Leybold Aktiengesellschaft

Leybold Systems Gmbh

The Coca-cola Company

Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.

Applied Films Gmbh & Co. Kg

Applied Materials Gmbh & Co Kg

Helmut Grimm

Klaus Michael

Thomas Gebele

Tomas Baumecker

Elisabeth Budke

Yu Shi

Mark Rule

Klemens Ruebsam

Gert R&ouml;dling

J&uuml;rgen Henrich

J&uuml;rgen Ulrich

Stefan Bangert

Takashi Miyamoto

Mitsuru Kano

Mika Gamo

Thomas Krug

Noboru Sasaki

Mamoru Sekiguchi

Andreas Meier

Jochen Heinz

Gerhard Steiniger

Reiner Gertmann

Jürgen Ulrich

Georg Harwarth

Hiroyuki Yasujima

Bernhard Schonherr

Martin Hornung

Ulrich Reibold

Jürgen Honekamp

Thomas Vogt

Gerard Lobig

Norbert Ross

Bjoern Elvers

Elisabeth Sommer

Lutz Kampmann

An electrode arrangement for the plasma-aided coating of a substrate () with a layer of material comprising at least one first and a second material component and for the production of a plasma discharge, more especially an arc discharge (), having an anode arrangement (), which provides the first material component at an anode material surface () for evaporation, and a cathode arrangement (), which provides the second material component at a cathode material surface (). The electrode arrangement is characterized in that the cathode material surface () is constituted by an evaporation-active part () supporting the plasma discharge () and an evaporation-inactive part () not supporting the plasma discharge. Preferably, a motion-producing means () is provided for moving the evaporation-inactive part () over the cathode material surface () in order to reduce deposit of material due to he first material component on the cathode material surface ().

Electrode arrangement

The coated multilayer structure comprising a polymeric base layer, an inorganic oxide gas barrier layer on a surface of the polymeric base layer, and a top coat on the inorganic oxide gas barrier layer, the top coat comprising a soluble compound capable of reducing the permeability of the multilayer structure to gas or vapor. A method for enhancing the gas or vapor barrier properties of a multilayer polymeric/inorganic oxide structure is also disclosed. According to one embodiment, SiOx coated polyethylene terephthalate containers are coated with a gas or vapor barrier enhancing top coat.

Multilayer polymeric/inorganic oxide structure with top coat for enhanced gas or vapor barrier and method for making same

In an air lock for continuous introduction into and/or removal of workpieces from spaces ( ) separated atmospherically, the individual substrates ( ) are transported through a transfer channel ( ). At least one lock chamber ( ) serving to accommodate the substrates ( ) is arranged movably in the transfer channel ( ). During the substrate transport in the transfer channel ( ), the lock chamber ( ) is atmospherically separated both from the exterior ( ) having normal pressure and from the coating chamber ( ). The air lock ( ) includes a carrousel lock which has a carrousel housing ( ) and a lock chamber wheel ( ). On the periphery in the lock chamber wheel ( ) individual lock chambers ( ) are provided, in which the workpieces ( ) to be brought into the chamber to be loaded ( ) are inserted freely accessible on the normal pressure side. By turning the lock chamber wheel ( ), the substrates ( ) in the lock chambers ( ) are transported from the coating station &lsqb;sic; loading station&rsqb; (A) to the transfer station (B) into the treatment chamber ( ) diametrically opposite the normal pressure side. In the transfer station (B) the substrates ( ) are removed from the transfer channels ( ) by means of a transfer device ( &prime;) and are available for further treatment in the treatment chamber ( ).

Air lock for introducing substrates to and/or removing them from a treatment chamber

In an air lock for continuous introduction into and/or removal of workpieces from spaces (,) separated atmospherically, the individual substrates (,) are transported through a transfer channel (,). At least one lock chamber (,) serving to accommodate the substrates (,) is arranged movably in the transfer channel (,). During the substrate transport in the transfer channel (,), the lock chamber (,) is atmospherically separated both from the exterior (,) having normal pressure and from the coating chamber (,). The air lock (,) includes a carrousel lock which has a carrousel housing (,) and a lock chamber wheel (,). On the periphery in the lock chamber wheel (,) individual lock chambers (,) are provided, in which the workpieces (,) to be brought into the chamber to be loaded (,) are inserted freely accessible on the normal pressure side. By turning the lock chamber wheel (,), the substrates (,) in the lock chambers (,) are transported from the coating station (A) to the transfer station (B) into the treatment chamber (,) diametrically opposite the normal pressure side. In the transfer station (B) the substrates (,) are removed from the transfer channels (,) by means of a transfer device (,&prime;) and are available for further treatment in the treatment chamber (,). The treatment chamber (,) includes, for instance, of a vacuum-coating chamber in which the workpieces (,) as the substrates to be coated are coated by a vacuum-supported coating method.

