Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for depositing transparent electrically-conductive metal oxide coatings or films, e.g. of indium/tin oxides, on non-conducting substrates, such as glass. The substrate may be a windscreen or window for an aircraft, on which the film provides an electrical resistance heating means for de-misting or de-icing. The film is reactively sputtered from a cathode assembly formed of substantially parallel strips of the metal, which is oscillated back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the length of the strips and substantially parallel to the substrate. Control of the thickness of the deposited film over the area of the substrate, e.g. for producing uniform heating over an irregular coated area of the substrate, is effected by bringing different effective areas of the cathode assembly over different parts of the substrate, by masking the cathode strips or by using a series of cathode strips which are tapered or which differ in width from one another.

Abstract: In a method of depositing a transparent electrically conductive metal oxide coating by reactive sputtering onto the surface of a substrate, the substrate is supported, in spaced relationship with a cathode which is to be sputtered, in a vacuum chamber containing an atmosphere comprising an inert gas and a controlled oxygen concentration at a selected total pressure. The substrate is heated prior to sputtering to a selected elevated temperature, and reactive sputtering is caused by applying a selected negative potential relative to the substrate. The oxygen in the atmosphere is provided and maintained at a selected concentration, and the heating of said substrate is controlled during sputtering to maintain the substrate temperature substantially constant at the selected temperature during substrate heating caused by sputtering.