Patent ID: 7914848

Claim:
A method for coating at least one tape substrate said method comprising the steps of: providing at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to an enlarged deposition zone, defined by at least two electron beam (e-beam) deposition sources, the at least two e-beam deposition sources include first and second e-beam sources, the first and second e-beam sources have first and second evaporant material flux profiles that are partially overlapped such that a first waning portion of the first evaporant material flux profile is superimposed with a second waning portion of the second evaporant material flux profile to create a combined evaporant material flux substantially the same as at a center of the first evaporant material flux profile to form a substantially flat combined evaporant material flux profile; communicating an evaporant material from the at least two e-beam deposition sources with the at least a portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon, the evaporant material from each of the e-beam deposition sources having substantially the same composition; communicating an assist beam of a species to the evaporant material communicating with the at least a portion of at least one tape substrate such that the coating is biaxially textured; providing at least another portion of at least one tape substrate to the enlarged deposition zone; communicating the evaporant material from the at least two e-beam deposition sources with the at least another portion of at least one tape substrate to deposit a coating thereon; and communicating an assist beam of the species to the evaporant material communicating with the at least another portion of at least one substrate such that the coating is biaxially textured.