An improved cathodic arc source and method of DLC film deposition with a carbon containing directional-jet plasma flow produced inside of cylindrical graphite cavity with depth of the cavity approximately equal to the cathode diameter. The generated carbon plasma expands through the orifice into ambient vacuum resulting in plasma flow strong self-constriction. The method represents a repetitive process that includes two steps: the described above plasma generation/deposition step that alternates with a recovery step. This step provides periodical removal of excessive amount of carbon accumulated on the cavity wall by motion of the cathode rod inside of the cavity in direction of the orifice. The cathode rod protrudes above the orifice, and moves back to the initial cathode tip position. The said steps periodically can be reproduced until the film with target thickness is deposited. Technical advantages include the film hardness, density, and transparency improvement, high reproducibility, long duration operation, and particulate reduction.

The present invention relates to a method for controlling an evaporation rate of source material (20) in a system (10) for thermal evaporation with electromagnetic radiation (120), wherein the system (10) comprises an electromagnetic radiation source (110) for providing an electromagnetic radiation (120), a vacuum chamber (12) containing a reaction atmosphere (16) and a main detector (40, 100) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120), wherein a source material (20) and a target material (18) to be coated are arranged in the vacuum chamber (12) and the electromagnetic radiation source (110) is arranged such that its electromagnetic radiation (120) impinges at an angle, preferably at an angle of 45°, on a source surface (22) of the source material (20) for a thermal evaporation and/or sublimation of the source material (20) below the plasma threshold, and wherein the main detector (40, 100) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120) is arranged such that electromagnetic radiation (120) reflected on the source surface (22) reaches the main detector (40, 100), further wherein the source material (20) is provided by a source element (24), wherein the source surface (22) is located accessible for the electromagnetic radiation (120) at the source element (24), whereby the source element (24) is arranged in a holding structure (28) and movable by the holding structure (28) perpendicular to the source surface (22). Further, the present invention relates to a detector (40) for measuring electromagnetic radiation (120), the detector (40) preferably suitable for a method according to the present invention, and additionally to a system (10) for thermal evaporation with electromagnetic radiation (120) suitable for the method according to the present invention.

A sputtering system includes a vacuum chamber, a power source having a pole coupled to a backing plate for holding a sputtering target within the vacuum chamber, a pedestal for holding a substrate within the vacuum chamber, and a time of flight camera positioned to scan a surface of a target held to the backing plate. The time of flight camera may be used to obtain information relating to the topography of the target while the target is at sub-atmospheric pressure. The target information may be used to manage operation of the sputtering system. Managing operation of the sputtering system may include setting an adjustable parameter of a deposition process or deciding when to replace a sputtering target. Machine learning may be used to apply the time of flight camera data in managing the sputtering system operation.

A deposition system provides a feature that may reduce costs of the sputtering process by increasing a target change interval. The deposition system provides an array of magnet members which generate a magnetic field and redirect the magnetic field based on target thickness measurement data. To adjust or redirect the magnetic field, at least one of the magnet members in the array tilts to focus on an area of the target where more target material remains than other areas. As a result, more ion, e.g., argon ion bombardment occurs on the area, creating more uniform erosion on the target surface.

A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Sputtering systems and methods are provided. In an embodiment, a sputtering system includes a chamber configured to receive a substrate, a sputtering target positioned within the chamber, and an electromagnet array over the sputtering target. The electromagnet array includes a plurality of electromagnets.

A vapor deposition device for forming a ceramic coating on a substrate, the device including a coating chamber, loading chambers, substrate support mechanisms, horizontal moving mechanisms, and reversing mechanisms, and configured as follows. The coating chamber and each loading chambers are connected individually to a vacuumizer and are connected to each other at their openings. In the coating chamber, an electron gun is provided that emits an electron beam with which the held ceramic raw material is irradiated. Each of the substrate support mechanisms includes left and right partition walls, a left substrate support plate on the left side of the left partition wall, and a right substrate support plate on the right side of the right partition wall. Each of the substrate support plates has multiple substrate mounting portions for mounting substrates thereon. The left and right substrate support plates are capable of revolving in a plane parallel to the left and right partition walls, and each of the multiple substrate mounting portions is capable of rotating. Each of the horizontal moving mechanisms is configured to cause the substrate support mechanism to move horizontally in the left-right direction between a vapor deposition position where one of the partition walls is in close contact with the opening and a reverse position where the left and right sides of the substrate support mechanism are reversed.

The invention relates to a system for controlling evaporator boats, having a fixture (16) for receiving a plurality of evaporator boats (14), an energy source (18) for providing energy for heating each of the evaporator boats (14), a supply wire drive (24) for each of the evaporator boats (14), at least one camera (32) adapted for capturing an image of at least one of a plurality of evaporator boats (14) mounted in the fixture (16), and a control (26), the control (26) having an image analyzation module (36) and being adapted for providing a control signal for the supply wire drive (24) and a control signal for the energy source (18), the control signals depending at least in part from an output of the image analyzation module (36). The invention further relates to a PVD machine and to a method of operating the machine.

The present invention discloses a PVD coating process for producing a multifunctional coating structure comprising the steps of producing a HEA ceramic matrix on a substrate and the targeted introduction of a controlled precipitate structure into the HEA ceramic matrix to generate a desired specific property of the coating structure.

The invention relates to a source arrangement for a deposition apparatus with a direct surface heater for applying a heating power onto a source surface of a source element, comprising a holding structure with a support and at least one source element arranged at the support, the source element comprising a source surface and a second surface opposite to the source surface, wherein the source material can be vaporized and/or sublimated from a source area on the source surface when heated by the surface heater of the deposition apparatus. Further, the invention is related to a deposition apparatus comprising such a source arrangement and to a method for depositing source material on a target material in the deposition apparatus, whereby the deposition apparatus comprises a surface heater and such a source arrangement.