# US 2013/0276984 A1 · Coating apparatus having a hipims power source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0276984 A1 - Document ID: US20130276984A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/575,709 - Filed: 2011-01-27 - Published: 2013-10-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-29 - Assignees: Hauzer Techno Coating BV - Inventors: Frank Papa; Roel Tietema; Anthonie Kaland - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130276984A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/0245: {by etching with a plasma} - C23C 14/022: {by means of bombardment with energetic particles or radiation} - C23C 14/352: {using more than one target (C23C14/56 takes precedence)} - H01J 37/3405: {Magnetron sputtering} - H01J 37/3438: {Electrodes other than cathode} - H01J 37/3444: {Associated circuits} - H01J 37/3467: {Pulsed operation, e.g. HIPIMS} - H01J 2237/332: Coating - H01J 2237/334: Etching - 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) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A coating apparatus having a vacuum chamber, a plurality of cathodes arranged therein and also a HIPIMS power source, characterized in that in addition to at least one coating cathode which can be operated with the HIPIMS power source a plurality of etching cathodes is provided which are smaller in area in comparison to the coating cathode, with the etching cathodes being connectable in a predetermined or predeterminable sequence to the HIPIMS power source. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-7. (canceled) ### Claim 8 A coating apparatus (10) having a vacuum chamber (14), a plurality of cathodes (16, 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) arranged therein and also a HIPIMS power source (18) wherein, in addition to at least one coating cathode (16) which can be operated with the HIPIMS power source a plurality of etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) is provided which are smaller in area in comparison to the coating cathode, with the etching cathodes being connectable in a predetermined or predeterminable sequence to the HIPIMS power source (18). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) are each individually connectable to the HIPIMS power source (18) in the etching mode via a switching device (80, 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D). ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) can also be used as coating cathodes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) are connectable jointly to the HIPIMS power source (18) for the coating process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) are connectable in parallel to the HIPIMS power source (18) for the coating process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the HIPIMS power source (18) consists of a DC part (84) and a switching part (86) which generates power impulses with a predetermined frequency for the coating cathode (16) from the DC part and wherein, when operating the coating apparatus in the etching mode, the power pulses with the predetermined frequency are applied to the individual etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) in a predetermined or predeterminable sequence, whereby the etching cathodes are successively fed with the individual power pulses of the HIPIMS power source (18). ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the HIPIMS power source (18) consists of a DC part (84) and a switching part (86) which generates power pulses with a predetermined frequency for the coating cathode from the DC part, wherein the HIPIMS power source (18) can be so operated in the etching mode that it delivers at least further pulses between the power pulses with the predetermined frequency and wherein the impulses which are delivered in total are applied to the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) one after the other, whereby the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) can be successively fed with the individual pulses of the HIPIMS power source (18). ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) A coating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein a HIPIMS power source (18) consists of a DC part (84) and a switching part (86) which generates power pulses with a predetermined frequency for the coating cathode (16) from the DC part, wherein the HIPIMS power source (18) can be so operated in the etching mode that it delivers at least further pulses between the power pulses with the predetermined frequency and wherein the pulses that are delivered in total are applied in groups to the etching cathodes (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) in sequence, whereby the etching cathodes are successively fed with the individual groups of pulses.