A method of depositing a material on a substrate is provided. The method includes generating a plasma remote from one or more sputter targets suitable for plasma sputtering, wherein at least one distinct region of the one or more targets includes an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, alkali metal containing compound, alkaline earth metal containing compound or a combination thereof; generating sputtered material from the target or targets using the plasma; and depositing the sputtered material on the substrate, the working distance between the target and the substrate being within +/−50% of the theoretical mean free path of the system.

A sputter deposition apparatus including: a remote plasma generation arrangement arranged to provide a plasma for sputter deposition of target material within a sputter deposition zone; a confining arrangement arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to substantially confine the plasma in the sputter deposition zone a substrate provided within the sputter deposition zone; and one or more target support assemblies arranged to support one or more targets in the sputter deposition zone so as to provide for sputter deposition of the target material on the substrate. The confining arrangement confines the remote plasma to the target support assemblies such that in use there is deposited: target material as a first region on the substrate; target material as a second region on the substrate; and an intermediate region between the first and second region with no target material.

Certain examples described herein relate to a sputter deposition apparatus including a guiding member to guide a substrate in a conveyance direction, a plasma source to generate a plasma, and a magnet arrangement. The magnet arrangement is configured to confine the plasma within the apparatus to a pre-treatment zone, within which the substrate is exposed to the plasma in use. The magnet arrangement is also configured to confine the plasma within the apparatus to a sputter deposition zone, located after the pre-treatment zone in the conveyance direction, to provide for sputter deposition of a target material to the substrate in use. The pre-treatment and sputter deposition zones are disposed about the guiding member.

A sputter deposition apparatus including: a plasma generation arrangement arranged to provide single plasma for sputter deposition of target material within a sputter deposition zone; a conveyor system arranged to convey a substrate through the sputter deposition zone in a conveyance direction; and one or more target support assemblies arranged to support one or more targets in the sputter deposition zone so as to provide for sputter deposition of the target material on the substrate utilising the plasma such that as the substrate is conveyed through the sputter deposition zone in use there is deposited: a first stripe on the substrate; and a second stripe on the substrate. The first stripe includes at least one of: a different density of the target material or a different composition of the target material than the second stripe.

graphite composite laminated heat-dissipating structure and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The structure includes a metal substrate and a graphite heat-dissipating layer. The metal substrate has a first surface having a roughness ranging between 0.01 and 10 μm. The graphite heat-dissipating layer is composed of pure graphite and is directly formed on the first surface by means of physical vapor deposition using a carbon sputtering target. The graphite heat-dissipating layer has a thickness ranging between 0.05 and 2 μm. The manufacturing method includes S1: directly forming a graphite heat-dissipating layer on a first surface of a metal substrate by means of physical vapor deposition using a carbon sputtering target after the metal substrate has received plasma treatment or infrared heating; and S2: stopping the physical vapor deposition when the graphite heat-dissipating layer has a thickness ranging between 0.05 and 2 μm.

A steel sheet is provided with a coating having at least one layer of zinc and a top layer of paint applied by cataphoresis. The zinc layer is deposited by a jet vapor deposition process in a deposition chamber maintained at a pressure between 6.Math.10.sup.−2 mbar and 2.Math.10.sup.−1 mbar. A fabrication method and an installation are also provided.

Apparatus for sputter deposition of target material to a substrate is disclosed. In one form, the apparatus includes a substrate guide arranged to guide a substrate along a curved path and a target portion spaced from the substrate guide and arranged to support target material. The target portion and the substrate guide define between them a deposition zone. The apparatus includes a confining arrangement including one or more magnetic elements arranged to provide a confining magnetic field to confine plasma in the deposition zone thereby to provide for sputter deposition of target material to the web of substrate in use. The confining magnetic field includes magnetic field lines arranged to, at least in the deposition zone, substantially follow a curve of the curved path so as to confine said plasma around said curve of the curved path.

A method of forming a crystalline cathode layer of a solid-state battery on a substrate, the method including generating a plasma remote from one or more sputter targets for forming the cathode layer, generating sputtered material from the target or targets using the plasma, and depositing the sputtered material on the substrate, thereby forming the crystalline cathode layer.

An apparatus for sputter deposition of target material to a substrate is disclosed. In one form, the apparatus includes a substrate portion in which a substrate is provided and a target portion in which target material is provided, in use. The target portion and the substrate portion define between them a deposition zone. The apparatus includes an antenna arrangement for generating plasma, in use, and a confining arrangement. The confining arrangement includes a first element between the antenna arrangement and the deposition zone and a second element. The antenna arrangement is between the second element and the deposition zone. The first element confines the plasma towards the deposition zone to provide for sputter deposition of target material to the substrate, in use. The second element confines the plasma away from the second element, towards the antenna arrangement and, via the first element, towards the deposition zone, in use.

Certain examples described herein relate to a sputter deposition apparatus including a substrate holder, a target loader, a plasma source to generate a plasma, and a magnet arrangement. The substrate holder is to position a substrate in a sputter deposition zone for sputter deposition of target material from a first target to the substrate in use. The target loader is to move a second target from a target priming zone into the sputter deposition zone for sputter deposition of target material from the second target to the substrate in use. The magnet arrangement configured to confine the plasma within the apparatus to the target priming zone and the sputter deposition zone. Within the target priming zone, a respective target is exposed to the plasma in use. The sputter deposition zone provides for sputter deposition of target material.