METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLICATION OF COATINGS IN VACUUM Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: protective coatings. SUBSTANCE: method consists in applying coatings onto dielectric material objects in vacuum chamber, in which objects are placed on metal arrangement and, prior to be covered, the surface of objects is heated and activated for 0.2-15 min by a stream of neutral nitrogen species with energy 0.5-6 keV under pressure in chamber 10^-2-10^-3 mm Hg. Then alternating voltage 30- 300 V is imposed, cathode is evaporated by electric arc and, under pressure 10^-2-5•10^-4 mm Hg, coating is formed for 0.1-10 min with growth velocity 5-40 A/s. Preliminary heating of objects out of chamber and possibility of formation of nonuniform-density metal plasma stream are also envisaged. Apparatus has vacuum chamber with disposed therein one or several evaporators with consumable cathodes, metal arrangement for supporting objects, which is linked to nongrounded secondary coiling of low-voltage transformer, and neutral nitrogen species accelerator mounted on inner wall of the chamber. EFFECT: improved procedure. 4 cl, 2 dwg, 1 tbl