Electric arc coating device having an additional ionization anode

An electric arc coating device for coating substrates, said device comprising:

• a chamber with a chamber wall for receiving the substrates to be coated, said chamber evacuatable and optionally controllably fillable with a gas selected from the group consisting of a reaction gas and an inert gas;
• at least one first direct current source;
• at least one cathode connected to said first direct current source and connected within said chamber so as to be electrically insulated, said cathodes consumable by the electric arc;
• a second direct current source having a higher voltage than said first direct current source, the substrates to be coated connected to a negative pole of said second direct current source and electrically insulated from said chamber;
• a third direct current source having a higher voltage than said first direct current source;
• and
• a first anode and a second anode, said second anode electrically insulated from said first anode and connected to said third direct current source, and with positive poles of said first and said second current sources connected to said first anode.