Abstract: A substrate is processed in a device having a vacuum chamber, at least one sputtering chamber, and a flow channel connecting the vacuum chamber to the sputtering chamber. According to the method, material is sputtered onto the substrate located in the sputtering chamber so that a sputtering gas flux amount is consumed by deposition onto the substrate. Prior to and during sputtering, sputtering gas flux flows into the vacuum chamber so that the total amount of sputtering gas flux flowed into the vacuum chamber prior to sputtering is substantially equal to the sputtering gas flux amount. At least during sputtering, the vacuum chamber is maintained at a partial pressure in a range of from more than 1.times.10.sup.-5 mbar up to 5.times.10.sup.-3 mbar.

Abstract: A magnetron sputtering system comprising a sputtering chamber. Present within the chamber are a flat cathode plate, an anode, which is cylindrical in one embodiment, and an annular auxiliary electrode. The electrodes are provided co-axially. In this embodiment the anode extends axially from a central area of the sputtering surface of the cathode plate. The auxiliary electrode extends axially from a circumferential area of the sputtering surface of the cathode plate. The anode is electrically insulated from the cathode plate. During operation the auxiliary electrode has a negative potential in relation to the anode potential. Furthermore the chamber comprises a receiving device for receiving a flat substrate to be coated with cathode plate material at a position opposite and parallel to the cathode plate. A magnetic device is provided outside the chamber for generating an electron trap around the anode, which magnetic device is surrounded by the auxiliary electrode.

Abstract: Method of producing a metal matrix for the manufacture of optically readable information carriers, in which a photoresist layer which contains an information track and is provided on a carrier is coated with an electroless gold layer, the gold layer at the side provided with the resist layer being exclusively in contact with organic material, the gold layer being provided with a first metal peel by electro-deposition, the carrier coated with the resist layer is removed, the gold layer-coated first metal peel provided by electro-deposition at the side having the gold layer with a second metal peel, the first metal peel being removed together with the gold layer and optionally a further metal copy of the second metal peel is produced by electro-deposition.