For coating substrates (17,18,20,21,22) in a vacuum-coating chamber (2) the substrates are introduced by an air lock into the coating chamber (2) and moved along a transport path in front of the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) producing a coating cloud. To this end, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are led past the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) by means of holding devices (24) arranged movably on a transport belt (9) during at least two successive coating phases. During the one coating phase, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are oriented along one transport direction T.sub.3 oriented towards the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) such that essentially the substrate bottom of the cylindrical substrate is coated. During the subsequent second coating phase, the substrates are oriented in front of the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) in a direction T.sub.4 opposite the transport direction T.sub.3, wherein the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are oriented such that essentially the cylindrical side surface is coated. By this method, the substrates (17,18,20,21,22) are coated successively in an identical manner and independently of possible substrate positions with relation to the coating sources (50a,b,c,d) during the coating process. Bottle-shaped containers, in particular, plastic bottles are vapor-coated with a gas- or fluid-barrier layer using the method. The coating sources (50a,b,c,d) include thermal vaporizers and/or plasma cathode sputter sources.

Method and device for transporting cylindrical substrates to be coated

A coating material to be evaporated in an evaporator cell disposed in a vacuum chamber is fed in the form of a wire to the evaporator cell in accordance with the depth of the molten bath, by a wire transport including a motor-driven shaft or roller and a counter-roller mounted on a movably journaled lever which in turn is movable via an electromagnetic actuator against the force of a spring means. A wire feed tube is arranged between the wire transport which draws fusible wire from a remote supply and feeds it to the evaporator boat where the wire is evaporated for coating a band-type substrate. The feed tube has a straight section which receives the wire concentrically from the transport and a gooseneck section toward said evaporator boat which twice deflects the wire to provide three points of contact with the inner wall of the tube, thus accurately positioning the wire while preventing clogging of the outlet orifice.

Apparatus for the continuous feeding of wire to an evaporator boat

The invention relates to a vacuum coating installation comprising a container (9) in which is disposed the material (10) to be vaporized, for example SiO. The vaporization of the material (10) herein takes place by means of an electron beam gun (11) or by means of a vaporization oven. Opposing the surface of the material to be vaporized (10) is provided a synthetic film (5) to be coated which is transported further by means of a transport arrangement (4, 6, 22 to 27). Into the space between the material (10) to be vaporized and the material (5) to be coated a microwave is irradiated from an horn antenna (13).

Vacuum coating installation

An evaporator boat for an apparatus for coating substrates in a vacuum coating chamber consists of a shallow, trough-shaped piece of an electrically conductive material, the boat being heated by direct passage of current through it. The evaporator boat has an elongate hexagonal plan, the configuration of the recess within the boat for containing the material to be evaporated corresponding approximately to that of the boat. Lengthwise opposed ends of the evaporator boat are provided each with an approximately rectangular, perpendicular flat area. The flat areas together form two directly opposed parallel clamping surfaces of the evaporator boat so that when the evaporator boat is heated, two active evaporating zones form on both sides of the point of contact between the delivered wire and the evaporator boat.

Evaporator boat for an apparatus for coating substrates

An apparatus for the continuous coating of band-type substrates in a vacuum chamber comprises a plurality of evaporation vessels 1, 1', . . . of the same size and configuration. These vessels form a row of evaporation vessels aligned with the direction of movement of the band and are spaced approximately equally apart. All vessels are made of an electrically conductive, ceramic material and can be heated by directly passing a current. Provision is made for a device for the continuous supply of wire to be evaporated to the evaporator vessels. The individual evaporator vessels 1, 1', . . . of the row are offset with respect to one another. Together, they cover a small coating zone B which extends transversely to the direction of movement A of the band.

Apparatus for the continuous coating of band-type substrate

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Darmstadt, Germany

Helmut Grimm