Application of coating materials
AssigneeVision Ease, LP
InventorsAllen Robert Waugh, Gareth William Hall, Steven Anthony Stanley
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Abstract
The invention relates to apparatus and a method for applying coatings to substrates such as, for example, a lens or electronic component. The apparatus includes a coating chamber in which there is provided one or more magnetrons which include, typically, an at least partially oxidised metal or metal alloy. A carrier is provided for the substrates to be moved and held in the coating chamber and the carrier is formed from a plurality of units on which the substrates are positioned and the units can be brought together to form the carrier.
Claims39
Apparatus for the application of a coating to one or more substrates, said apparatus comprising:
- a coating chamber in which there is provided one or more magnetrons with targets of material from which the coating is applied;
- a carrier for retaining one or more substrates thereon during the application of the coating to at least one surface thereof;
- means for rotating said carrier during the coating process;
- and
- wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of units, each of said units locating at least one substrate to be coated thereon and said units grouped together during the coating process to form said carrier.
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Apparatus for the application of a coating onto at least one substrate, said apparatus comprising:
- a coating chamber in which is provided a first magnetron with a target of a first material and a second magnetron with a target of a second material;
- a carrier mounted for rotation in said coating chamber, said carrier provided to receive and carry at least one substrate thereon and expose at least part of a surface of said at least one substrate for application of material from the first and second targets thereon;
- and
- wherein the material of at least one of the targets is a partially oxidised metal or metal alloy.
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A method of coating a series of substrates in a coating chamber by deposition of coating material thereon, said method comprising the steps of:
- loading one or more substrates onto a carrier, with at least one surface of each substrate exposed to allow application of the coating material thereto, said carrier initially being located in a loading chamber;
- creating a vacuum in the loading chamber with the carrier therein and creating a vacuum in the coating chamber;
- moving the carrier from the loading chamber into the coating chamber;
- rotating the carrier;
- applying material from one or more deposition means in the coating chamber onto the one or more substrates to form the coating;
- removing the carrier from the coating chamber into the loading chamber;
- removing the coated one or more substrates therefrom;
- and
- wherein the carrier is formed from a plurality of units, each of said units provided with means to allow the location of at least one substrate thereon, and
- said units are brought together and retained together to form the carrier.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.