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US 2004/0168637 A1Published application
Filtered cathodic arc deposition method and apparatus
AssigneeG & H Technologies, LLC
InventorVladimir I. Gorokhovsky
Life of this patent
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AssigneeG & H Technologies, LLC
InventorVladimir I. Gorokhovsky
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for the application of coatings in a vacuum comprising a plasma duct surrounded by a magnetic deflecting system communicating with a first plasma source and a coating chamber in which a substrate holder is arranged off of an optical axis of the plasma source, has at least one deflecting electrode mounted on one or more walls of the plasma duct. In one embodiment an isolated repelling or repelling electrode is positioned in the plasma duct downstream of the deflecting electrode where the tangential component of a deflecting magnetic field is strongest, connected to the positive pole of a current source which allows the isolated electrode current to be varied independently and increased above the level of the anode current. The deflecting electrode may serve as a getter pump to improve pumping efficiency and divert metal ions from the plasma flow. In a further embodiment a second arc source is activated to coat the substrates while a first arc source is activated, and the magnetic deflecting system for the first arc source is deactivated to confine plasma to the cathode chamber but permit electrons to flow into the coating chamber for plasma immersed treatment of the substrates. A load lock shutter may be provided between the plasma duct and the coating chamber further confine the plasma from the first arc source.
An apparatus for the application of coatings in a vacuum, comprising
An apparatus for the application of coatings in a vacuum, comprising
A method of coating an article in a coating apparatus comprising at least one filtered arc source comprising at least one cathode contained within a cathode chamber, at least one anode associated with the cathode for generating an arc discharge, a plasma duct in communication with the cathode chamber and with a coating chamber containing a substrate holder for mounting at least one substrate to be coated, the substrate holder being positioned off of an optical axis of the cathode, at least one deflecting conductor disposed adjacent to the plasma source and the plasma duct, for deflecting a plasma flow from the arc source into the plasma duct, and at least one metal vapor or sputter deposition plasma source in communication with the plasma duct, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.