Large area cathode lift-off sputter deposition device

Claim 1

In an etching/deposition system operable at low pressures for producing lift-off quality coatings comprising a hollow cathode electron source in combination with a magnetron sputter deposition plasma device within a containment chamber, said hollow cathode being disposed to inject electrons into the magnetic field of the magnetron plasma device adjacent to the magnetron cathode surface to which a deposition source is affixed, said system further including means for initiating and maintaining a discharge plasma within the hollow cathode and for initiating and maintaining the magnetron plasma, the improvement which compirses a workpiece to be coated located in said chamber, spaced from said magnetron cathode surface, a particle collimation filter assembly interposed between the magnetron cathode surface and said workpiece, but outside of said plasma region, which prevents any deposition particles from reaching said workpiece which are not travelling in a direction substantially normal thereto, and wherein said particle collimation filter assembly is composed of a plurality of closely packed elongated tubes, the axis of all of said tubes being disposed normal to both the magnetron cathode surface and the workpiece to be coated, each individual tube having a length-to-diameter ratio such that any particle attempting to travel through said tube is unable to do so if it is travelling in a direction more than ten degrees from the axis of said tube without striking said filter assembly.