Tabco Technologies, Inc.

Lioudmila D Kisterskaya

Thomas A Barber

Leonid L Kistersky

An apparatus for localized ion sputtering consists of a vacuum chamber, an anode and cathode disposed in spaced relation in the vacuum chamber, a power supply for generating an electric field between the anode and cathode, and a means for directing a stream of plasma forming gas tangent to a target surface of the cathode. The anode has a first surface which is disposed in facing relation to the target surface of the cathode and further has an opposing second surface. The electric field which is generated between the anode and cathode has lines of force which extend generally perpendicular to the target surface of the cathode. In operation, the plasma forming gas is ionized adjacent to the target surface of the cathode by the electric field wherein the ions bombard the target surface of the cathode to strip away particles of cathode material. The particles are deposited onto a substrate which is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the anode. Embodiments are disclosed for sputtering planar surfaces, selected areas of planar surfaces, the inner and outer surfaces of elongate elements, including rods and tubes, and for coating the inner surfaces of openings in printed circuit boards. In one of the embodiments the gas is directed through a nozzle disposed tangent to the cathode target surface, while in other embodiments the gas is fed through a space formed between the anode and the cathode.

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Providence, RI, United States of America

Lioudmila D Kisterskaya