Abstract: A process gas source (16) is connected to the vacuum chamber (5), and a metering valve (12) actuated by an automatic controller is installed between the vacuum chamber (5) and the process gas source (16). A potentiometric measurement electrode compares the amount of a gas in the vacuum chamber (5) with a reference gas by way of a reference electrode or with a solid body substituting for the reference electrode and sends a signal to automatic control unit (14), which contains a signal amplifier. The control unit then drives the generator of the power supply or the metering valve for the process gas.

Abstract: A sputtering electrode is switched between two power values at a constant reactive gas flow rate which is selected so that the target of the sputtering electrode is in the metallic mode at the first power value while in the oxide mode at a second power value.

Abstract: A process gas source (16) is connected to the vacuum chamber (5), and a metering valve (12) actuated by an automatic controller is installed between the vacuum chamber (5) and the process gas source (16). A potentiometric measurement electrode compares the amount of a gas in the vacuum chamber (5) with a reference gas by way of a reference electrode or with a solid body substituting for the reference electrode and sends a signal to automatic control unit (14), which contains a signal amplifier. The control unit then drives the generator of the power supply or the metering valve for the process gas.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the coating of substrates in a vacuum with rotatable substrate carriers (15,16,20) and with a loading and an unloading station (8 or 9), two vacuum chambers (3,4) are provided with several coating stations (6,7 or 10 to 14), directly next to one another, wherein a rotatable transport arm (15 or 16) is accommodated in each of the two chambers (3, 4), and the transport planes of the two transport arms (15,16) are aligned with one another. In the separation area of the two chambers (3,4), an air lock is provided with a corresponding transfer apparatus (5) with two transport arms (15,16), whose rotary plate (20) is provided with substrate storage unit (21,22) and projects about halfway into one chamber (3) and halfway into the other chamber (4), wherein one chamber (3) has both the loading as well as the unloading station (8 or 9).

Abstract: Power supply lines (41, 42) connect poles of an alternating current power source (43) to respective cathodes (58, 59) in compartments (32, 39), included among a plurality of adjacent compartments (32-39′), which together form a vacuum chamber (31) and which are connected to each other by a passageway (60). The two compartments (32, 39) with the cathodes (58, 59) are separated from each other by intermediate compartments (32′-38′), at least some of which are equipped with additional sputter cathodes (61-66).

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for coating a substrate (24) with thin layers from targets (12, 13) between which a gas discharge plasma is sustained in order to produce the ions necessary for the bombardment of the targets (12, 13) connected to alternating current. The process chamber (6) contains a gas under a specific partial pressure. The targets (12, 13) are connected to a power source in such a circuit so that they alternately form the cathode and anode of the gas discharge. The reversal of the current direction is performed through an H bridge (4) formed of four switches (16 to 19), the conductor (14) connecting the H bridge (4) to a first power source (3) being connected through a branch line (21) to a second power source which can be connected by a switch (20) to ground.

Abstract: A crucible (4) in a vacuum chamber (3) holds material to be evaporated, such as a metal or metal oxide or a mixture of a metal and a metal oxide, and a coating roll (6) guides a film web (8) a certain distance away from the material to be evaporated. A chamber (9, 10) is provided on each side of the coating roll (6) which carries the film web (8) past the crucible (4), a magnetron cathode (11, 12) connected to a medium-frequency source (19) being provided in each chamber. Each of the two chambers (9, 10) is connected by its own channel (13, 14) to a coating zone (20) directly between the coating roll (6) and the crucible (4), and each chamber (9, 10) is connected by a pressure line (21, 22) to a source (23, 24) of process gas.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the sputter deposition of thin electrically insulating layers on substrates (33, 33', . . . ) there is provided in an evacuable chamber which is connected to a treatment gas source, a first pair of tubular magnetron cathodes (5, 5' or 31) and at least one additional pair of magnetron cathodes (6, 6' or 25, 26 or 30, 32), a medium frequency generator (10) connected in series with a transformer (9), where the two secondary winding outputs (11, 12) of said transformer are each connected with the cathodes of a second pair (6, 6' or 25, 26 or 30, 32) and where direct current can be fed into the supply lines for the first cathode pair (31) via a center tap (15) of the transformer (9) and a network (17 or 13, 14).

