Method of manufacturing a tube having a film on its inner peripheral surface and apparatus for manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a tube having a film on an inner peripheral surface thereof comprising the steps of:

• disposing a hollow rod-like electrode provided with a gas nozzle in a vacuum container;
• disposing a ring-like electrode around said rod-like electrode with a predetermined space therebetween;
• disposing a rod-like sputtering target receiving a voltage on an extension of said rod-like electrode;
• disposing a tube to be processed such that said tube is located around said sputtering target and is substantially continuous to said ring-like electrode;
• setting an interior of said vacuum container to a predetermined degree of vacuum for deposition;
• introducing a plasma source gas into a space between said rod-like and ring-like electrodes through said gas nozzle of said rod-like electrode;
• applying electric power for forming plasma from said gas while applying a magnetic field around said vacuum container;
• supplying the produced plasma into said tube;
• and
• applying a sputtering voltage to said sputtering target for sputtering said sputtering target to form said film on said inner peripheral surface of said tube.

An apparatus for manufacturing a tube having a film on an inner peripheral surface thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum container;
• a hollow rod-like electrode which is provided with a gas nozzle and disposed in said vacuum container and a ring-like electrode disposed in said vacuum container and around said rod-like electrode with a predetermined space therebetween;
• a holder holding a tube to be processed such that said tube is substantially continuous to said ring-like electrode;
• gas introducing means for introducing a deposition material gas into a space between said rod-like and ring-like electrodes through said gas nozzle of said rod-like electrode;
• electric power applying means for applying electric power between said electrodes to produce plasma from said gas;
• and
• magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to said plasma so as to supply said plasma generated between said electrodes into said tube held by said holder, said magnetic field applying means disposed around said vacuum container.

An apparatus for manufacturing a tube having a film on an inner peripheral surface thereof, said apparatus comprising:

• a vacuum container;
• a hollow rod-like electrode which is provided with a gas nozzle and disposed in said vacuum container and a ring-like electrode disposed in said vacuum container and around said rod-like electrode with a predetermined space therebetween;
• supporting means for supporting a rod-like sputtering target on an extension of said rod-like electrode;
• a holder for holding a tube to be processed around said sputtering target supported by said supporting means such that said tube is substantially continuous to said ring-like electrode;
• gas introducing means for introducing a plasma source gas into a space between said rod-like and ring-like electrodes through said gas nozzle of said rod-like electrode;
• electric power applying means for applying electric power between said electrodes to produce plasma from said gas;
• magnetic field applying means for applying a magnetic field to said plasma so as to supply said plasma generated between said electrodes into said tube held by said holder, said magnetic field applying means disposed around said vacuum container;
• and
• sputtering voltage applying means for applying a sputtering voltage to said sputtering target.