Abstract: During electric arc discharge discrete points of the cathode surface are so strongly heated that ionized cathode material is volatilized. Use of such hot spots as vapor source for vacuum coating is, however, impaired by the fact that a short time after beginning of the vapor emission from a hot spot molten material in the form of droplets is also hurled away. The invention provides continuous vapor deposition on the cathode surface with a metal compound which can be broken down, by which accelerated migration of the vapor emitting hot spots is forced in such a way that the hot spots migrate away from a particular site before spatter formation starts. The cathode surface is preferentially continuously sputtered so strongly that the metal quantity supplied to it through the metal compound is 12 to 25% of the quantity of metal carried off through vaporization from hot spots.