Abstract: A heating disk is located inside a vacuum chamber between a substrate holder inside the chamber and a lamp outside the chamber. The lamp emits radiation in a wavelength range which passes through a glass plate in the chamber wall but is absorbed by the heating disk, which may consist of graphite. When the disk is heated to 1000.degree. K. it emits radiation in a wavelength range which can be absorbed by a transparent substrate in the holder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a turntable 12, which is driven at a constant timing frequency, which depends on the duration of the longest working time at a process station. The substrate 2 can be delivered by means of the pivoted substrate gripper 13 to one or several process stations or satellite process stations 4 and/or an outlet station 3 or a depositing station 29 or 14 provided outside of the turntable 12.

Abstract: In a mask (7) for covering the outer marginal area of a disk-shaped substrate surface during a coating process, for example a vacuum sputtering or vapor depositing process, the mask (7) is made of an elastic material in the form of a planar plate with an essentially circular opening. To center and lock it onto the substrate (1) an inwardly extending annular flange is provided which assumes the actual masking function and extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate. The substrate (1) is laid on this flange and retained by projections extending radially inward. Prior to positioning the substrate it is bowed axially to spread apart the projections.

Abstract: A plurality of finger-like grippers (12, 13, 14) pivotably supported in a housing (4, 5), and a plunger or piston (7) with a head part (8a) acting on the grippers (12, 13, 4), the piston being supported in such a way that it is free to slide in the housing (4). The grippers are held and guided in openings (17, 18) in the top part (5) of the housing (4) and can pivot about axes transverse to the longitudinal axis (L) of the housing (4, 5), where the pivot axes (a, b, c) of all the grippers are in the same plane (e) and together form a regular polygon surrounding the longitudinal axis (L). The ends of the grippers (12, 13, 14) facing the piston (7) are surrounded as a group by a ring of elastic material or by a garter spring (15), which pulls them toward stop surfaces (4b), which limit the pivoting movement.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the transport of discoidal substrates (3, 3', . . . ) through a treatment station or from a first to a second processing station (4 and 5, respectively) of a vacuum coating apparatus a motor unit (6) is provided, having three planar, positive conveyors driven by the latter, each having at least two sprockets (10, 10' and 12, 12') and a cogbelt (13, 14) guided over each sprocket pair, two of these conveyors being disposed to one another such that their sprockets (10, 10') extend in a common plane, the sprockets (12, 12') of a third conveyor extending in a plane which runs at right angles to the plane of the sprockets (10, 10') of the other two conveyors, and all three of the parallel strands of the three conveyors, which are at an angle to one another, being tangent to the outside edge of circular discoidal substrates (3, 3', . . .

Abstract: A closed cylindrical housing defining a transport chamber has a top plate with a first opening communicating with an entry and exit chamber, and a second opening communicating with a coating chamber. A turntable rotatable about an axis in the transport chamber carries a holder to a first position below the first opening as it carries a like holder to a second position below the second opening. Each holder has thereon a container with a diameter smaller than the first opening but larger than the second opening. A first lifter raises a holder sealingly against the top plate around the first opening, the container thereon passing through the first opening to load or unload substrates. A second lifter raises the other holder so that the container thereon abuts a mask defining the second opening in order to coat a substrate in the container.

Abstract: First and second transport chambers are joined to one another through a common opening (5), and house respective substrate carriers (6, 7) mounted for rotation about parallel axes. In at least one position the carriers may be superposed, plungers (14 and 15) being disposed in the area of this superposition on opposite sides of the carriers, both carriers being longitudinally displaceable parallel to the pivot axes (a and b, respectively). After a coating operation in the second transport chamber, the second plunger releases the mask from the second carrier, moves it back to the first carrier where the substrate is peripherally engaged, then moves the mask still further in order to release it from the substrate. The second plunger then retreats, and the coated substrate can be rotated in the first chamber.

Abstract: In a mask (7) for covering the outer marginal area of a disk-shaped substrate surface during a coating process, for example a vacuum sputtering or vapor depositing process, the mask (7) is made of an elastic material in the form of a planar plate with an essentially circular opening. To center and lock it onto the substrate (1) an inwardly extending annular flange is provided which assumes the actual masking function and extends in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate. The substrate (1) is laid on this flange and retained by projections extending radially inward. Prior to positioning the substrate it is bowed axially to spread apart the projections.

Abstract: A plunger (14) is displaceably mounted in a vacuum chamber (42) and movable on a first linear path into the plane of substrate (20), for the mounting and for the transport of the mask (15) provided with a bore (32) receiving the plunger (14). A slide (41) having a forked extremity is movable from an airlock chamber (39) transverse to the first linear path to engage an annular flange of the mask (15). In a return movement the mask is transported into the removal airlock chamber (39) from which the mask is then removable by means of a removal plunger (48).

