Abstract: This method combines etching of the strip by passing through reduced pressure electric plasma discharge zones and the direct off-line dip-coating of the etched strip in a bath of molten aluminum.The strip brought to cathode potential defilades continuously in registration with the magnet elements and anodes of a plurality of consecutively disposed magnetron devices and, therefore, directly into said molten metal bath.

Abstract: An elongated substrate made of an electric insulating material carries an elongated conductive track made of aluminium which has a constriction in its centre part in order to increase the heating of the said centre part with a view to reducing as much as possible the volume of material to melt. The ends of the track each comprise an annular part which partially covers a nickel or aluminium pad. The connection and cooling of the ends is carried out by connection brackets. This fuse is calculated in such a way that for a rated current IN, a maximum temperature variation .DELTA.T and a length of the electric conductor designated 2b, thermal equilibrium is obtained when the relationship between the cross section S of the said conductor and that S' of the base material corresponds approximately to:S=.rho.'.sub.th..rho..sub.e.b.sup.2.IN.sup.2 /2S'..DELTA.Tmaxwhere .rho.'.sub.th is the thermal resistivity of the substrate and .rho..sub.e the electrical resistivity of the conductive track.

Abstract: This hard layer is obtained by incorporating a maximum of 2 weight % of nitrogen in Mo or W by the technique of cathode sputtering in a nitrogen reactive medium, the temperature at which the nitrogen incorporation occurs which is in the order of 300.degree. C. preventing the nitrogen to precipitate at the grains-joints during cooling, so that the layer only comports a cubic centered Mo or W phase, thus preserving its own ductility to the metal.

Abstract: The cylindrical magnetron sputtering cathode (10) of the present invention essentially comprises a tubular target (20) having a face (20a) of material to be sputtered, and a magnet assembly (45) disposed behind the back face of said tubular target for generating magnetic fields having flux lines which form arch portions (50,51) over the sputtering face. This magnet assembly (45) more specifically consists of a plurality of equiangularly spaced axially extending radially magnetized magnets arranged in such a manner as to form over the sputtering face (20a) a plurality of equiangularly spaced axially extending straight arch portions (50) connected to each other by arcuate arch end-portions (51), whereby defining at least one closed-loop arch (52) over said sputtering face.

Abstract: In this cylindrical, magnetically-enhanced, sputtering cathode, the magnetic field at the cathode target is generated by applying an electric current through a hollow electrical conductor disposed within a tubular target, so that the electric current flowing along this conductor induces circular magnetic lines concentrically around its axis. By biasing negatively the tubular target immersed in a low pressure gas, a glow discharge is generated. Electrons, emitted from the target surface are accelerated radially by the electric field, but deviated perpendicularly by the magnetic field. The resulting motion is confined in a spirally-shaped area centered on the conductor axis.

Abstract: The sputtering cathode (10) forming part of the apparatus of the invention essentially comprises a target (20) made of a material to be sputtered, arranged in front of an intermediate support (15) so as to define a first gas tight chamber (30) of narrow thickness therebetween, intended to be provided with an atmosphere of a gas (37) presenting a high thermal conductivity (under a pressure substantially higher than that prevailing inside the vacuum chamber of the apparatus). The intermediate support (15) in turn forms part of the wall of a second tight chamber adjoining said first tight chamber, which is intended to be circulated with a liquid coolant therewithin.

Abstract: A heated mirror includes a transparent substrate with a reflective coating covering at least one of the substrate surfaces. The reflective coating includes a stack of transparent, non-metallic layers which have alternately high and low indices of refraction. At least one of the layers has a high index of refraction and is constructed from electrically conductive, transparent, non-metallic material through which electric current flows to heat the mirror. The remaining layers of the coating are constructed of transparent, dielectric material.

Abstract: A substrate to be coated by the ion-plating technique is placed on or in the immediate vicinity of a first cathode confronting a second cathode in an enclosure containing a rarefied gaseous atmosphere, the second cathode constituting a target of material to be deposited on the substrate. The application of a relatively high negative biasing voltage to the first cathode, relative to the grounded enclosure, generates a glow discharge resulting in ionic cleaning of the substrate. A sputtering discharge generated by a relatively low negative biasing voltage on the second cathode is intensified by a toroidal magnet on its far side (remote from the first cathode) whose lines of force penetrate the target and close in the intercathode space to form an endless track for circulating electrons.

Abstract: An insulating substrate, such as a glass windscreen, is coated with a conductive coating of an oxide of at least one metal by a process in which the substrate is subjected, in a rarefied oxygen atmosphere, to metal ions and oxygen ions arising from bombardment of a metal source with an electron beam and the proximity to the substrate of a negatively biased grid serving to accelerate the metal ions to the substrate where they combine with oxygen to form an oxide coating.