Patents by Inventor Georg Erkens

Georg Erkens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10811239
    Abstract: Cylindrical evaporation source which includes, at an outer cylinder wall, target material to be evaporated as well as a first magnetic field source and a second magnetic field source which form at least a part of a magnet system and are arranged in an interior of the cylindrical evaporation source for generating a magnetic field. In this respect, first magnetic field source and second magnetic field source are provided at a carrier system such that a shape and/or a strength of the magnetic field can be set in a predefinable spatial region in accordance with a predefinable scheme. In embodiments, the carrier system is configured for setting the shape and/or strength of the magnetic field of the carrier system such that the first magnetic field source is arranged at a first carrier arm and is pivotable by a predefinable pivot angle (?1) with respect to a first pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Stefan Esser, Jurgen Mueller, Georg Erkens
  • Patent number: 10083822
    Abstract: The invention relates to a physical vapor deposition coating device (1), comprising a process chamber (2) with an anode (3) and a consumable cathode (4) to be consumed by an electrical discharge for coating a substrate located within the process chamber (2). The coating device (1) further includes a first electrical energy source (5) being connected with its negative pole to said consumable cathode (4), and a second electrical energy source (6) being connected with its positive pole to said anode (3). According to the invention, a third electrical energy source (7) is provided being connected with its negative pole to a source cathode (8) which is different from the consumable cathode (4). In addition, the invention relates to a physical vapor deposition method for coating a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAEFFIKON
    Inventors: Jones Alami, Georg Erkens, Tariq Rasa, Jörg Vetter
  • Patent number: 9728382
    Abstract: Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAEFFIKON
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Stefan Esser, Juergen Mueller, Georg Erkens
  • Patent number: 9551066
    Abstract: A high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering process, wherein within a process chamber by means of an electrical energy source a sequence of complex discharge pulses is produced by applying an electrical voltage between an anode and a cathode in order to ionize a sputtering gas. The complex discharge pulse is applied for a complex pulse time. The cathode has a target comprising a material to be sputtered for the coating of a substrate, and the complex discharge pulse includes an electrical high-power sputtering pulse having a negative polarity with respect to the anode and being applied for a first pulse-time, the high-power sputtering pulse being followed by an electrical low-power charge cleaning pulse having a positive polarity with respect to the anode and being applied for a second pulse-time. The ratio ?1/?2 of the first pulse-time (?1) in proportion to the second pulse-time (?2) is 0.5 at the most.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAEFFIKON
    Inventors: Jones Alami, Georg Erkens, Jürgen Müller, Jörg Vetter
  • Patent number: 9551067
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coating method for depositing a layer system formed from hard material layers on a substrate, by depositing at least one contact layer including the evaporation material on the surface of the substrate only by means of a cathodic vacuum arc evaporation source. After the depositing of the contact layer, at least one intermediate layer is deposited in the form of a nano-layer intermediate layer in a hybrid phase or as a nanocomposite layer, including the evaporation material and the discharge material, by parallel operation of a cathodic vacuum arc evaporation source and of a magnetron discharge source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFAEFFIKON
    Inventors: Jörg Vetter, Georg Erkens, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 8956722
    Abstract: The invention thus relates to a layer system (1) for the formation of a surface layer on a surface of a substrate, in particular on the surface of a tool, in particular on the surface of a shaping tool, wherein the layer system includes at least a first surface layer of the composition (VaMebMcXd)?(NuCvOw)?, where (a+b+c+d)=?, ?=100%, with respect to the atoms Va,Meb,Mc,Xd present in the layer, (u+v+w)=?. ?=100 with respect to the atoms N, C, O present in the layer, with the sum of all the atoms in the layer (?+?)=100 at %, where 40???80 at % applies, and where Meb is at least one element from the group of chemical elements including Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ni, Cu, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm of the periodic system of chemical elements and Mc is at least one element of the group of chemical elements including Ti, Cr, and Xd is at least one element from the group of chemical elements including S, Se, Si, B of the periodic system of elements, where 0?u?100, 0?v?100 and 0?w?80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Oerlikon Metaplas GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Georg Erkens
  • Publication number: 20150008118
    Abstract: Method for the coating of a substrate (S) in a process chamber (3), in which a gas atmosphere is set up and maintained in the process chamber (3) and an anode (6, 61) and a cylindrical vaporization cathode (2, 21, 22) formed as a target (2, 21, 22) are provided in the process chamber (3). The cylindrical vaporization cathode (2, 21, 22) includes the target material (200, 201, 202) and the target material (200, 201, 202) of the cylindrical cathode (2, 21, 22) is transferred into a vapor phase by means of an electrical source of energy (7, 71, 72).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: SULZER METAPLAS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg VETTER, Georg ERKENS
  • Publication number: 20140238852
