilane; hexamethyldisilazane; methyltriethoxysilane; methyltrimethoxysilane; tetraethylorthosilane; 3-mercaptopropylytriethoxysilane; vinyltris(2-methoxyethoxyl)-silane; allyltriethoxysilane; (3-glycidoxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane; acrylate-containing compounds, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof, said doped plasma forming:   a single layer on a substrate, said single layer comprising a plurality of siloxane-containing materials deposited at atmospheric pressure onto the substantially transparent substrate from doped plasma plasma; and   wherein said single layer is substantially homogeneous.   
     
     
         2 . The tuned thin film coating of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of differing precursor materials comprise: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane. 
     
     
         3 . The tuned thin film coating of  claim 1 , wherein the single layer is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         4 . The tuned thin film coating of  claim 1 , wherein the doped plasma comprises:
 a carrier material; and   a plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials.   
     
     
         5 . An object comprising the tuned thin film coating of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The tuned thin film coating of  claim 5 , wherein the carrier material comprises at least one of: helium, argon, oxygen, nitrogen, or combinations thereof 
     
     
         7 . A thin film coating for a substantially transparent substrate, said thin film coating comprising:
 a substantially transparent single layer, said substantially transparent single layer comprising a plurality of siloxane-containing materials deposited onto the substantially transparent substrate from a plasma;   wherein said single layer is substantially homogeneous, said thin film coating made according to the method comprising:
 positioning an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device proximate to a substrate; 
 delivering a carrier material to the atmospheric pressure plasma generating device; 
 generating a plasma in the atmospheric pressure plasma generating device; 
 delivering a plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials to the atmospheric pressure plasma generating device to form a plasma doped with the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials; 
 controlling the flow of the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials to the atmospheric pressure plasma generating device; 
 depositing at atmospheric pressure the single layer coating onto the substrate; and 
 wherein the single layer coating is substantially homogeneous. 
   
     
     
         8 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein, the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials are delivered to the plasma substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         9 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein, the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials are delivered to the atmospheric plasma generating device independently from one another. 
     
     
         10 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein, the carrier material comprises at least one of:
 helium, argon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein, the siloxane-containing precursor materials comprise a plurality of differing siloxane-containing materials. 
     
     
         12 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein the siloxane-containing precursor materials comprise a plurality of differing siloxane-containing materials selected from the group consisting of: hexamethyldisiloxane; diethoxydiethylsilane; glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane; tetraethoxysilane; triethoxyvinylsilane; hexamethyltrisiloxane;
 octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane; tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane; hexamethyldisilane;   hexamethyldisilazane; methyltriethoxysilane; methyltrimethoxysilane;   tetraethylorthosilane; 3-mercaptopropylytriethoxysilane; vinyltris(2-methoxyethoxyl)-silane; allyltriethoxysilane; (3-glycidoxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane; acrylate-containing compounds, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein, the siloxane-containing precursor materials comprise: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane. 
     
     
         14 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein the single layer is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         15 . The thin film coating of  claim 7 , wherein the doped plasma comprises:
 a carrier material; and   a plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials.   
     
     
         16 . An object comprising the thin film coating of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         17 . A plasma for use in the manufacture of a substantially transparent deposited thin film, said plasma comprising:
 a carrier material; and   a plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials; and   wherein at least one input is configured to direct the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials substantially simultaneously to the plasma, forming a doped plasma   
     
     
         18 . The plasma of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials are configured to contact the plasma in the afterglow region of an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device. 
     
     
         19 . The plasma of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials contact the plasma in the afterglow region, said plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials comprising a plurality of differing siloxane-containing materials selected from the group consisting of: hexamethyldisiloxane; diethoxydiethylsilane; glycidoxypropyl trimethoxysilane; tetraethoxysilane; triethoxyvinylsilane; hexamethyltrisiloxane;
 octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane; tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane; hexamethyldisilane;   hexamethyldisilazane; methyltriethoxysilane; methyltrimethoxysilane;   tetraethylorthosilane; 3-mercaptopropylytriethoxysilane; vinyltris(2-methoxyethoxyl)-silane; allyltriethoxysilane; (3-glycidoxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane; acrylate-containing compounds, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The plasma of  claim 17 , wherein, the plurality of siloxane-containing precursor materials comprise: octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane.