Fluidized Bed Coating Process With Liquid Reagent

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of a method for coating a substrate with a chemical compound uses a precursor liquid. This precursor liquid preferably serves as a reagent in the coating process and is housed in a reactor. Once the precursor liquid is placed in the reactor, the substrate is immersed in the precursor liquid. While the substrate is immersed in the precursor liquid, which may or may not contain solid particles, the liquid is fluidized by one or more possible methods: passing a gas through the liquid; recirculating the liquid; and stirring the liquid. In the preferred embodiment, inductive heating of the substrate is performed by an induction coil. The induction coil will be driven by a generator to emit a high frequency alternating current electromagnetic field such that only the substrate is directly heated. Heating the substrate in a fluidized bed will cause chemical vapor deposition or chemical vapor infiltration to occur and the desired chemical compound, or element, to be deposited on the substrate. The compound that coats the substrate may be either the vaporized precursor liquid, a gas injected into the reactor, or some combination of the two.