Patent ID: 6090247
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
An apparatus for the deposition of material onto at least one substrate to form a coating, said apparatus comprising:a vacuum chamber;a vacuum creating means;a material deposition means to deposit material in a first area of the vacuum chamber onto the at least one substrate;characterized by:a reaction producing means to create a plasma in a separate, second area of the vacuum chamber;a means for introducing a gas into the chamber;a substrate carrier mounted for rotation in the vacuum chamber to carry the at least one substrate from the first area to the separate, second area; andthe reaction producing means being a plasma source comprising a first unbalanced magnetron and a conductive means for receiving alternating voltage power, the conductive means being selected from the group consisting of a second unbalanced magnetron and a counter electrode, the first unbalanced magnetron and said conductive means for receiving alternating voltage power being arranged side by side and powered by an alternating voltage power supply such that at any one instant during the operation one of the first unbalanced magnetron and the conductive means operates with a negative bias and the other of the first unbalanced magnetron and the conductive means operates with a positive bias to generate a plasma in the second area of the vacuum chamber to cause a reaction of material previously deposited by the material deposition means on the at least one substrate, and whereby the negative bias and the positive bias can be periodically and synchronously changed during operation.