Remote Arc Discharge Plasma Assisted Processes

A method of coating a substrate in a coating system, the coating system comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• and
• a deposition assembly including:
• a vapor source;
• a substrate holder to hold substrates to be coated positioned such that the substrates are positioned in front of the vapor source;
• a cathode chamber assembly including a cathode target, an optional primary anode and a shield which isolates the cathode target from the vacuum chamber, the shield defining openings for transmitting an electron emission current from the cathode target;
• a remote anode coupled to the cathode target;
• a primary power supply connected between the cathode target and the primary anode;
• and
• a secondary power supply connected between the cathode target and the remote anode, the vapor source being positioned between the cathode chamber assembly and the remote anode, the remote anode having a linear remote anode dimension, the vapor source having a linear vapor source dimension, the cathode target having a linear cathode target dimension, and the substrate holder having a linear holder dimension such that the linear remote anode dimension, the linear vapor source dimension, the linear cathode target dimension, and the linear holder dimension are parallel to each other, with the linear remote anode dimension being equal to or greater than the linear cathode target dimension and the linear vapor source dimension,
• the method comprising:
• generating a primary arc in the electron emitting cathode source between the cathode target and the primary anode;
• generating a confined remote arc in a coating area between the cathode chamber assembly and the remote anode;
• and
• generating metal vapor flow from the vapor source toward at least one substrate to be coated.