Abstract: A gas purged counter-electrode prevents the counter-electrode from being covered with dielectric material by flowing gas past a surface of a metal element. The gas purged counter-electrode produces a relatively high-density plasma which effectively acts as the counter-electrode for a coating system. The gas purged counter-electrodes can be used with PECVD or sputtering systems.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 12, 1996
Date of Patent:
August 29, 2000
Assignee:
The BOC Group, Inc.
Inventors:
Joseph Countrywood, Sohrab Zarrabian, Abraham I. Belkind, Charlie Sherwood, Frank Jansen