Methods of depositing a diamond layer are described, which may be used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Methods include processing a substrate in which nanocrystalline diamond deposited on a substrate, wherein the processing methods result in a nanocrystalline diamond hard mask having high hardness.

Introduced here is a plasma polymerization apparatus and process. Example embodiments include a vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical shape to a central axis. A rotation rack may be operable to rotate about the central axis of the vacuum chamber. Additionally, reactive species discharge mechanisms positioned around a perimeter of the vacuum chamber in a substantially symmetrical manner from the outer perimeter of the vacuum chamber may be configured to disperse reactive species into the vacuum chamber. The reactive species may form a polymeric multi-layer coating on surfaces of the one or more devices. Each layer may have a different composition of atoms to enhance the water resistance, corrosion resistance, and fiction resistance of the polymeric multi-layer coating.

A protective coating is provided, including a first coating formed on a surface of a substrate by plasma polymerization deposition when the substrate contacts plasmas. The plasmas include a plasma of a monomer A and a plasma of a monomer B, wherein the monomer A includes both a silicon structural unit of formula (I) and at least one amine group structural unit of formula (II) or formula (III); and monomer B includes a terminal carboxyl group structural unit. Further disclosed is a preparation method of the protective coating, the method includes: providing a substrate, gasifying monomers including the monomer A and the monomer B and then introducing the monomers into a plasma reactor, performing a plasma discharge, and forming the first coating on the surface of the substrate by plasma polymerization. Further disclosed is a device, which is provided with the protective coating on at least part of the surface thereof.

A plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus for depositing a lithium (Li)-based film on a surface of a substrate includes a reaction chamber, in which the substrate is disposed; a first source supply configured to supply a Li source material into the reaction chamber; a second source supply configured to supply phosphor (P) and oxygen (O) source materials and a nitrogen (N) source material into the reaction chamber; a power supply configured to supply power into the reaction chamber to generate plasma in the reaction chamber; and a controller configured to control the power supply to turn on or off generation of the plasma.

Exemplary processing methods may include forming a first deposition plasma of a silicon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include depositing a first portion of a silicon nitride material on a semiconductor substrate with the first deposition plasma. A first treatment plasma of a helium-and-nitrogen-containing precursor may be formed to treat the first portion of the silicon nitride material with the first treatment plasma. A second deposition plasma may deposit a second portion of a silicon nitride material, and a second treatment plasma may treat the second portion of the silicon nitride material. A flow rate ratio of helium-to-nitrogen in the first treatment plasma may be lower than a He/N.sub.2 flow rate ratio in the second treatment plasma. A first power level from a plasma power source that forms the first treatment plasma may be lower than a second power level that forms the second treatment plasma.

Methods and systems for forming a structure including multiple carbon layers and structures formed using the method or system are disclosed. Exemplary methods include forming a first carbon layer and a second carbon layer, wherein a density and/or other property of the first carbon layer differs from the corresponding property of the second carbon layer.

An artificial blood vessel 10 comprises: an artificial blood vessel body 12; and a carbon material film 11 that covers the inner wall of the artificial blood vessel body 12. The inner wall which is covered by the carbon material film 11 is configured so that the water vapor adsorption isotherm shows desorption hysteresis.

The present invention relates to a diamond-like coating for piston ring surfaces, comprising, an underlayer, a gradient layer and an AM layer, wherein the AM layer is a diamond-like coating doped with doping elements. The doping elements are one or a combination of at least two selected from the group consisting of Cr, Si and Ti, and the content thereof shows a cyclical change in a form of a sine wave fluctuation along with the thickness change of the AM layer. As compared with the conventional single-layer structure or gradient layer structure, the AM layer of such diamond-like coating has a multi-cycle transition structure since the content of the doping elements in the AM layer of such diamond-like coating shows a cyclical change in a sine wave fluctuation form. On the basis of having high wear-resistant and low friction coefficient, it is beneficial to decrease the internal stress of the coating, increase the tenacity of the coating, ensure the increase of the thickness of diamond-like coating, and improve the durability of piston ring of diamond-like coating at the same time.

The present invention relates to a diamond-like coating for piston ring surfaces, comprising, an underlayer, a gradient layer and an AM layer, wherein the AM layer is a diamond-like coating doped with doping elements. The doping elements are one or a combination of at least two selected from the group consisting of Cr, Si and Ti, and the content thereof shows a cyclical change in a form of a sine wave fluctuation along with the thickness change of the AM layer. As compared with the conventional single-layer structure or gradient layer structure, the AM layer of such diamond-like coating has a multi-cycle transition structure since the content of the doping elements in the AM layer of such diamond-like coating shows a cyclical change in a sine wave fluctuation form. On the basis of having high wear-resistant and low friction coefficient, it is beneficial to decrease the internal stress of the coating, increase the tenacity of the coating, ensure the increase of the thickness of diamond-like coating, and improve the durability of piston ring of diamond-like coating at the same time.

A deposition apparatus for depositing a material on a substrate is provided. The deposition apparatus has a processing chamber defining a processing space in which the substrate is arranged, an ultraviolet radiation assembly configured to emit ultraviolet radiation and a microwave radiation assembly configured to emit microwave radiation into an excitation space that can be the same as the processing space, and a gas feed assembly configured to feed a precursor gas into the processing space and a reactive gas into the excitation space. The ultraviolet radiation assembly and the microwave radiation assembly are operated in combination to excite the reactive gas in the excitation space. The material is deposited on the substrate from the reaction of the excited reactive gas and the precursor gas. A method for using the deposition apparatus to deposit a material on a substrate is provided.