Provided is a method for manufacturing a hard carbon-based coating. The method includes: a step A of preparing a film-forming apparatus including a power supply device and a discharge electrode containing a carbon material, and a substrate having a surface on which a coating is to be formed; and a step B of causing the film-forming apparatus to repeatedly generate a discharge between the discharge electrode and the substrate, to form a hard carbon-based coating on the surface.

A reactor for plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition includes a plasma duct for containing one or more substrates to be coated by ions; an arc discharge generation system for generating a flow of electrons through the plasma duct from a proximal end toward a distal end of the plasma duct; a gas inlet coupled to the distal end for receiving a reactive gas; a gas outlet coupled to the proximal end for removing at least a portion of the reactive gas to generate a flow of the reactive gas through the plasma duct from the distal end toward the proximal end, to generate the ions from collisions between the electrons and the reactive gas; and a separating baffle positioned for restricting flow of the reactive gas out of the plasma duct to maintain a high pressure in the plasma duct to increase rate of deposition of the ions onto the substrates.

A deposition apparatus comprises a target unit, an anode unit into which electrons emitted from the target unit flow, a striker configured to come into contact with the target unit to render the target unit and the anode unit conductive, so as to cause arc discharge between the target unit and the anode unit, a striker driving unit configured to drive the striker in one of a direction toward the target unit and a direction to retract from the target unit, a power supply unit configured to supply power to the target unit and the anode unit, and a control unit configured to control the striker driving unit and the power supply unit. The control unit supplies the power to the target unit and the anode unit after bringing the striker into contact with the target unit.

Provided is an arc evaporation source for melting and evaporating a cathode material by arc discharge for film formation on a surface of a substrate, and including a cathode formed in a substantially disc shape and a magnetic field generating apparatus, disposed at a back side of the cathode. The magnetic field generating apparatus generates a magnetic field which forms magnetic lines that form an acute angle with respect to a substrate direction at an outer circumferential surface of the cathode, magnetic lines that are substantially perpendicular to the discharge surface at an outermost circumference part of the discharge surface of the cathode, and magnetic lines that form an acute angle with respect to a center direction of the cathode at a region towards the outer circumferential surface of the discharge surface of the cathode, by at least one permanent magnet disposed at the back side of the cathode.

A coating source for physical vapor deposition to produce doped carbon layers. The coating source is produced by way of sintering from pulverulent components and is formed of carbon as matrix material in a proportion of at least 75 mol % and at least one dopant in a proportion in the range from 1 mol % to 25 mol %.

An ion source that is capable of different modes of operation is disclosed. A vaporizer is in communication with the ion source. The ion source may have several gas inlets, in communication with different gasses. When operating in a first mode, the ion source may supply a first gas, such as an inert gas, while heating the vaporizer. When operating in a second mode, the ion source may supply a second gas, which may be an organoaluminium gas. When operating in a third mode, the ion source may supply the second gas, while heating the vaporizer. Ions having single charges may be created in the first and second modes, while ions having multiple charges may be created in the third mode.

Methods and apparatus provide for: producing a plasma plume within a plasma containment vessel from a source of plasma gas; feeding an elongate feedstock material having a longitudinal axis into the plasma containment vessel such that at least a distal end of the feedstock material is heated within the plasma plume; and spinning the feedstock material about the longitudinal axis as the distal end of the feedstock material advances into the plasma plume, where the feedstock material is a mixture of compounds that have been mixed, formed into the elongate shape, and at least partially sintered.

In one aspect, coated cutting tools are described herein comprising a substrate and a coating comprising a refractory layer deposited by physical vapor deposition adhered to the substrate, the refractory layer comprising M.sub.1-xAl.sub.xN wherein x0.68 and M is titanium, chromium or zirconium, the refractory layer including a cubic crystalline phase and having hardness of at least 25 GPa.

A film forming apparatus includes a cylindrical evaporation source, an electrode, and a gas passage. The evaporation source is composed of metal and includes an internal space for accommodating a workplace. The electrode is arranged in the internal space of the evaporation source, The gas passage supplies gas to the internal space of the evaporation source from a space outside the evaporation source. The gas passage includes an end portion located in the internal space. The end portion of the gas passage includes a first section composed of a first material and a second section composed of a second material. The first material and the second material have different thermal expansion coefficients.

A coating method based on gas phase deposition by arc evaporation, with the steps: selecting a first target as a material source for the coating; providing a coating chamber with an arc evaporation source including the selected target; loading the chamber with substrates to be coated; pumping down the chamber to a process pressure suitable for the arc evaporation; and igniting and operating the arc such that material is evaporated from the first target and is then deposited on the substrates to be coated, optionally after reaction with a reactive gas admitted into the coating chamber. The first target includes at least one matrix component and one doping component such that the doping component has a melting point at least 500 C. lower than the matrix component, and a melted drop of the doping component on a solid surface of the matrix component assumes a contact angle of a least 90.