Sputtering method and apparatus for depositing a coating onto substrate

Sputtering apparatus for coating a substrate comprising:

• a vacuum chamber containing an atmosphere of ionizable fluid at a uniform reduced pressure;
• a cathode, defined by an outwardly facing surface, constituting a target, composed of material to be ejected therefrom;
• an anode, insulated electrically from said cathode and situated within said vacuum chamber, said anode and said cathode provide a diode arrangement;
• an electric power supply for applying electrical potential between said target and said anode, sufficient for establishing and maintaining a self sustained plasma glow discharge therebetween;
• at least one substrate mounted within said chamber and positioned to receive target material flux ejected from said target;
• means for supplying and removing ionizable fluid from said chamber to control the atmosphere of said fluid in said chamber sufficient to maintain a glow discharge between said cathode and anode;
• a magnetic field generator within said chamber;
• said magnetic field generator including means for generating a magnetic field in the vicinity of said anode which is greater than the magnetic field in the vicinity of the cathode thereby creating a magnetic field gradient of at least 1.25 times;
• whereby the generated plasma is directed away from said substrate thereby maintaining the temperature of said substrate at a reduced level.