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US 4,724,058 AGranted
Method and apparatus for arc evaporating large area targets
AssigneeVac-Tec Systems, Inc.
InventorCharles F. Morrison, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for arc evaporating a large target having a surface area of at least about 20 square inches, including a device for confining the arc to the target surface and a magnetic field source for establishing at least one magnetic field in a predetermined direction over the target surface to thus direct the cathode spot of the arc in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field and accordingly effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc where the magnetic field may be either pulsed or continuous.
Claims39
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field, said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated said cathode spot directing means including means for intermittently turning said closed loop magnetic field on and off to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field means for establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field, said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated, said cathode spot directing means including means for intermittently turning said closed loop magnetic field on and off to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arch on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including (a) electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated and (b) a current source for applying half wave rectified current to the electromagnet means to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged articles and a chathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including (a) electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated and (b) a current source for applying half wave rectified current to the electromagnet means to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for intermittently estalishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including (a) electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated and (b) a current source for applying current pulses to the electromagnet means such that during the duration of each pulse the cathode spot is moved along said closed loop path while during the interval between pulses, the cathode spot randomly wanders over the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including (a) electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated and (b) a current source for applying current pulses to the electromagnet means such that during the duration of each pulse the cathode spot is moved along said closed loop path while during the interval between pulses, the cathode spot randomly wanders over the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at lest about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for at least intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated where said electromagent means comprises two concentrically disposed coils where each coil includes a plurality of turns of magnet wire and said apparatus includes a current source which delivers out-of-phase signals to the respective coils, whereby the coils are alternately energized and the cathode spot is successivley moved from the center line over one of the coils to the center line over the other coil such that substantially continuous control is exercised over the motion of the cathode spot as it is moved around the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for at least intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side theroef having said surface of material to be evaporated where said electromagnet means comprises two concentrically disposed coils where each coil includes a plurality of turns of magnet wire and said apparatus includes a current source which delivers out-of-phase signals to the respective coils, whereby the coils are alternately energized and the cathode spot is successively moved from the center line over one of the coils to the center line over the other coil such that substantially continuous control is exercised over the motion of the cathode spot as it is moved around the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly mirgrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic filed source means for at least intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated where said electromagnet means includes at least a first coil including a plurality of turns where the turns extend substantially in the same direction as said directed motion of the cathode spot and a second coil wound on the first coil including a further plurality of turns where the plane of each turn of the second coil is substantially perpendicular to the turns of the first coil to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for at least intermittently establishing at lest one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means including electromagnet means disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated where said electromagnet means includes at least a first coil including a plurality of turns where the turns extend substantially in the same direction as said directed motion of the cathode spot and a second coil wound on the first coil including a further plurality of turns where the plane of each turn of the second coil is substantially perpendicular to the turns of the first coil to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for at least intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated where said cathode spot directing means includes means for establishing a plurality of reverse polarity adjacent sections of magnetic field over said target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- means for confining the arc to the target surface.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating apparatus comprising:
- a target having a surface of material to be evaprated;
- means for establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- means for confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- cathode spot directing means including magnetic field source means for at least intermittently establishing at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to therby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated where said cathode spot directing means includes means for establishing a plurality of reverse polarity adjacent sections of magnetic field over said target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Arc evaporating method comprising the steps of:
- providing a target having a surface of material to be evaporated, the surface having an area of at least about 20 square inches;
- establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- and
- providing magnetic field source means for intermittently turning on and off at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated, said intermittent turning on and off of the magnetic field being such that each time the field is turned on the cathode spot is moved along said closed loop path and each time it is turned off, the cathode spot randomly wanders over the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc;
- and
- confining the arc to the target surface.
3 more elements
Arc evaporating method comprising the steps of:
- providing a target having a surface of material to be evaporated;
- establishing an arc on the target surface for evaporating the target material, the arc being characterized by the presence of charged particles and a cathode spot which tends to randomly migrate over the target surface;
- confining the arc to the target surface;
- and
- providing magnetic field source means for intermittently turning on and off at least one closed loop magnetic field over said target surface to thereby direct said cathode spot around a closed loop path on said target surface, said closed loop path being defined by said closed loop magnetic field and said magnetic field source means being disposed under said target on the side of the target opposite the side thereof having said surface of material to be evaporated, said intermittent turning on and off of the magnetic field being such that each time the field is turned on the cathode spot is moved along said closed loop path and each time it is turned off, the cathode spot randomly wanders over the target surface to thus effect substantially uniform evaporation of the target by the arc.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.