Abstract: A cover fitted about the periphery of an opening in a chamber wall is provided with a channel having therein both high frequency sealing elements which prevent escape of electromagnetic radiation, and a vacuum sealing element. The HF sealing elements are spaced apart by less than 1/4 of the minimum wavelength .lambda. to be shielded against, and are preferably held in the channel by a profiled element which also holds the vacuum sealing element. Alternatively, the channel may be provided in the chamber wall, or the sealing elements may he held in place without any channel.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber contains a crucible (4) and an electron beam source (5) for evaporating material in the crucible. A substrate holder (6) holds substrates (7) above the crucible (4) with a process space therebetween. A magnetron cathode (11, 12) is located in each of two compartments (9, 10) located on either side of the process space. An aperture (21, 22) connects each compartment to the process space; each cathode (11, 12) carries a target (13, 14) facing away from the respective aperture (21, 22). The cathodes are connected to a medium frequency RF power supply (16), and process gas is supplied to the compartments by lines (17, 18).

Abstract: An alternating-current source (2) is connected to two cathodes (6,7) which cooperate electrically with targets which are sputtered in a gas discharge while a process gas is introduced in a vacuum chamber (15). A network formed of a transformer (3) and additional coils (5, 12, 13) and condensers (4, 8, 9, 10, 11) acts as a filter to assure a stable coating process.

Abstract: A source of alternating current (3), is connected to two magnetron cathodes (4, 5), one pole (8) of the a.c. current source (4) being connected to one of the cathodes (4), while the other pole (9) is connected to the other cathode (5), each by its own power supply line (10, 11). Each of the two cathodes (4, 5) is installed in its own compartment (12, 13), the two compartments enclosing between them a third compartment (14), connected to a vacuum source (21). The two outside compartments (12, 13) are connected to each other by openings (15, 16) or gaps in the walls (17, 18) separating them, and the substrate (2) set up in the third compartment (14) facing a CVD source, which consists essentially of a reactive gas inlet (19) and a collimator (20).

Abstract: A vacuum chamber includes a central compartment (1) in which a diode cathode (6) carrying an electrically conductive sputtering target (7) is located, and two outer compartments (11, 12) in which magnetron cathodes (13, 14) carrying target 15, 16) are located, the magnetron cathodes (13, 14) being connected to respective poles (20, 21) of an AC power source. The outer compartments (11, 12) are separated from the central compartment by walls having openings (33, 34) which flank a space (28) between the sputtering target (6) and the substrate (3). Process gas lines 24, 25) are arranged to introduce process gas into this space (3).

Abstract: In an apparatus for coating substrates, having sputtering cathodes (4, 5) disposed in a vacuum chamber (1), sputtering targets (6, 7), a medium-frequency generator (9) connected to the cathodes (4, 5), and a system (16) for detecting and suppressing undesired arcing, a cycle of the medium-frequency signal of the medium-frequency generator (9) is divided into a plurality of time segments, the electrical values of current and voltage for a predetermined time segment being determined so as to form a measured value signal and being entered into a ground-free meter island (16). The meter island (16) is tied as a remote station into a circular network (9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 11) whose master station is situated in the control unit (11) present in the generator (9). The blocking of the generator (9) when an arc occurs takes place through a line (19) connecting the meter island (16) to the generator (9).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the suppression of arcs in gas discharge arrangements having two cathodes (6, 7) and one anode (4) supplied from an electric energy source (10). Between the electrical terminals of this electric energy source (10) and the cathode (6, 7) is provided a circuit configuration having two switching elements (15, 25) which upon the occurrence of arcs are through-switched.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit configuration for the suppression of arcs in a plasma wherein to the plasma path (5, 7, 8) a voltage (11) is applied. The instantaneous value of the voltage of the plasma path (5, 7, 8) is compared with a mean value of the voltage which has been determined over a given period of time. If the difference between the instantaneous value and mean value exceeds a given amount, the plasma path (5, 7, 8) is isolated from the voltage (11).