Patent ID: 7045039

Claim:
A process of depositing a multi layer coating on at least a portion of an article surface comprising: depositing by electroplating at least one metal or metal alloy containing layer on at least a portion of said article surface; subjecting said article surface having said at least one electroplated layer thereon to pulses of air to dry and clean said electroplated article surface; and depositing by physical vapor deposition on at least a portion of said dry and clean electroplated layer at least one layer comprising a material selected from the group consisting of refractory metal, refractory metal alloy, refractory metal compound, and refractory metal alloy compound on at least a portion of said electroplated layer, wherein said refractory metal compound is selected from the group consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, oxides and reaction products of said refractory metal, oxygen and nitrogen, and wherein said refractory metal alloy compound is selected from the group consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, oxides and reaction products of said refractory metal alloy, oxygen and nitrogen, wherein said electroplating comprises electroplating at least one layer comprised of copper on said at least a portion of the surface of said article to provide at least one electroplated copper layer, electroplating at least one layer comprised of nickel on said at least one electroplated copper layer to provide at least one electroplated nickel layer, and electroplating at least one layer comprised of chrome directly on said at least one electroplated nickel layer.