Vaporize

Vaporize

Arc supported condensation deposit process

This is how it works:

Cold metallic vapour expands from a thermic evaporator, e.g. a boat evaporator, into the arc column of a vacuum arc (see ill. 1).

The metallic vapour is stimulated and ionized by the electrons of a cathode spot in a cold cathode.

So the metallic vapour of the thermic evaporator is the combustion medium of the vacuum arc.

The ionization state and the ion energy are functions of the arc stream. In this arc type over thermic ions and neutrals are created by plasma expansion. The ion energy can be boosted additionally by pre-tension of anode or the substrate holder and via ranges.

Illustration 1: Basic construction of the arc supported condensation deposit process

Characteristics of the arc supported condensation deposit process:

• Combination of metallic vapour & arc source as ionization source (combination of well known sources)
• high rate (various µ / min)
• higher maintainability through modular construction (plasma as required)
• adjustability of angular divergence and grade scattering
• high reproducibility of coating parameters
• homogeneous coating of 3D components  
• very suitable for reactive processes

Characteristics of the coating separated by this process:

• high adherence
• fine grain coating structure (adjustable crystal size of few nm till µm)
• low pinhole density
• good barrier properties
• high reflectivity
• high electric conductivity with ultra thin coatings  (<< 10 nm ), thick coatings (up to few µm )
• high corrosion protection