Cathode sputtering apparatus

Claim 1

Cathode sputtering apparatus for depositing a coating on an underlying substrate, comprising: a center, post cathode adapted to have a layer of coating material adhered to the outer surface thereof and having an internal reservoir through which a cooling medium is flowable during operation of the apparatus; a hollow, cylindrical cathode disposed concentrically about said post cathode forming an annular sputtering chamber therebetween, said cylindrical cathode adapted to have a layer of coating material adhered to the interior surface thereof and having internal passages through which a cooling medium is flowable during operation of the apparatus; an anode plate disposed at one end of said annular sputtering chamber; a cylindrical ground shield encasing said cylindrical cathode and spaced closely apart therefrom; a ground plate disposed at the end of said annular chamber opposing the anode plate end wherein said ground plate is in electrical communication with said ground shield and wherein said ground plate has a plurality of apertures therein; means for discharging electrons through the apertures in said ground plate and into the sputtering chamber; a cylindrical wall encasing said ground shield shell and spaced apart therefrom; a base plate closing one end of said cylindrical wall; a top plate closing the end of said cylindrical wall opposing said base plate to form a vacuum chamber completely enclosing the sputtering chamber; means affixing said anode plate to said top plate including an anode insulator for electrically isolating said anode plate from said ground plate; means affixed to said top plate for supporting a substrate article to be coated within said annular sputtering chamber wherein said anode plate, top plate, and substrate article are jointly detachable from the apparatus.