Article coating method

Abstract

Abstract AN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COATING ARTICLES OR SUBSTRATES, PARTICULARLY RAZOR BLADES OR OTHER CUTTING INSTRUMENTS, IN WHICH MEANS ARE PROVEDED FOR ESTABLISHING A RADIO FREQUENCY ALTERNATING ELECTRICAL FIELD BETWEEN ELECTRODES WITHIN A VACUUM CHAMBER FOR SPUTTERING A COATING FROM A TARGET HAVING THE COATING MATERIAL THEREON TO THE ARTICLE, OR SUBSTRATE TO BE COATED. THE DESCRIBED APPARaTUS INCLUDES MEANS FOR PROVIDING PRELIMINARY CLEANING OF THE SUBSTRATE AS WELL AS THE TARGET BEFORE COATING, SUCH CLEANING OPERATION BEING CAPABLE OF OPERATING IN ANY ONE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL MODES. VARIOUS MECHANICAL HANDLING AND PROTECTIVE DEVICES ARE DESCRIBED FOR CARRING OUT THE OPERATIONS IN A SINGLE VACUUM CHAMBER. PREFERABLY, THE SUBSTRATE IS FIRST CLEANED BY SO-CALLED REVERSE SPUTTING (USING THE INTENDED SUBSTRATE AS A TARGET) OR GLOW DISCHARGE CLEANING, OR SPUTTING ETCHING, THEN PROTECTED AGAINST CONTAMINATION WHILE THE TARGET IS CLEARED, WITH THE SUBSTRATE THEREAFTER BEING EXPOSED TO COATING BY SPUTTERING. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, SIMULATANEOUS SUBSTRATE CLEANING AND DEPOSITION TAKES PLACE, AS THE TARGET AND THE SUBSTRATE ARE MAINTAINED AT DIFFERENT POTENTIALS WHILE HAVING RADIO FREQUENCY ALTERNATING VOLTAGES IMPRESSED THEREON. THE APPARATUS PROVIDES A MEANS OF PERFORMING THESE OPERATIONS EITHER SIMULTANEOUSLY OR IN SEQUENCE ON A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES AT ONE OR MORE STATIONS WITHOUT BREAKING THE VACUUM IN THE EVACUATED CHAMBER, OR ALLOWING CONTAMINATION OF THE ARTICLE, SUBSTRATE OR TARGET BETWEEN CLEANING AND COATING OPERATIONS.

Inventors

• 👤 G Lane
• 👤 C Cartwright
• 👤 K Elmslie

Bibliographic Details