Patent ID: 7857948

Claim:
Method for producing layers on at least one work piece by means of a vacuum-coating process in which an electric arc discharge is activated between at least one anode and a cathode of an arc source in a reactive-gas atmosphere, characterized in that on the surface of a target that is electrically connected to the cathode an outer magnetic field is generated, extending essentially perpendicular to the target surface and encompassing a vertical component B z as well as a smaller magnitude radial or surface-parallel component B r , for assisting the evaporation process, in that a magnet system consisting of at least one axially polarized coil with a geometry similar to the target circumference is fed an excitation current, said outer magnetic field being small enough as not to force said electric arc discharge into a particular path over said target surface, wherein the magnitude of B r is smaller than the magnitude of B z across a major proportion of the target surface.