Leybold Systems Gmbh

Applied Materials Gmbh & Co Kg

Applied Films Gmbh & Co. Kg

Jürgen Ulrich

Jürgen Henrich

Helmut Grimm

Stefan Bangert

Klaus Michael

Thomas Gebele

Peter Sauer

Elisabeth Budke

Tomas Baumecker

Jürgen Honekamp

A sputtering cathode () for coating processes in a vacuum chamber () comprises one at least single-piece target plate () mounted on a metallic diaphragm (). On the side of the diaphragm () facing away from the target plate () is disposed a cooling agent channel with an inflow line () and an outflow line () for a cooling agent and a hollow space () for at least one magnet system (). The magnet system () is disposed in a supporting tub () sealed against the diaphragm () and not exposed to the cooling agent. The entire configuration is disposed on a supporting structure (). In order to improve the heat transfer from the target plate () to the cooling agent in simple, efficient and cost-effective manner and to avoid the hazard of the cooling agent penetrating into the vacuum chamber, the invention provides that

Sputtering cathode for coating processes

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

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

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Schöneck, Germany

Jürgen Ulrich