# US 12,362,141 B2 · Apparatus and method for depositing hard carbon layers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,362,141 B2 - Document ID: US12362141B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/185,626 - Filed: 2023-03-17 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2025-07-15 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-17 - Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. - Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. - Inventors: Bert Scheffel; Matthias Tenbusch; Stefan Saager - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12362141B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32055: {Arc discharge} - C23C 14/0605: {Carbon} - C23C 14/24: Vacuum evaporation - C23C 14/246: {Replenishment of source material} - C23C 14/30: by electron bombardment - C23C 14/325: {Electric arc evaporation} - H01J 37/3053: {for evaporating or etching} - H01J 2237/063: Electron sources - H01J 2237/3132: Evaporating - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract An apparatus and method for depositing a carbon layer includes an arc discharge is formed between an electron source and an evaporation material by means of a first power supply device. The negative terminal of the first power supply device is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the electron source and the positive terminal of the first power supply device is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the evaporation material. A permanent magnet system and a solenoid coil are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner around the evaporation material. The evaporation material is formed as a graphite rod which is surrounded by at least one heat-insulating element at least on the rod end to be evaporated of the graphite rod. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for depositing a carbon layer on a substrate to be coated, comprising: an electron source; an evaporation material comprising a graphite rod; a first power supply device for forming an arc discharge between the electron source and the evaporation material, wherein a negative pole of the first power supply device is connected with the electron source in an electrically conducting manner and a positive pole of the first power supply device is connected with the evaporation material in an electrically conducting manner; a permanent magnet system and at least one solenoid coil, which are arranged rotationally symmetrically around the evaporation material; and a heat-insulating element surrounding and in contact with at least an end of the graphite rod to be evaporated. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaporation material comprising the graphite rod is arranged inside a guide tube and an inner wall of the guide tube is lined, at least at the end of the graphite rod to be evaporated, with a porous material with a melting point greater than 2000° C. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the guide tube has an upper stop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the porous material comprises graphite felt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the porous material comprises graphite felt. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the evaporation material comprises a graphite rod is surrounded, at least at the end of the graphite rod to be evaporated, by at least two spaced-apart tubular heat reflectors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electron source comprises a hollow cathode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second power supply device connected to the solenoid coil in an electrically conducting manner, the second power supply device being configured as a pulsed power supply device. ### Claim 9 A method for depositing a carbon layer on a substrate to be coated, the method comprising: forming an arc discharge between an electron source and an evaporation material with a first power supply device, wherein a negative pole of the first power supply device is connected with the electron source in an electrically conducting manner and a positive pole of the first power supply device is connected to the evaporation material in an electrically conducting manner; and arranging, rotationally symmetrically, a permanent magnet system and a solenoid coil around the evaporation material, wherein the evaporation material comprises a graphite rod, and wherein at least one heat-insulating element surrounds and is in contact with at least an end of the graphite rod to be evaporated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the electron source comprises a hollow cathode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein a second power supply device is connected to the solenoid coil in an electrically conducting manner, the second power supply device comprises a pulsed power supply device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate to be coated is separate from the electron source and the evaporation source. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate to be coated is separate from the electron source and the evaporation source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a guide tube surrounding and in contact with the heat-insulating element at least at the end of the graphite rod to be evaporated.