Abstract: Provided herein is an apparatus comprising a deposition chamber with a cathode, and a means for creating an asymmetric field about the cathode.

Abstract: A coating apparatus for magnetic data storage disks is operable to transport a disk in a disk holding fixture from a first coating area to a second coating area via roller wheels along a first path. A wheel located along the first path between the first coating area and the second coating area within a sealed enclosure is adjusted such that deflection of the disk holding fixture when traversing the disk transport wheel is reduced, such as by adjusting a leadscrew coupled to the disk holding fixture and a frame of the disk coating apparatus. Adjustment is made with the disk coating apparatus sealed and under vacuum, as the position of the disk transport wheel being adjusted may be different under vacuum than under atmospheric pressure. Adjustment is verified by processing a test disk and measuring forces applied to the test disk during transport through the disk coating apparatus.

Abstract: A deposition system may have at least a substrate mounted within a sealed chamber. A radio frequency energy can be supplied to an inductive source affixed to the sealed chamber with the inductive source having an inductive coil surrounding a tube. Coupling the radio frequency energy into a gas pumped into the sealed chamber creates plasma to uniformly deposit a thin layer on a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Vacuum coating deposition apparatus and methods employ a vacuum chamber with a superstructure to which deposition components in the vacuum chamber are mounted, such as a sputter target, substrate, etc. to provide a fixed relative position between them substantially unaffected by environmental and operating vibrations and flexure of the chamber wall. The superstructure is structurally independent of the deposition chamber wall and may be housed within the chamber or externally, extending from an external position to or through the wall of the deposition chamber. A meter of sensor, e.g., an optical monitor for measuring film thickness during deposition, continually monitors at least one parameter of the coating deposition and generates a corresponding control signal. A controller responsive to the control signal continually controls at least one process variable of the coating deposition in response to the control signal.