    Abstract: Cylindrical evaporation source which includes, at an outer cylinder wall, target material to be evaporated as well as a first magnetic field source and a second magnetic field source which form at least a part of a magnet system and are arranged in an interior of the cylindrical evaporation source for generating a magnetic field. In this respect, first magnetic field source and second magnetic field source are provided at a carrier system such that a shape and/or a strength of the magnetic field can be set in a predefinable spatial region in accordance with a predefinable scheme. In embodiments, the carrier system is configured for setting the shape and/or strength of the magnetic field of the carrier system such that the first magnetic field source is arranged at a first carrier arm and is pivotable by a predefinable pivot angle (?1) with respect to a first pivot axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SULZER METAPLAS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg VETTER, Stefan ESSER, Jurgen MUELLER, Georg ERKENS
  • Publication number: 20140174920
    Abstract: Evaporation source, in particular for use in a sputtering process or in a vacuum arc evaporation process, preferably a cathode vacuum arc evaporation process. The evaporation source includes an inner base body which is arranged in an outer carrier body and which is arranged with respect to the outer carrier body such that a cooling space in flow communication with an inlet and an outlet is formed between the base body and the carrier body. In accordance with the invention, the cooling space includes an inflow space and an outflow space, and the inflow space is in flow communication with the outflow space via an overflow connection for the cooling of the evaporation source such that a cooling fluid can be conveyed from the inlet via the inflow space the overflow connection and the outflow space to the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SULZER METAPLAS GMBH
    Inventors: Joerg VETTER, Stefan ESSER, Juergen MUELLER, Georg ERKENS
  • Publication number: 20130302596
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coating method for depositing a layer system formed from hard material layers on a substrate, by depositing at least one contact layer including the evaporation material on the surface of the substrate only by means of a cathodic vacuum arc evaporation source. After the depositing of the contact layer, at least one intermediate layer is deposited in the form of a nano-layer intermediate layer in a hybrid phase or as a nanocomposite layer, including the evaporation material and the discharge material, by parallel operation of a cathodic vacuum arc evaporation source and of a magnetron discharge source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Jörg Vetter, Georg Erkens, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 8470456
    Abstract: The invention relates to a layer system for the formation of a surface layer on a surface of a substrate, in particular on the surface of a tool, wherein the layer system includes at least one first hard layer of the composition (MoSipAYq)?(NrCsOt)? with (o+p+q)=?, (r+s+t)=?, and (?+?)=100, wherein 40???60 and wherein M is at least one metal of the group of the chemical elements consisting of Al and the elements of the secondary groups IVb, Vb, VIb of the periodic system of elements. In accordance with the invention the component AY is at least one element of the group of the chemical elements consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and the elements of the secondary group IIIB and the elements of the main group IA, IIA and IIIA and the elements of the group of the lanthanoids of the periodic system of chemical elements, with AY preferably additionally containing boron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Sulzer Metaplas GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Vetter, Georg Erkens
  • Publication number: 20120189841
    Abstract: The invention thus relates to a layer system (1) for the formation of a surface layer on a surface of a substrate, in particular on the surface of a tool, in particular on the surface of a shaping tool, wherein the layer system includes at least a first surface layer of the composition (VaMebMcXd)?(NuCvOw)?, where (a+b+c+d)=?, ?=100%, with respect to the atoms Va,Meb,Mc,Xd present in the layer, (u+v+w)=?. ?=100 with respect to the atoms N, C, O present in the layer, with the sum of all the atoms in the layer (?+?)=100 at %, where 40???80 at % applies, and where Meb is at least one element from the group of chemical elements including Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, Ni, Cu, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm of the periodic system of chemical elements and Mc is at least one element of the group of chemical elements including Ti, Cr, and Xd is at least one element from the group of chemical elements including S, Se, Si, B of the periodic system of elements, where 0?u?100, 0?v?100 and 0?w?80.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Joerg Vetter, Georg Erkens
  • Publication number: 20100236919
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering process (1), wherein within a process chamber (2) by means of an electrical energy source (3) a sequence of complex discharge pulses (4) is produced by applying an electrical voltage (V) between an anode (5) and a cathode (6) in order to ionize a sputtering gas (7). Said complex discharge pulse (4) is applied for a complex pulse time (?). The cathode (6) has a target (8) comprising a material to be sputtered for the coating of a substrate (9), and said complex discharge pulse (4) includes an electrical high-power sputtering pulse (10) having a negative polarity with respect to the anode (5) and being applied for a first pulse-time (?1), the high-power sputtering pulse (10) being followed by an electrical low-power charge cleaning pulse (11) having a positive polarity with respect to the anode (5) and being applied for a second pulse-time (?2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Jones Alami, Georg Erkens, Jürgen Müller, Jörg Vetter