Abstract: A coating machine (1) has a carousel (5) with location seats (18, 19) for substrates (3) that are to be coated. Process chambers (8) are located in a circle coaxially to the carousel (5) outside of the carousel (5). All substrates (3) located in the process chambers (8) can be removed at the same time from the process chambers (8) and put down on the carousel (5) by means of substrate transfer devices (9). After turning the carousel (5) slightly, new substrates (3) can be transported simultaneously into the process chambers (8).

Abstract: A gas inlet (3), a substrate holder (10) with a substrate (11) and a gas outlet (5) are located on a common axis (4) in the vacuum casing (I) of a cathode sputtering system. This results in a symmetrical flow inside the cathode station (2) and a concentric uniformity of the gas pressure. These conditions result in a particularly even coating of the substrate (11) by means of sputtering.

Abstract: A cathode sputtering apparatus for the coating of substrates in a vacuum chamber is presented which accommodates a rotating substrate carrier, and which comprises at least one gripper which includes a hub and at least one arm with a gripper with the hub rotating around a horizontal axis; during the sputtering, two annular closing elements separate a segment in front of the station from the remaining portion of the vacuum chamber and a cathode vacuum chamber is thus formed which is separate from the vacuum chamber of the apparatus.

Abstract: A cathode sputtering apparatus provided with a quick disconnect mechanism for rapid replacement of a target. The quick disconnect mechanism preferably includes a rotatable sleeve that upon appropriate rotation exerts a clamping force on the target. The clamping force preferably is created by balls caused to cam radially outward from a central axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for the inward and outward transfer of a workpiece, particularly of a disk-shaped substrate in a vacuum chamber having a coating system comprising a cathode station. A conveyor means designed as a rotary table is situated inside the vacuum chamber. The rotary table accepts substrate holders which are designed as turned parts. A supporting plate is provided in the region of the inward transfer station. It supports the substrate holder and prevents a sagging thereof. The supporting plate also presses the substrate holder against the inside wall of the vacuum chamber; i.e. against a seal situated in the inside wall. As a result thereof, an air-tight separation of the inward transfer chamber from the vacuum chamber and from the atmosphere is achieved. A considerable reduction in the moved masses of the rotating component parts is achieved by a skillful designing and arrangement of the component parts.

Abstract: A vacuum coating device having a workpiece carrier rotatably positioned within the process chamber including a device for positioning and releasably securing the workpiece on the carrier comprising a crank-lever mechanism positioned at a transfer station and a clamping mechanism positioned on the carrier. The crank lever mechanism operatively engages the clamping mechanism to release or secure a workpiece on the carrier.

Abstract: A cathode sputtering system for coating substrates in a vacuum chamber in which a rotating substrate carrier is accommodated and comprises at least one conveyor spoon. The conveyor spoon comprises a substrate receptacle member and an arm attached between the receptacle member and a rotating disk. The arm preferably comprises two leaf springs arranged parallel to one another. During the sputtering process, a pressure plate presses the substrate receptacle member and the substrate against a mask that is part of the cathode station. As a result, a cathode vacuum space is formed that is isolated from the vacuum space of the system.

Abstract: A cathode sputtering system comprising an annularly-shaped process chamber and a correspondingly annularly-shaped substrate carrier accommodated therein. The chamber and carrier are positioned vertically. A cathode station and a loading and unloading station are positioned on vertical walls of the chamber.

Abstract: A rotatable substrate holder (6) which has a plurality of substrate pickups in a circular arrangement at equal distances apart is disposed in a vacuum chamber (1). A corresponding number of substrates are driven stepwise on a circular path from an air lock station (8, 9) through at least one coating station (10, 11) to the air lock station. To increase the throughput of substrates, the vacuum chamber (1) has two air lock stations (8, 9) and two coating stations (10, 11) one following the other.

Abstract: In an apparatus for passing a discoidal workpiece into and out of a coating chamber through a lock and for shifting the workpiece into and out of the range of a coating source, a swivelling arm is journaled for movement about a vertical axis on the top of the coating chamber. The ends of the swiveling arm have jacks bearing workpiece holding plates which transport the workpiece to an opening in the coating chamber. The workpiece holders are adapted to close off the opening from above. A turntable which can swivel about a vertical axis in the interior of the coating chamber has recesses on its top side for accommodating the workpieces. Lifting plates are journaled in these recesses and can be raised and lowered by lifting means in the bottom plate.