Abstract: The invention relates to a coating method and to a coating device for coating a body. A magnetron cathode having a target is arranged in the vacuum chamber. Electrical power is supplied to the magnetron cathode such that a plasma is generated and the target is sputtered in order to deposit a coating on the body. The electrical power is periodically supplied within a period duration T according to the HIPIMS method as cathode pulses, wherein each cathode pulse comprises at least two cathode sub-pulses and an intervening cathode sub-pulse break. In order to be able to deposit coatings having favorable properties in a particularly favorable manner by using the chopped HIPIMS method, a bias voltage is applied to the substrate to be coated with bias voltage pulses, wherein each bias voltage pulse comprises at least two bias sub-pulses and an intervening bias sub-pulse break.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for coating a substrate 40, a coating system for carrying out the method, and a coated body. In a first method step 62, the substrate 40 is pretreated in a ion etching process. In a second method step 64, a first coating layer 56a with a thickness of 0.1 ?m to 6 ?m is deposited on the substrate 40 by means of a PVD process. In order to achieve a particularly high-quality and durable coating 50, the surface of the first coating layer 56a is treated by means of an ion etching process in a third method step 66, and an additional coating layer 56b with a thickness of 0.1 ?m to 6 ?m is deposited on the first coating layer 56a by means of a PVD process in a fourth method step 68. The coated body comprises at least two coating layers 56a, 56b, 56c, 56d with a thickness of 0.1 ?m to 6 ?m on a substrate 40, wherein an interface region formed by ion etching is arranged between the coating layers 56a, 56b, 56c, 56d.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sputtering target, a coating system, and a coating method for same. The sputtering target comprises a base plate with a target plate which is secured thereon and which is made of a first sputtering material with a surface and a plurality of recesses formed therein. A plurality of inserts are arranged in the recesses. At least some of the inserts are made of a second sputtering material, wherein the second sputtering material has a higher sputter yield than the first sputtering material. The aim of the invention is to achieve especially uniform coatings. This is achieved in that the inserts made of the second sputtering material are shaped such that the extent D1, D2 of the inserts, measured in a measuring direction parallel to the surface, increases from the surface to the base plate in a depth direction T.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sputtering target, a coating system, and a coating method for same. The sputtering target comprises a base plate with a target plate which is secured thereon and which is made of a first sputtering material with a surface and a plurality of recesses formed therein. A plurality of inserts are arranged in the recesses. At least some of the inserts are made of a second sputtering material, wherein the second sputtering material has a higher sputter yield than the first sputtering material. The aim of the invention is to achieve especially uniform coatings. This is achieved in that the inserts made of the second sputtering material are shaped such that the extent D1, D2 of the inserts, measured in a measuring direction parallel to the surface, increases from the surface to the base plate in a depth direction T.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sputtering target, a coating system, and a coating method for same. The sputtering target comprises a base plate with a target plate which is secured thereon and which is made of a first sputtering material with a surface and a plurality of recesses formed therein. A plurality of inserts are arranged in the recesses. At least some of the inserts are made of a second sputtering material, wherein the second sputtering material has a higher sputter yield than the first sputtering material. The aim of the invention is to achieve especially uniform coatings. This is achieved in that the inserts made of the second sputtering material are shaped such that the extent D1, D2 of the inserts, measured in a measuring direction parallel to the surface, increases from the surface to the base plate in a depth direction T.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device to for applying a layer 64 to a body 60, 62, and to a coated body 60. The body 60, 62 is disposed in a vacuum chamber 12 and process gas is supplied. A plasma is generated in the vacuum chamber 12 by operating a cathode 30 by applying a cathode voltage VP with cathode pulses and by sputtering a target 32. A bias voltage VB is applied to the body 60, 62 so that charge carriers of the plasma are accelerated into the direction of the body 60, 62 and attached to its surface. In order to achieve favorable properties of the coating 64 in a controlled way, the time course of the bias voltage VB is varied during the coating duration D. In the coating 64 of the body 60, 62, the material of the layer 64 comprises proportions of a noble gas, the concentration of which in the layer 64 varies over the layer thickness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device 10 for holding workpieces 30 in a process chamber. The invention additionally relates to a coating system 20 and to a method for coating a workpiece 30. In order to allow for precise adjustment of the height of the position of workpieces 30 while supporting same in a secure and stable manner, the holding device 10 comprises a tray 72 for the workpieces 30, a height-adjustable first support element 22 and a height-adjustable second support element 48 for the tray 72, wherein each of the support elements 22, 48 comprises at least one first and one second limb element 26, 56, wherein the respective first and the respective second limb element 26, 56 are coupled so as to be pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis X, Y, and wherein the pivot axis X of the first support element 22 is arranged at an angle to the pivot axis Y of the second support element 48.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coated body and to a method for coating a body. The coated body comprises at least a substrate (22), a diamond layer (24) having a thickness of 1-40 ?m, and a hard material layer (26), which is arranged farther outside on the body (10) than the diamond layer (24). The hard material layer (26) comprises at least one metal element and at least one non-metal element. An adhesive layer (32) having a thickness of 2-80 nm is provided between the diamond layer (24) and the hard material layer (26). The adhesive layer (32) contains carbon and at least one metal element. The diamond layer (24) can be applied by means of a CVD method. The hard material layer can be applied by means of a PVD method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coated body and to a method for coating a body. The coated body comprises at least a substrate (22), a diamond layer (24) having a thickness of 1-40 ?m, and a hard material layer (26), which is arranged farther outside on the body (10) than the diamond layer (24). The hard material layer (26) comprises at least one metal element and at least one non-metal element. An adhesive layer (32) having a thickness of 2-80 nm is provided between the diamond layer (24) and the hard material layer (26). The adhesive layer (32) contains carbon and at least one metal element. The diamond layer (24) can be applied by means of a CVD method. The hard material layer can be applied by means of a PVD method.