  • Publication number: 20100051445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vaporization apparatus (1) for the vaporization of a target material (200, 201, 202). The vaporization apparatus (1) includes a process chamber (3) for the setting up and maintenance of a gas atmosphere and having an inlet (4) and an outlet (5) for a process gas, as well as an anode (6, 61) and a cylindrical vaporization cathode (2, 21, 22) formed as a target (2, 21, 22), the cylindrical vaporization cathode (2, 21, 22) including the target material (200, 201, 202). Furthermore, an electrical source of energy (7, 71, 72) is provided for the generation of an electric potential between the anode (6, 61) and the cathode (2, 21, 22) so that the target material (200, 201, 202) of the cylindrical cathode (2, 21, 22) can be transferred into a vapor phase by means of the electrical source of energy (7, 71, 72), with a magnetic field source (8, 81, 82) generating a magnetic field being provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Jörg Vetter, Georg Erkens
  • Publication number: 20100044214
    Abstract: The invention relates to a physical vapour deposition coating device (1), comprising a process chamber (2) with an anode (3) and a consumable cathode (4) to be consumed by an electrical discharge for coating a substrate located within the process chamber (2). The coating device (1) further includes a first electrical energy source (5) being connected with its negative pole to said consumable cathode (4), and a second electrical energy source (6) being connected with its positive pole to said anode (3). According to the invention, a third electrical energy source (7) is provided being connected with its negative pole to a source cathode (8) which is different from the consumable cathode (4). In addition, the invention relates to a physical vapour deposition method for coating a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Jones Alami, Georg Erkens, Tariq Rasa, Jörg Vetter
  • Publication number: 20090130465
    Abstract: The invention relates to a layer system for the formation of a surface layer on a surface of a substrate, in particular on the surface of a tool, wherein the layer system includes at least one first hard layer of the composition (MoSipAYq)?(NrCsOt)? with (o+p+q)=?, (r+s+t)=?, and (?+?)=100, wherein 40???60 and wherein M is at least one metal of the group of the chemical elements consisting of Al and the elements of the secondary groups IVb, Vb, VIb of the periodic system of elements. In accordance with the invention the component AY is at least one element of the group of the chemical elements consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and the elements of the secondary group IIIB and the elements of the main group IA, IIA and IIIA and the elements of the group of the lanthanoids of the periodic system of chemical elements, with AY preferably additionally containing boron.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Jorg Vetter, Georg Erkens
  • Patent number: 6869334
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a hard-material-coated component, comprising the following steps: application of a layer of hard material to the component in a PVD coating unit; and structural further processing of the outer surface of the layer of hard material, and to a component produced using the process. Particularly in the case of thick coatings or coatings with a columnar structure, such processes have a problem producing a sufficiently smooth surface on the coating. The problem is solved by the fact that for the structural further processing, the surface of the layer is blasted in a blasting device in order to improve this surface, an inorganic blasting agent with a grain size in the range from 1 ?m to 100 ?m and a sharp-edged grain shape being used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Cemecon-Ceramic Metal Coatings-Dr. Ing. Antonius Leyendecker GmbH
    Inventors: Antonius Leyendecker, Hans-Gerd Fuss, Rainer Wenke, Georg Erkens, Stefan Esser, Ingo Künzel
  • Patent number: 6352627
    Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD coating method and to a PVD coating device with a chamber in which at least one target cathode, at least one anode and at least one substrate holder which is intended to hold at least one substrate are arranged, and with a control device which delivers a first voltage in order to supply the target cathode with a negative electrical potential relative to the anode in order to form a plasma in which the substrate is arranged, and which delivers a second voltage in order to supply the anode with a positive electrical potential relative to the chamber wall. In this sputter-coating device, the ion fraction of the target material which can be achieved is too low for qualitatively satisfactory coating properties. It is increased according to the invention in that the control device delivers a third voltage which supplies the substrate with an electrical potential that is more negative than the potential of the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Cemecon-Ceramic Metal Coatings
    Inventors: Antonius Leyendecker, Georg Erkens, Stefan Esser, Hans-Gerd Fuss, Bernd Hermeler, Rainer Wenke
  • Publication number: 20010009225
    Abstract: The invention relates to a PVD coating method and to a PVD coating device with a chamber (1) in which at least one target cathode (3), at least one anode (2) and at least one substrate holder (9) which is intended to hold at least one substrate (10) are arranged, and with a control device (4, 6, 7) which delivers a first voltage in order to supply the target cathode (3) with a negative electrical potential relative to the anode (2) in order to form a plasma (P) in which the substrate (10) is arranged, and which delivers a second voltage in order to supply the anode (2) with a positive electrical potential relative to the chamber wall (8). In this sputter-coating device, the ion fraction of the target material which can be achieved is too low for qualitatively satisfactory coating properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 1999
    Publication date: July 26, 2001
    Inventors: ANTONIUS LEYENDECKER, GEORG ERKENS, STEFAN ESSER, HANS-GERD FUSS, BERND HERMELER, RAINER WENKE