Abstract: A process and apparatus for depositing thin films and coatings using a vacuum arc plasma source having hot, non-consumable anode is described. Plasma and macroparticles of the cathode material are emitted from the cathode. Part of this material arrives at the hot refractory anode, where it is re-evaporated without macroparticle generation. Substrates exposed to the vapor flow from the anode, but shielded from a direct line of sight with the cathode, are coated with cathode material without macroparticle inclusions.

Abstract: A system for compressing raster image data comprised of M (M>1) bands to a compression ratio of at least C:1, each band being comprised of a plurality of pixels each having a pixel value, which includes compression of N (1≦N<M) bands of the raster image data using a lossless compression technique, calculation of a compression ratio for the compressed N bands of raster image data, determination of whether the calculated compression ratio is at least C′:1, wherein C′ is less than C, and, following the compression of the N bands, compression of a remaining (M−N) bands of the raster image data using the lossless compression technique if it is determined that the calculated compression ratio is at least C′:1, wherein the remaining bands are rendered after the first compressing step and each band of raster image data is compressed prior to rendering a next band and, wherein if it is determined that the calculated compression ratio is less than the C′:1, the raster image data i