System and apparatus for magnetron sputter deposition

A magnetron sputtering coating apparatus for coating the interior surface of a hollowed workpiece, the workpiece having an interior surface defining a hollow having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a magnet assembly positionable substantially within the hollowed workpiece, said magnet assembly including a plurality of spaced apart magnets;
• a support structure supporting said magnets;
• and
• a sputter target material positionable substantially within the hollowed workpiece and about said magnets, wherein said magnet assembly is positioned about said support structure to generate a plurality of circumferentially directed magnetic fields about said sputter target material.

A magnetron sputtering system for coating an interior surface of a workpiece, said system comprising:

• a workpiece having an interior surface defining a bore with a longitudinal axis;
• a magnet assembly positioned substantially within said workpiece, said magnet assembly including a plurality of spaced apart magnets;
• a support structure supporting said magnets;
• and
• an elongated sputter target material positioned substantially within said workpiece and radially outward of said magnet assembly, wherein said magnet assembly is positioned about said structural support to generate a plurality of circumferentially directed magnetic fields about said sputter target material.

A magnetron sputtering apparatus for coating an interior surface of a workpiece with sputter material from a sputter target material, the workpiece having an interior surface defining a bore with a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:

• a magnet assembly positionable adjacent a sputter target material positioned between said magnet assembly and the interior surface of the workpiece, said magnet assembly having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of magnets supported therebetween;
• and
• a support structure supporting said magnets, wherein said magnets are supported about said support structure such that a magnetic field is generated about the sputter target material;
• a cooling system including one or more coolant passages extending past the magnets;
• and
• a rotor positioned in one of said coolant passages so as to be rotatable by coolant passing therethrough, wherein said rotor and said magnets are operatively interconnected such that rotation of said rotor rotates said magnet assembly.

A magnetron sputtering apparatus for coating an interior surface of a hollowed workpiece with sputter material from a sputter target material, the workpiece having an interior surface, said apparatus comprising:

• a magnet assembly positionable adjacent a sputter target material positioned between said magnet assembly and the interior surface of the workpiece, said magnet assembly having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of magnets supported therebetween;
• a support structure supporting said magnets, wherein said magnets are supported about said support structure such that a magnetic field is generated about the sputter target material;
• and
• a rotatable drive mechanism including a rotor rotatable to effect relative rotation between said magnet assembly and the sputter target material.