Patent ID: 8956511
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: C23C,H01J

Abstract:
1. A method for producing a coating on a moving substrate in a vacuum chamber with a residual gas employing a sputtering apparatus, wherein said vacuum chamber is divided by one or more diaphragms into at least a first region and a second region arranged at a predetermined distance from said first region, the method comprising the steps of: providing said substrate in said first region; feeding a reactive component of said residual gas into said first region at a first partial pressure; reactive sputter depositing, in said first region, a substoichiometric coating layer on said substrate, said substoichiometric coating layer comprising a first substoichiometric compound comprising a sputter material and said reactive component of said residual gas with a first stoichiometric deficit; moving said substrate from said first region to said second region, said second region having a plasma source arranged therein; and feeding said reactive component into said second region at a second partial pressure and performing, in said second region, plasma activation on said substrate with an input of a predetermined amount of said reactive component to provide a fully stoichiometric coating layer; wherein said first partial pressure of said reactive component in said first region is set independently of said second partial pressure of said reactive component in said second region; and wherein said reactive sputter depositing of said substoichiometric coating layer consists of operating in an area of transition between a metallic mode and a compound mode.