Abstract: A tool for machining fiber-reinforced materials, said tool having a tool body having a particular cutting edge that has at least a main function surface and has a diamond coating applied at least to said main function surface. In order to provide a tool and a method which are especially suitable for machining fiber-reinforced materials, the surface of the diamond coating has a reduced peak height Spk of less than 0.25 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a loading device for workpieces (16) in a coating system (10) and a method for loading the workpieces (16). An upright stand (22) has a number of openings (24) arranged above one another in an outward-facing surface (44). A number of insertion sleeves (30) are provided for accommodation in the openings (24), with the insertion sleeves (30) each having a shaft (32) and a retaining structure (24) as well as a borehole (26) to accommodate a workpiece (16). The openings (24) and the shafts (32) of the insertion sleeves (30) are designed such that the insertion sleeves (30) are insertable through the openings (24). The openings (24) and the retaining structures (34) are designed such that holding engagement occurs between the insertion sleeves (30) and the openings (24).

Abstract: Work piece processing is performed by pulsed discharges between an anode (2) and a magnetron sputtering cathode (1) in solid-gas plasmas using a chamber (2) containing the work piece (7). A system (12) maintains a vacuum in the chamber and another system (14) provides sputtering and reactive gases. The pulses are produced in a plasma pulser circuit including the anode and the cathode, the discharges creating gas and partially ionized solid plasma blobs (3) moving or spreading from a region at a surface of the cathode towards the work piece and the anode. A pulsed current comprising biasing pulses arises between the second electrodes. Biasing discharges are produced between the anode and the work piece when said plasma blobs have spread to regions at the anode and at the work piece so that the pulsed current is the current of these biasing discharges.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for pretreating and coating bodies by means of magnetron sputtering. In a vacuum chamber having a metallic chamber wall (26), magnetrons with sputter targets are arranged, at least one of which is an HPPMS magnetron to which electric pulses are fed by connecting a capacitive element (6) with the sputter target of the HPPMS magnetron via a switching element (5). To achieve effective pretreatment and coating of substrates it is provided according to a first aspect to arrange the switching element on the chamber wall. According to a second aspect, an electrode pair is provided, wherein a first electrode is an HPPMS magnetron (1) and the first and second electrodes are arranged in such a manner that a body (11) supported on a substrate table (4) is arranged between the active surfaces of the electrode pair or is moved through the space between the active surfaces of the electrode pair.

