Physical vapor deposition apparatus and process

An electron beam physical vapor deposition apparatus comprising:

• a coating chamber;
• a crucible having at least two passages through which at least two materials are fed into the coating chamber, a first of the two materials being an ingot of a beta-NiAl alloy containing chromium, a second of the two materials comprising at least one element chosen from the group consisting of zirconium, hafnium, yttrium and cerium, such that the first material has a higher vapor pressure than the second material;
• means for generating at least one electron beam for melting the first and second materials to form molten pools thereof, the generating means being operable to melt the first and second materials at different rates;
• and
• means for suspending an article within the coating chamber, the suspending means transporting the article within the coating chamber relative to the two molten pools so as to deposit a coating on the article with a controlled composition that is a mixture of the first and second materials.

A physical vapor deposition process comprising the steps of:

• providing at least two passages through which at least two materials are fed into a coating chamber of a physical vapor deposition apparatus, at least a first of the materials having a composition with a higher vapor pressure than a second of the materials;
• melting the first and second materials to form molten pools thereof, the first and second materials being melted at different rates;
• and
• suspending an article within the coating chamber and transporting the article relative to the two molten pools so as to deposit a coating on the article with a controlled composition that is a mixture of the first and second materials.

An electron beam physical vapor deposition process comprising the steps of:

• providing a crucible having at least two passages through which at least two materials are fed into a coating chamber, a first of the two materials being an ingot of a beta-NiAl alloy containing chromium, a second of the two materials comprising at least one element chosen from the group consisting of zirconium, hafnium, yttrium and cerium, such that the first material has a higher vapor pressure than the second material;
• generating at least one electron beam to melt the first and second materials and form molten pools thereof, the first and second materials being melted at different rates;
• and
• suspending an article within the coating chamber and transporting the article relative to the two molten pools so as to deposit a coating on the article with a controlled composition that is a mixture of the first and second materials.