Method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of functional materials in space

Abstract

A method and system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material to form functional materials, including a coating, a thin film material, or a thick film material, upon a substrate in space utilizes: a substrate support structure associated with a space platform; a depositor for the deposition material; and a moveable elongate arm associated with a space platform that provides relative movement between the substrate and the depositor.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment, comprising:
 a substrate support structure associated with a space platform in the space environment;   a depositor for the deposition material;   an energy source associated with the depositor to excite the deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material; and   a moveable elongate member associated with the depositor, to move the depositor over the substrate, whereby the vapor of deposition material from the depositor may pass over the substrate and flow to the substrate to coat the substrate with the deposition material.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, the first end being attached to the depositor, and the second being associated with the space platform. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the elongate member is a robotic arm. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a shutter is associated with the depositor and is moveable from a first position with respect to the depositor, wherein the vapor of the deposition material may flow from the depositor to the substrate, to a second position, wherein the shutter blocks the flow of the vapor from the depositor to the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a vacuum gauge is associated with the depositor to measure the flow of the vapor of deposition material from the depositor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , including a heating system which can heat the substrate to remove the deposition material. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the depositor includes a precursor storage system, and a heating system to heat the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is a resistive heat source. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is a laser. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is an electron beam. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energy source is an ion beam. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , including a functional material performance characteristic measurement device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes at least one overspray shield. 
     
     
         15 . A method for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to form a functional material on the substrate comprising:
 disposing a substrate on a substrate support structure associated with a space platform in the space environment;   providing a depositor for the deposition material;   providing an energy source associated with the depositor and exciting the deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material;   providing a moveable elongate member, associated with the depositor; and   moving the depositor and the elongate member to pass over the substrate to direct the vapor of the deposition material to flow to the substrate to form a functional material on the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attaching the first end to the depositor, and associating the second with the space platform. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the elongate member is a robotic arm system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , including associating a shutter with the depositor which is moveable from a first position with respect to the depositor, which first position permits the vapor of the deposition material to flow from the depositor to the substrate, to a second position, which second position blocks the flow of the vapor from the depositor to the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , including associating a vacuum gauge with the depositor and measuring the flow of the vapor of deposition material from the depositor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , including associating a vacuum environment measurement gauge with the depositor and measuring the vacuum in the space environment proximate the system. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , including associating a precursor storage system and a heating system with the depositor, the heating system being capable of heating the substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , including utilizing a resistive heat source as the energy source. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , including utilizing a laser as the energy source. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , including utilizing an electron beam as the energy source. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15 , including utilizing an ion beam as the heat source. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15 , including providing a coating performance characteristic measurement device, and measuring a performance characteristic of the functional material. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 15 , including providing the substrate with at least one overspray shield. 
     
     
         29 . A system for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment, comprising:
 a substrate support structure associated with a space platform in the space environment;   a depositor for the deposition material, the depositor being associated with the space platform;   an energy source associated with the depositor to excite the deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material; and   the substrate support structure includes a moveable elongate member associated with the substrate, to move the substrate over the depositor, whereby the vapor of deposition material from the depositor may flow from the depositor to the substrate to coat the substrate with the deposition material.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, the first end being attached to the substrate, and the second end being associated with the space platform. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the elongate member is a robotic arm system. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a shutter is associated with the depositor and is moveable from a first position with respect to the depositor, wherein the vapor of the deposition material may flow from the depositor to the substrate, to a second position, wherein the shutter blocks the flow of the vapor from the depositor to the substrate. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a vacuum gauge is associated with the depositor to measure the flow of the vapor of deposition material from the depositor. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a vacuum environment measurement gauge is associated with the depositor to measure the vacuum in the space environment proximate the system. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a camera is associated with the depositor to monitor the flow of the vapor of deposition material to the substrate and the movement of the substrate and elongate member with respect to the substrate. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the energy source is a resistive heat source. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the energy source is a laser. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the energy source is an electron beam. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the energy source is an ion beam. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 29 , including a functional material performance characteristic measurement device. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the depositor includes a precursor storage system, and a heating system to heat the substrate. 
     
     
         43 . A method for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to form a functional material on the substrate comprising:
 providing a substrate in the space environment;   providing a depositor for the deposition material associated with a space platform in the space environment;   providing an energy source associated with the depositor and exciting the deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material;   providing a moveable elongate member, associated with the substrate; and   moving the substrate and the elongate member to pass over the depositor to direct the vapor of the deposition material to flow to the substrate to form a functional material on the substrate.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attaching the first end to the substrate, and associating the second end with the space platform. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the elongate member is a robotic arm system. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , including associating a shutter with the depositor which is moveable from a first position with respect to the depositor, which first position permits the vapor of the deposition material to flow from the depositor to the substrate, to a second position, which second position blocks the flow of the vapor from the depositor to the substrate. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , including associating a vacuum gauge with the depositor and measuring the flow of the vapor of deposition material from the depositor. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , including associating a vacuum environment measurement gauge with the depositor and measuring the vacuum in the space environment proximate the system. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 43 , including associating a camera with the depositor and monitoring the flow of the vapor of deposition material to the substrate and monitoring the movement of the substrate and elongate member with respect to the depositor. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 43 , including utilizing a resistive heat source as the energy source. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 43 , including utilizing a laser as the energy source. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 43 , including utilizing an electron beam as the energy source. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43 , including utilizing an ion beam as the energy source. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43 , including providing a coating performance characteristic measurement device, and measuring a performance characteristic of the functional material. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 43 , including associating a precursor storage system and a heating system with the depositor, the heating system being capable of heating the substrate. 
     
     
         57 . A method for vacuum vapor deposition of a deposition material upon a substrate in a space environment to join a first structural element to a second structural element comprising:
 disposing a substrate in a substrate support structure associated with a space platform in the space environment, wherein the substrate is a joint between the first and second structural members;   providing a depositor for the deposition material;   providing an energy source associated with the depositor and exciting the deposition material to form a vapor of the deposition material;   providing a moveable elongate member, associated with the depositor; and   moving the depositor and the elongate member to pass over the substrate to direct the vapor of the deposition material to flow to the substrate to join the first and second structural elements to each other.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the elongate member has first and second ends, and attaching the first end to the depositor, and associating the second with the space platform. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the elongate member is a robotic arm system. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the space platform is a spacecraft bus. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 57 , including providing a heating system to heat the substrate to remove the deposition material to unjoin the first and second structural elements.