Abstract: A device and method for generating an electrical discharge are described. A first electrode (30) is operated to be a cathode relative to a second electrode (16). A gas is introduced into the chamber (14) by the first electrode (30). The first electrode (30) has a closed antechamber (32) with a metal wall (34). A tube (36) consisting of a different material than the wall (34) is provided through which the gas from the antechamber (32) is conducted into the chamber (14). A front portion of the tube (36) is embedded in the wall (34) of the antechamber (32). In its rear portion, the tube (36) has a free end projecting into the antechamber (32). A stable electrical discharge can be generated thereby in a particularly easy manner.

Abstract: A process and a device for coating a substrate (22) are described. In a vacuum chamber (10), a first magnetron cathode (24) is provided with a sputtering target (28) of a first metal composition comprising predominantly aluminium. A second magnetron cathode (26) is provided with a sputtering target (30) of a second metal composition comprising at least 50 at-% of a second metal selected from groups IVA-VIA of the periodic table. In order to obtain coatings with improved properties, electrical power is supplied to the cathodes (24, 26) such that the targets (28, 30) are sputtered, where electrical power is supplied to the first cathode (24) as pulsed electrical power according to high power impulse magnetron sputtering with a first peak current density, and to the second cathode (26) with a second peak current density lower than the first peak current density. The substrate (22) is arranged within the vacuum chamber such that particles from the plasma deposit onto the substrate forming a coating.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coating a substrate using CVD, in particular for coating with diamond or silicon, wherein a neat conductor array composed of a plurality of elongated heat conductors (2) is provided in a housing (9), said heat conductors extending between a first (1) and a second electrode (6), wherein the heat conductors are held individually tensioned by a weight (4) attached to one end thereof. To increase the life of the neat conductors (2), the invention proposes that the weight (4) or the heat conductor (2) be guided at the second electrode (6), forming an electrical loop contact, in such a way that a vector of the weight force (G) produced by the weight (4) makes an angle (?) of no more than 45° with a direction of the longitudinal extension of the heat conductor (2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a body with a substrate (1), an intermediate layer (2) applied on top thereof and a CVD diamond layer (3) applied to the intermediate layer. In order to propose a body coated with CVD diamond and a production process, in which the body has an increased load-bearing capacity under various mechanical loads, provision is made for the intermediate layer to be predominantly metallic, wherein the metal fraction of the intermediate layer consists predominantly of tungsten and/or chromium, and for the intermediate layer to have a roughness defined by an Rz value of 0.5 ?m-3.0 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coating a substrate (14) using CVD, in particular for coating with diamond or silicon, wherein a heat conductor array comprising a plurality of elongated heat conductors (2) is provided in a housing (10), said heat conductors extending between a first (1) and a second electrode (8), wherein the heat conductors (2) are held individually tensioned by a tensioning device attached to one end thereof. For the purposes of improving the life of the heat conductors (2), the invention proposes that the tensioning device comprises a tilt arm (5) having a tensioning weight (G), the heat conductor (2) being attached to the first end (E1) of said tilt arm, and the second end thereof substantially being mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis (H).

Abstract: In a simple method and device for producing plasma flows of a metal and/or a gas electric discharges are periodically produced between the anode and a metal magnetron sputtering cathode in crossed electric and magnetic fields in a chamber having a low pressure of a gas. The discharges are produced so that each discharge comprises a first period with a low electrical current passing between the anode and cathode for producing a metal vapor by magnetron sputtering, and a second period with a high electrical current passing between the anode and cathode for producing an ionization of gas and the produced metal vapor. Instead of the first period a constant current discharge can be used. Intensive gas or metal plasma flows can be produced without forming contracted arc discharges. The selfsputtering phenomenon can be used.

Abstract: In a simple method and device for producing plasma flows of a metal and/or a gas electric discharges are periodically produced between the anode and a metal magnetron sputtering cathode in crossed electric and magnetic fields in a chamber having a low pressure of a gas. The discharges are produced so that each discharge comprises a first period with a low electrical current passing between the anode and cathode for producing a metal vapor by magnetron sputtering, and a second period with a high electrical current passing between the anode and cathode for producing an ionization of gas and the produced metal vapor. Instead of the first period a constant current discharge can be used. Intensive gas or metal plasma flows can be produced without forming contracted arc discharges. The selfsputtering phenomenon can be used.