Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for coating substrates

US4824545A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
1References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 1987
Grant dateApr 25, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC23C14/566
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus for coating substrates in a vacuum chamber has a cathode system, which is preceded and followed by evacuable isolating chambers. The individual chambers can be separated from one another by locks, and the apparatus has a conduit leading into the coating chamber for feeding one or more process gases. Transport frames carry the substrates through the individual chambers on rails and/or wheels. In such an apparatus one or more bypass lines are provided which connect the coating chamber to the isolating chambers preceding or following it, and a shutoff or valve is inserted into each bypass line and brings about an equalization of pressure between the chambers. By means of a pressure equalization performed in this manner, the constancy of the gas concentrations which is essential in a reactive process to the stability of the process and to uniform coating properties, is automatically assured.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.