Masking means and cleaning techniques for surfaces of substrates

A sputter deposition system for coating at least one surface of at least one substrate by sputter deposition, said system comprising:

• a holder for mounting said at least one substrate in a vacuum chamber;
• at least one sputtering device for sputtering a material onto said at least one surface of said at least one substrate exposed to said sputtering device;
• wherein said at least one substrate when mounted in said holder has an exposed surface and a masked surface opposing said exposed surface which is exposed to said sputtering device and at least one of said exposed and masked surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of concave, convex, and concave and convex;
• means for masking said masked surface of said at least one substrate and preventing the deposition of said sputtered material onto said masked surface;
• and
• said masking means being adapted in relation to said at least one substrate to contact at least a peripheral edge of said substrate and thereby prevent the deposit of sputtered material onto the surface which is masked;
• wherein said masking means is an adhesive membrane.

A sputter deposition system for coating at least one surface of at least one substrate by sputter deposition, said system comprising:

• a holder for mounting said at least one substrate in a vacuum chamber;
• at least one sputtering device for sputtering a material onto said at least one surface of said at least one substrate exposed to said sputtering device;
• wherein said at least one substrate when mounted in said holder has an exposed surface and a masked surface opposing said exposed surface which is exposed to said sputtering device and at least one of said exposed and masked surface has a shape selected from the group consisting of concave, convex, and concave and convex;
• means for masking said masked surface of said at least one substrate and preventing the deposition of said sputtered material onto said masked surface;
• and
• said masking means being adapted in relation to said at least one substrate to contact at least a peripheral edge of said substrate and thereby prevent the deposit of sputtered material onto the surface which is masked;
• wherein said masking means is a release agent.

A sputter deposition system for coating at least one surface of at least one by sputter deposition, said system comprising:

• a holder for mounting said at least one substrate in a vacuum chamber;
• at least one sputtering device for sputtering a material onto said at least one surface of said at least one substrate exposed to said sputtering device;
• wherein said at least one substrate when mounted in said holder has an exposed surface and a masked surface opposing said exposed surface which is exposed to said sputtering device and at least one of said exposed and masked surfaces has a shape selected from the group consisting of concave, convex, and concave and convex;
• means for masking said masked surface of said substrate and preventing the deposition of said sputtered material onto said masked surface;
• and
• said masking means being adapted in relation to said at least one substrate to contact at least a peripheral edge of said substrate and thereby prevent the deposit of sputtered material onto the surface which is masked;
• wherein said masking means is a layer of material onto which a seal area contacts, said seal area is of the group consisting of:
• at least a periphery of the said masked surface;
• a peripheral edge of said at least one substrate;
• and
• at least a periphery of the said masked surface and a peripheral edge of said at least one substrate.

A method for coating a surface of each of a plurality of substrates, each having at least a surface having a shape selected from the group consisting of concave, convex and concave and convex, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing said substrates in a carrier adapted for movement in a vacuum chamber;
• operating at least one sputter deposition device in said vacuum chamber to apply a sputtered material to an exposed surface of each of said substrates;
• masking a masked surface opposing said exposed surface of each of said substrates prior to operation of the sputtering device;
• and
• said masking includes contacting a masking area with a masking means to mask said surface, said masking area is of the group consisting of:
• at least a periphery of said masked surface,
• a peripheral edge of said substrate, and
• at least a periphery of said masked surface and a peripheral edge of said substrate;
• such that when said sputtering device is operated said masking means simultaneously prevents the deposition of said sputtered material onto said masked surface of each of said substrates;
• wherein said masking includes applying said masking means to said substrates prior to said substrates being placed onto said carrier for said vacuum chamber and said masking means is in the form of any of an adhesive membrane or release agent.