Abstract: On sputter-etching a substrate, fluorochloro- or fluorobromohydrocarbon gas is used as an etching gas in a chamber evacuated to a pressure of at least as low as 10.sup..sup.-5 Torr. The etching gas is introduced at a pressure between 5 .times. 10.sup..sup.-3 and 5 .times. 10.sup..sup.-2 Torr. Use is also made of a planar electrode for supporting the substrate and responsive to an r.f. power supplied thereto for producing a glow discharge.

Abstract: Apparatus for coating a substrate with a material comprises means for providing an h.f. glow discharge region adjacent to a source for the material. The h.f. glow discharge ionizes the particles of the material of the source evaporated therefrom, instead of a conventional d.c. discharge produced by a d.c. electric field provided between the source and substrate. The h.f. glow discharge region providing means may comprise an h.f. electrode disposed in a gas-filled space of the apparatus between the evaporation source and the substrate and means for applying an h.f. electric voltage between the h.f. electrode and the evaporation source.