Abstract: The invention relates to a shaft seal for sealing a shaft pass-through (3) of vacuum apparatus, which accommodates a shaft (2), having at least one annular seal (4) which is disposed in a housing part and with which a barrier liquid (5) is associated, while the sealing part (6) of the annular seal facing the shaft (2) forms with the shaft an annular chamber (8) in which the barrier liquid (5) is provided, in order in this manner to bind particles formed by attrition.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber contains means for transferring a substrate for an information disc such as a CD from a loading station to a coating station, where material such as aluminum in wire form is evaporated in order to coat the substrate from above. An evaporation nozzle is continuously supplied with wire at a rate according to the coating thickness. The nozzle may be heated either resistively in order to evaporate the wire therein, or the wire may be directly heated by an induction coil.

Abstract: Apparatus for reducing the sagging of essentially planar outside walls (3, 13) on a vacuum tank (1) under operating conditions, and for preventing displacements, resulting therefrom, of components fastened to these outside walls (3, 13), such as rollers (7, 8) of a winding apparatus (2) which is movable with respect to the vacuum tank (1) in a vacuum tape coating apparatus, wherein spacers (12, 14) are provided between two opposite outside walls (3, 13).

Abstract: An apparatus for the implementation of plasma etching processes providing a process chamber, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode. The upper electrode comprises an anode member, movable with respect to the process chamber, and provides a gas shower for delivering a highly reactive gas, such as a gas containing fluorine or chlorine, into the process chamber. The lower electrode provides a surface for holding a substrate to be etched, the lower electrode being supplied with a high-frequency negative voltage and cooled by an outside source. The process chamber is shaped to press the substrate to the lower electrode when the process chamber is lowered upon the substrate in preparation for operation. The process chamber presses the substrate around a continuous periphery of the substrate. The process chamber is provided with exhaust gas export holes which can be progressively aligned with matching holes in a perforated disk rotatably mounted to an outside surface of the process chamber.

Abstract: In an apparatus for mounting discoidal substrates in a vacuum chamber for reactive ionic etching purposes, a substrate holder joined to a hollow shaft and a bottom plate under the substrate holder are disposed, which together with spacers and a clamping ring form a displaceable cage partially surrounding the substrate holder and held coaxial to the latter, while the substrate which can be introduced through a gap in the lateral wall of the cage betwen two spacers can be laid on the substrate holder and locked in place there by the clamping ring after a relative movement between the substrate holder and the cage.