Patent Application
20060112730
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to glass molding machines and, more particularly, to a core insert for a glass molding machine.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Currently, digital camera modules are included as a feature in a wide variety of portable electronic devices. Most portable electronic devices are becoming progressively more miniaturized over time, and digital camera modules are correspondingly becoming smaller and smaller. Nevertheless, in spite of the small size of a contemporary digital camera module, consumers still demand excellent imaging. Image quality of a digital camera is mainly dependent upon the optical elements of the digital camera module.
Aspheric lenses are very important elements in the digital camera module. Contemporary aspheric lenses are manufactured by way of glass molding. The glass molding machine operates at a high temperature and high pressure during the glass molding process. Therefore, core inserts are needed and must be accurately designed and manufactured. The core inserts should have excellent chemical stability in order not to react with the glass material. In addition, the core inserts also should have sufficient rigidity, a suitable hardness, and excellent mechanical strength in order not to be scratched. Furthermore, the core inserts should be impact-resistant at high temperatures and high pressures. Moreover, the core inserts must have excellent machinability, in order for them to be machined precisely and easily to form the desired optical surfaces. Finally, the core inserts must have a long working lifetime so that the cost of manufacturing aspheric lenses is reduced.
A typical contemporary core insert includes a substrate and a protective film. The substrate is made of stainless steel, carborundum (SiC), or tungsten carbide (WC). The protective film is made of diamond-like carbon film (DLC), noble metals, or alloys of noble metals. The noble metals can be platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir) or ruthenium (Ru). The alloys of noble metals can be iridium-ruthenium (Ir—Ru), platinum-iridium (Pt—Ir), or iridium-rhenium (Ir—Re). The diamond-like carbon film generally has a short working lifetime. The noble metals or alloys of noble metals have good chemical stability, rigidity and heat-resistance. Nevertheless, the protective film made of noble metals or alloys of noble metals tends to have poor adhesion with the substrate. Thus, the core insert, as a whole, generally has a short working lifetime, which escalates the cost of producing aspheric lenses.
Therefore, a core insert for a glass molding machine which overcomes the above-described problems is desired.
A core insert for a glass molding machine includes a substrate and a complex film deposited on a surface of the substrate. The complex film includes a noble metal layer, an insulating metal oxide layer, and a hard film. The insulating metal oxide layer is formed on a surface of the noble metal layer, and the hard film is formed on a surface of the insulating metal oxide layer.
A vacuum sputtering apparatus for making a core insert includes a vacuum chamber, a plurality of target frameworks for respectively holding a plurality of targets, and a substrate framework for holding a substrate. The target frameworks and the substrate framework are installed in the vacuum chamber, and the substrate framework has a rotation mechanism and a revolution mechanism.
Other objects, advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Many aspects of the core insert and the vacuum sputtering apparatus can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present core insert and vacuum sputtering apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
For achieving a long working lifetime, an appropriate number of complex films 12 advantageously is approximately in the range of 1-30, preferably about in the range of 5-10. The noble metal layer 120 is usefully made of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), and any combination thereof. The noble metal layer 120 has a preferred thickness in the approximate range of 3-10 angstrom. The insulating metal oxide layer 122 is advantageously made of a material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2—xY2O3, ZrO2—xY2O3—yAl2O3, and Al2O3. The x is a proportion by weight about in the range of 3-15%, and the y is a proportion by weight in the general range of 3-5%. The insulating metal oxide layer has a preferred thickness in the approximate range of 40-80 angstrom. The hard film is usefully made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of diamond-like carbon film (DLC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), cubic boron nitride (cBN), tungsten carbide (WC), and boron nitride carbide (BCN), and the hard film has a preferred thickness in the general range of 40-80 angstrom.
Referring to
The target holding mechanism 22 includes a first target framework 221, a second framework 222, and a third framework 223. The first target framework 221 holds or carries a first target 31 made of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), and any combination thereof. Because of the high cost of the first target material 31, the first target 31 has a smaller diameter about in the range of 1-2 inch. The first target 31 is electrically connected to an AC power supply 51 (schematically shown), and the AC power supply 51 has a frequency in the approximate range of 150-500 kilohertz.
The second framework 222 holds/carries a second target 32 made of a material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2—xY2O3, ZrO2—xY2O3—yAl2O3, and Al2O3. The second target 32 has a diameter approximately in the range of 4-8 inch. The second target 32 is electrically connected a RF (radio frequency) power supply 28 (
The third framework 223 holds/carries a third target 33 advantageously made of a material selected from the group consisting of diamond-like carbon film (DLC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), cubic boron nitride (cBN), tungsten carbide (WC), and boron nitride carbide (BCN). The third target 33 has a diameter about in the range of 4-8 inch. The third target 33 is electrically connected a DC power supply 52 (schematically shown), and the DC power supply 52 usefully has a power in the general range of 200-1000 watt. Some gas inlets 27 are formed around each target frameworks and are configured for introducing sputtering gas or inert gas.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
(1) mounting a substrate 10 on the substrate framework 242;
(2) installing a first target 31 on the first target framework 221, the first target 31 being made of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), ruthenium (Ru), and any combination thereof;
(3) installing a second target 32 on the second framework 222, the second target 32 being made of a material selected from the group consisting of ZrO2—xY2O3, ZrO2—xY2O3—yAl2O3, and Al2O3;
(4) installing a third target 33 on the third framework 223, the third target 33 being made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of diamond-like carbon film (DLC), silicon nitride (Si3N4), cubic boron nitride (cBN), tungsten carbide (WC), and boron nitride carbide (BCN);
(5) evacuating the vacuum chamber until an approximate pressure therein is 0.1-1 Pa;
(6) depositing a noble metal layer 120 on a surface of the substrate 10 by using the first target 31 and the AC power supply 51, then depositing an insulating metal oxide layer 122 on a surface of the noble metal layer 120 by using the second target 32 and the RF power supply 28, and depositing a hard film 124 on a surface of the insulating metal oxide layer 122 by using the third target 33 and the DC power supply 52, the noble metal layer 120, the insulating metal oxide layer 122, and the hard film 124 together forming a complex film 12;
(7) continuing to deposit a predetermined layer number of complex films 12; and
(8) obtaining a core insert 1 for glass molding machine.
The core insert 1 according to a preferred embodiment is composed of a plurality of complex films 12, which can be operated at a high temperature and high pressure and thereby contribute to a long working lifetime. The vacuum sputtering apparatus 2, according to a preferred embodiment, can employ a plurality of targets (i.e., 31, 32, and 33) in one sputtering process. Thus, various coatings (i.e., a chosen number of complex films 12) can be obtained in one sputtering process without opening the vacuum chamber 4 of the sputtering apparatus 2.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200410052544.9 | Nov 2004 | CN | national |
