Abstract: The invention relates to improvements and the formation of magnetrons for use in sputter depositing material from a targeted material mounted therein. The improvement allows contamination of the target to be reduced in comparison to those of conventional magnetrons, arcing of the magnetron to be reduced, and the deficiency and quality of the coating process and target utilization to be enhanced by providing an array of magnets around the periphery of the target in addition to a first array of magnets to the rear of the target, thus causing the effect of the magnetic field on the target to be substantially uniform.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for use in the coating of surfaces of substrates by Physical Vapor Deposition systems (PVD) wherein the deposition in material is applied onto the said surfaces by the sputtering of the same using the PVD system. The invention provides means for preventing sputtering material from applying or landing onto surfaces other than which is desired to be coated in the said coating process. The masking means allow the prevention and/or removal of such material which is known as backscattered material and the invention described claims protection for several embodiments and methods of achieving this thereby improving subsequent adhesion propertied and optical quantities, if applicable, of the coating.

Abstract: The current invention relates to the provision of apparatus for depositing layers of material onto substrates (2) mounted on a carrier (4) all provided in a vacuum chamber (6) wherein the material is deposited by sputtering of targets of the material from activated magnetrons (7, 7') and the deposited material is reacted by providing a reaction producing means (9) which allows the coating material on the substrates to be conditioned to have the required characteristics. The invention provides that any, or any combination, of the material depositing means and/or reaction producing means are formed from either two magnetrons or a magnetron and counter electrode arrangement which are powered by an alternating voltage power supply which allows a reduction in the occurence of arcing and thereby the dimensions of the apparatus in comparison to conventional apparatus can be substantially reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for depositing of materials onto at least one substrate mounted on a substrate carrier provided for rotation in a material depositing zone in a vacuum chamber and causing a reaction of the said material to form a coating having desired properties. In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a loading chamber in selective interconnection with the vacuum chamber whilst maintaining a vacuum therein and in a second aspect the carrier and/or the vacuum chamber walls are provided with linear protrusions to restrict the flow of reactive gases in the chamber and thereby reduce the occurrence of arcing and both aspects allowing the dimensions of the coating apparatus to be reduced in comparison to conventional coating apparatus.

Abstract: Spectacle lenses are coated by ion vapor deposition by means of sputtering target materials. A plurality of lenses to be coated are introduced into a sputtering chamber by a load lock device, and when in the chamber the lenses are covered by a disc which is rotated at high speed (50/60 rpm). During this rotation alternate targets of magnetrons are sputtered releasing metal particles which are oxidized by an oxygen plasma created by a third magnetron and metallic oxide coatings are formed on the lenses as alternate layers of different materials. At the end of the operation of coating, which is pre-programmed, the lenses are returned automatically to the load lock device from whence they can be removed. After placement or the lenses in the load lock device the entire process is effected automatically by pressing a button.

Abstract: An ion vapor deposition (IVD) apparatus includes an IVD chamber, a vacuum pump for creating a vacuum in the chamber, and a source of ionizing gas. One or more target materials are mounted in the chamber and a holder is provided for holding the object to be coated. An electrical power source electrically biases the target materials. A mask covers the target materials and is movable relative to the target materials for selectively exposing respective target materials.