Abstract: A magnetron sputtering cathode with a target plate of the material to be sputtered connected to a support body of non-magnetic material, having a chamber disposed between the support body and the target plate, with a coolant flowing through said chamber, said chamber being formed by a recess in said support body, with said recess being tightly covered by said target plate; and having a permanent magnet system disposed beneath the target plate, wherein the target plate (10) abuts the front side of a plate-shaped support body (13) and the likewise plate-shaped permanent magnet system (12) abuts the back side thereof, and the permanent magnet system (12) has a plurality of continuous, meshing magnetic pole tongues (17, 19) of opposing polarity and arranged in spaced relationship to each other, with said tongues being coupled together via a magnet bridge (20) and producing a magnetic field of meandering shape extending substantially solidly over the entire surface of the target plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for surface treatment, especially for etching and/or coating workpieces by ion bombardment is described. This apparatus comprises at least one ionization chamber having at least one hot cathode, gas atoms being introduced into this chamber for the low-voltage arc-discharge between the ionization chamber and at least one anode inside the treatment chamber connected to a vacuum pump. At least one magnet coil mounted within the treatment chamber is used to control the ion density of the low-voltage arc-discharge and is mounted inside the treament chamber. The workpieces to be treated are arranged outside these magnet coils. Homogeneous surface treatment of the workpieces is ensured by the selected arrangement of magnet coils and workpieces.