Cathode arrangement for atomizing a rotatable target pipe

• Main Authors: MARQUARDT, DIETMAR, NEWCOMB, RICHARD, KAWAKAMI, KEN, RISO, TOM, TRUBE, SCOTT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.11.2007
• Subjects: CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; METALLURGY; PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OFNEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMICBEAMS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION

The present invention relates to a cathode arrangement for atomizing a target pipe (12) having a non-rotatable magnetic system (23) for generating a magnetic field for the containment of a plasma, in which the target pipe (12) is rotatable within a vacuum chamber right through the magnetic field, in which in at least one load bearing structure (1) there is a movable support shaft (6) arranged for the target pipe (12), in which furthermore within the target pipe (12), a fixing device for the magnetic system (23) is arranged, and in which at least one detachable coupling arrangement for changing the target pipe (12) is arranged between the support shaft (6) and the target pipe (12). For the cathode arrangement described at the start, to solve the task of simultaneously bringing about a high and highly loadable coaxiality of support shaft(s) (6) and target pipes (12), a reliable sealing against water and vacuum, and a slight, often repeatable connection and separation-that does not cause much wear and tear-of support shaft(s) (6) and target pipes (12), without the need for much room to maneuver and for much time for the necessary manipulations and to ensure a good concentricity in a constant axial position, it is proposed according to the present invention, to arrange between the movable support shaft (6) and the target pipe (12) a separator (15) coaxial thereto, and two detachable points of separation (32/53), and that through the points of separation (32/53), the torsionally rigid and dimensionally stable connections between the support shaft (6) and the separator (15) on the one hand and the separator (15) and a target pipe (12) on the other hand are detachable and recoverable.