Formation of thin oxide layers

Claim 2

An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising means associated with said second supply means for controlling the amount of metal compound solution supplied to said second supply means.

Claim 3

An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further comprising means associated with said first supply means for controlling the concentration of solvent vapor in said first chamber.

Claim 4

Apparatus for covering the surface of an object with an optical metal oxide coating, starting with a compound, other than the oxide, of the metal, comprising, in combination: a. at least one first chamber for holding the object; b. first supply means communicating with said first chamber for filling it with a vapor of a solvent for the metal compound; c. second supply means, including spray means, communicating with the interior of said first chamber for applying a layer of a solution of the metal compound to the object at the earliest during the contacting of the object with the vapor; d. third supply means communicating with the interior of said first chamber for filling it with water vapor, after the metal compound has been applied, to achieve a preliminary hydrolysis of the metal compound layer on the object; e. at least one second chamber disposed for receiving a coated object after it leaves said first chamber; f. heating means associated with said second chamber for heating a coated object therein to a temperature sufficient to convert such coating into a dry metal oxide; g. evaporation means associated with one of said chambers for evaporating the solvent remaining on an object after the solution of the metal compound has been applied thereto and before the metal compound has been oxidized; and g. means associated with each said chamber for substantially isolating it from its surroundings at least while an object is being treated therein while permitting an object to pass into and out of said chambers without contacting said isolating means.