Patent ID: 6193853
Filing Date: 2001-02-27
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A sputtering process for applying a coating onto an elongate, hollow cylindrical workpiece having an internal surface and an external surface, said process comprising the steps of:a) providing a vacuum chamber and introducing a sputtering gas into a low pressure environment in the vacuum chamber;b) providing an elongate emitter and positioning the emitter substantially parallel to the surface of the workpiece to be coated, positioning the workpiece so the surface of the workpiece to be coated is in the low pressure environment;c) creating a plasma field between the emitter and the workpiece by providing a power supply connected to the emitter and the workpiece; andd) creating a magnetic field around the emitter having flux lines substantially and uniformly parallel along a length of the emitter by providing a solenoid coil in a configuration of a coiled tubular conductor connected to a high current/low voltage power supply, wherein an area of overlap between the magnetic field and the plasma field defines a coating zone.