Abstract: Disclosed is an improved optical thin film coating system comprising all essential elements of resistive and electron beam evaporation systems, chemical vapor deposition systems and reactive plasma deposition systems. Sequences of cleaning and deposition processes which previously required moving substrates through several chambers are performed in a single vacuum chamber. The evaporative sources also efficiently vaporize solid materials to provide reactive gases for reactive plasma and chemical vapor deposition processes, which were previously difficult or impossible to perform. Substrate movement, masking, and monitoring means previously used with evaporative sources are used to control thickness and uniformity of films deposited by chemical vapor and reactive plasma processes, to provide optical quality films.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved optical thin film coating system comprising all essential elements of resistive and electron beam evaporation systems, chemical vapor deposition systems and reactive plasma deposition systems. Sequences of cleaning and deposition processes which previously required moving substrates through several chambers are performed in a single vacuum chamber. The evaporative sources also efficiently vaporize solid materials to provide reactive gases for reactive plasma and chemical vapor deposition processes, which were previously difficult or impossible to perform. Substrate movement, masking, and monitoring means previously used with evaporative sources are used to control thickness and uniformity of films deposited by chemical vapor and reactive plasma processes, to provide optical quality films.