Balzers Aktiengesellschaft

Unaxis-Balzers Aktiengesellschaft

Erich Bergmann

Johann Karner

Hans Schulz

Helmut Daxinger

Jurgen Braus

Mauro Pedrazzini

Anton Kunz

Jurgen Ramm

Hans Br&auml;ndle

Elmar Hummer

Helmut Rudigier

Ingrid Reineck

Rainer Buhl

Mats E Sjostrand

Harald Pfestorf

Karl-Heinz Zehenter

Martin Zach

Francois DuPont

Manfred Berger

Peter Nuesch

Franz Gassner

A method of manufacturing a coated workpiece utilizes a target made of an alloy which is substantially a one phase. Coating is achieved by cathodic arc evaporation of the target in an oxygen atmosphere.

Method for manufacturing a cathodic arc coated workpiece

A process and apparatus for coating at least one workpiece utilizes a target made of an alloy which is substantially a one phase. Coating is achieved by cathodic arc evaporation of the target in an oxygen atmosphere.

Coating a workpiece and operating a cathodic arc discharge

A process provides for the reactive treatment of workpieces in which a plasma beam is produced in an evacuated recipient. With respect to the area of the highest plasma density along the beam axis, workpieces are arranged in a radially offset manner. Fresh reactive gas is charged into the recipient and used-up gas is sucked out of the recipient. A vacuum treatment system comprises a plasma beam production arrangement, a gas inlet operatively connected with a reactive gas supply, an axially extending workpiece carrier arrangement radially set off from an axis of a plasma beam produced by the plasma beam production arrangement. The workpiece carrier arrangement mounts a rotational surface coaxial with respect to the axis of the plasma beam and a gas suction system. The process and system are used to deposit metastable layers, including cBN-layers, .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layers, C.sub.3 N.sub.4 layers, and diamond layers, on the workpieces, to surface treat with reactive chemical compounds, including free radicals, and to coat.

Vacuum treatment system for homogeneous workpiece processing

Coated body, method for its manufacturing as well as its use

A tool with at least one area which is to be exposed to wear, is coated in a vacuum process with a first hard coating lying directly on the tool material and a superimposed exterior friction reducing layer over the hard coating. The grain size of the hard and friction reducing layers has a linear average width of less than 1 .mu.m.

Coated tool with increased service life

It is suggested for depositing layers of mechanically resistant material, in particular on highly stressed tools, to coat the workpieces (7) alternatingly by means of reactive cathode sputtering (1, 13) and to after-treat them by means of a further plasma discharge (3).

Method and apparatus for layer depositions

The invention relates to a method for depositing a diamond coating on a workpiece, for instance a drawing die or a tool punch, whereby a reactive plasma supported coating method is used. According to the invention the generation of the plasma is made by a direct current discharge, whereby additionally a flow of charged particles is fed into the discharge gap; according to the invention the workpiece to be coated is positioned in the discharge gap. Due to the inventive design a relatively long discharge gap can be used, such that also large surface areas can be coated; the coating is made at a location of the highest homogeneity and density of the plasma. By means of the invention a method is provided which can be controlled regarding financial expenses and in a reliable manner and which is suitable for large surface area coating.

Plasma CVD method for producing a diamond coating

A method and apparatus for a reactive treatment of the surface of a workpiece, in which a process gas is brought into a chamber and a direct voltage arc discharge is generated in the chamber, the arc discharge is assisted or maintained, respectively by a coupling in of a flow of charged particles. In known treatment methods plasma generated in the direct voltage arc are generally distributed inhomogeneously in the inner space of the chamber and the area with a density of the plasma which is sufficient for the reactive surface treatment is relatively small. According to the invention this problem is solved in that the distribution of the effect of the treatment of the plasma in the chamber at least along a predetermined plane is set, and specifically by a setting of an areal distribution of the process gas inlet and/or setting of an areal distribution of the arc discharges in the chamber, in that the flow of charged particles is coupled into the chamber via a plurality of distribution openings. By such means, spatially large plasmas having high densities of ionization and acceptable densities of energy can be realized, such that it is possible to perform on the one hand treatment of large surface areas and on the other hand also treatment processes on objects which are thermally sensitive.

Method of and apparatus for a direct voltage arc discharge enhanced

The hard coating includes mainly (Al,Cr).sub.2 0.sub.3 mixed crystals and a chrome content higher than 5 at %. The coating is deposited at a temperature lower than 900.degree. C., preferably lower than 500.degree. C. The hard coating is deposited by a CVD or PVD process.

Hard coating; a workpiece coated by such hard coating and a method of

In a vacuum coating apparatus with a rotary-driven substrate carrier, the bearing of the substrate carrier is implemented as a quasi-hydrostatic rotary transmission feedthrough. For receiving the parts to be coated, a mounting is provided which is operationally connected to a drive shaft. The drive shaft has a bearing disk. In operation this bearing disk is hydrostatically supported wherein the bearing can take place on both sides of the bearing disk via at least one annular channel for each side. The drive shaft is carried radially in the wall of the apparatus and the annular channels are disposed in a spring-supported housing. The bearing disk, in turn, is provided with radial channels which are operationally connected with axial channels of the shaft portion of the drive shaft. In this way the bearing of rotary-driven substrate carriers in the vacuum coating apparatus is solved.

Vacuum coating apparatus with rotary-driven substrate carrier

A method and apparatus for controlling a ratio .gamma.=x/y, for the coating of a work piece with a layer F.sub.x G.sub.y, using plasma-enhanced reactive deposition processes, includes changing the rate at which a solid material is vaporized and also controlling the atmosphere within the vacuum chamber of the apparatus.

Method and apparatus for regulating a degree of reaction in a coating

An apparatus for a reactive treatment of the surface of a workpiece, in which a process gas is brought into a chamber and a direct voltage arc discharge is generated in the chamber, the arc discharge is assisted or maintained, respectively by introducing a flow of charged particles. In known treatment methods, plasma generated in the direct voltage arc are generally distributed non-homogeneously in the inner space of the chamber and the area with a density of the plasma which is sufficient for the reactive surface treatment is relatively small. According to the invention this problem is solved in that the distribution of the effect of the treatment of the plasma in the chamber at least along a predetermined plane is set, and specifically by a distribution of openings for the process gas over a given area and/or by a distribution of the arc discharges in the chamber over a given area. The flow of charged particles enters into the chamber via a plurality of distribution openings. By such an arrangement, spatially large plasmas having high densities of ionization and acceptable densities of energy are realized, and it is possible to perform treatment of large surface areas and also treatment processes on objects which are thermally sensitive.

The hard coating includes mainly (Al,Cr).sub.2 O.sub.3 crystals and a chrome content higher than 5 at % wherein the (Al, Cr).sub.2 O.sub.3 is a single crystal. The coating is deposited at a temperature lower than 90.degree. C., preferably lower than 500.degree. C. The hard coating is deposited by a CVD or PVD process.

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Mels, Switzerland

Erich Bergmann