Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd.

Andre Wisard

Wolfgang Lohwasser

In a process for coating a substrate surface with a layer of inorganic material, the inorganic material is vaporised in a vacuum chamber evacuated to at least 10.sup.-3 mbar by bombarding with an electron beam from a high voltage electron-beam gun and deposited on the substrate surface. Gas discharging is created between the point of incidence (A) of the electron beam on the inorganic material to be vaporised and an anode such that the electrostatic charge created by the high voltage electron-beam gun flows off via the anode. This way damage to the substrate, which may arise as a result discharging phenomena, can be effectively avoided.

Process and device for coating a substrate surface with vaporized

Device containing a vacuum chamber 30 and situated therein a substrate 10 and a vaporization crucible 22 filled with inorganic materials 24. Situated in the region of the vacuum chamber 30 is an electron beam or laser gun 26, the electron or laser beam 27 of which is directed at the crucible 22. The device is employed for coating a substrate surface 18 e.g. a plastic film with a thin coating of inorganic materials, such as e.g. silicon oxides, by vapor deposition of the inorganic materials 24. The electron or laser beam 27 of the electron beam or laser gun 26 is directed at the surface of the inorganic materials 24 in the vaporizing crucible 22. The electron or laser beam 27 forms an angle .alpha. of 10.degree. to 80.degree. to the surface of the inorganic materials 24. On vaporizing the inorganic materials 24 an overhang 25 is formed in the inorganic materials 24 and, geometrically, there is no line of sight between the vaporizing inorganic materials and the substrate surface 18. The process performed in the device leads to substrates e.g. plastic films the surfaces of which exhibit no inhomogenieties such as sprayed material, particles or droplets of inorganic materials.

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Adlikon, Switzerland

Andre Wisard