US3046936A - Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof - Google Patents

Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3046936A
US3046936A US739742A US73974258A US3046936A US 3046936 A US3046936 A US 3046936A US 739742 A US739742 A US 739742A US 73974258 A US73974258 A US 73974258A US 3046936 A US3046936 A US 3046936A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
aluminum
electrons
vapors
electron beam
cathode
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US739742A
Inventor
Jr John C Simons
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
National Research Corp
Original Assignee
Nat Res Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nat Res Corp filed Critical Nat Res Corp
Priority to US739742A priority Critical patent/US3046936A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3046936A publication Critical patent/US3046936A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23CCOATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C14/00Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
    • C23C14/22Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
    • C23C14/24Vacuum evaporation
    • C23C14/28Vacuum evaporation by wave energy or particle radiation
    • C23C14/30Vacuum evaporation by wave energy or particle radiation by electron bombardment
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/30Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
    • H01J37/3002Details
    • H01J37/3007Electron or ion-optical systems
    • HELECTRICITY
    • H01ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01JELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J37/00Discharge tubes with provision for introducing objects or material to be exposed to the discharge, e.g. for the purpose of examination or processing thereof
    • H01J37/30Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects
    • H01J37/305Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects for casting, melting, evaporating or etching
    • H01J37/3053Electron-beam or ion-beam tubes for localised treatment of objects for casting, melting, evaporating or etching for evaporating or etching
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10STECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S164/00Metal founding
    • Y10S164/05Electron beam

Definitions

  • the source be capable of operating for many hours without replacement or repair. Considerable advance has been made recently in solving these many problems. It has long been a primary objective in the art to provide a source of high temperature aluminum vapors which will have an almost indefinite life of operation.
  • the invention accordingly comprises the apparatus 'possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.
  • the electron beam used for heating the molten aluminum is directed at the surface of the aluminum to be vaporized so that the heat generated is localized at the vaporizing surface.
  • the molten aluminum may be confined in a cooled crucible, for example, so that the aluminum in contact with the Wall of the crucible is either solid or at such a low temperature that reaction with the crucible material is negligible.
  • the aluminum can form its own crucible by proper cooling of a mass of aluminum, for example.
  • the difficulties of the prior art devices, utilizing electron beam vaporization are avoided by positioning the cathode for emitting the electrons in a portion of the coating apparatus which is well shielded from vapors emitted from the hot aluminum.
  • the electrons emitted from the cathode are focused into a beam, which beam is projected into an initial path.
  • the projection of this initial path misses the surface to be heated so that aluminum atoms traveling in a straight line from the heated aluminum surface cannot travel parallel to the focused initial path
  • the electron beam, after passing the vapor shield is bent towards the surface to be heated so that the beam impinges on this surface.
  • the electron beam passes through a magnetic field to accomplish the bending thereof to a substantial degree.
  • the apparatus also preferably includes an ion trap for trapping both positive and negative ions tending to migrate from the coating chamber towards the electron-emitting filament. Gne preferred embodiment of this ion trap constitutes a means for generating an electrostatic potential transversely of the path of the electron beam, this potential being ineffective to cause substantial deviation of the high energy electrons in the beam, but being capable of causing substantial deflection of low energy ions traveling in a direction opposite to the electrons in the beam.
  • FIG. 10 represents a wall defining a chamber12 in which aluminum is evaporated from a suitable source 1d so as to be deposited on a substrate 13 which is moved through the stream of aluminum vapors.
  • the source 14 comprises a crucible 16 which is shown as being cooled by a cooling coil 18.
  • This crucible 16 supports therein a pool 20 of molten aluminum in position to supply a stream of aluminum vapors 21 extending upwardly to condense on the moving substrate 13.
  • the aluminum 2% in the crucible 16 is heated by a beam of electrons schematically indicated at 28.
  • This electron beam comes from an auxiliary chamber 24 containing an electron gun which is schematically indicated as including a hemispherical, high-temperature cathode 26, a focusing electrode 27 and an accelerating anode 29.
  • an electron gun which is schematically indicated as including a hemispherical, high-temperature cathode 26, a focusing electrode 27 and an accelerating anode 29.
  • Several pumped chambers 30 and 32 are proidcdthrough which the electron beam is projected in its travel from the cathode to the surface of the molten aluminum 20.
  • As the electron beam passes through the chamber 32 it is bent slightly by means of a transverse magnetic field schematically indicated at 34 so that the beam 28 is projected through the electron gun assembly, through holes 35 and 36 and also through an aligned hole 42 in the wall 40 serving as a vapor shield to prevent aluminum vapors from contacing the electron gun.
  • the electron beam 28 After the electron beam 28 has passed through hole 42, it passes through another magnetic field schematically indicated at 44 so that it is bent downwardly to impinge on the surface of molten aluminum 20.
  • the electron beam heats this molten aluminum surface to a very high temperature (on the order of 1200 to 1300 C.) so as to vaporize the aluminum at the high vacuum, which is maintained in the coating chamber 12.
  • the substrate to be coated is illustrated as a flexible sheet such as paper which is supported by a large drum 46 as it is moved through a pair of openings 50 defining high impedance paths which prevent substantial flow of air from intermediate vacuum chamber 48 to high vacuum coating chamber 12. Only portions of the casing 52 defining the intermediate vacuum chamber 48 are illustrated.
  • Vacuum pumps 54 and 56 are schematically indicated for maintaining the various chambers in the electron gun at a very high vacuum so as to prevent damage to the high temperature cathode 26.
  • a separate pump (not shown) may be provided for evacuating chamber 24 to a requisite low pressure.
  • the electron gun assembly also preferably is provided with a pair of capacitor plates 58 positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel of the electron beam 28.
  • the purpose of these capacitor plates is to act as ion traps for deflecting relatively slow-moving ions which might otherwise tend to travel countercurrent to the flow of electrons.
  • the positive ions will be attracted to the negative plate and the negative ions will be attracted to the positive plate. Since the electrons will be moving at extremely high velocities, they will be only slightly affected by the electrostatic field between the plates 58. However, the electron beam will be strongly deflected by the transverse magnetic field.
  • the slow-moving positive and negative ions will only be slightly affected by the magnetic field, but strongly attracted or repelled, as the case may be, by the electrostatic field.
  • the substrate such as paper, plastic or the like is threaded through the plate seals 50 into the coating chamber.
  • the substrate can be introduced from the outside through appropriate seals (not illustrated) or it can be mounted in the intermediate vacuum chamber 48.
  • the intermediate vacuum chamber is pumped down to a pressure on the order of 50 to 100 microns and the high vacuum coating chamber is preferably pumped down by pump 22 to a pressure of less than 1 micron Hg Abs.
  • Pumps 54 and 56' will pump the interior of the electron gun to very low pressures, such as one-hundredth of a micron adjacent the cathode 26.
  • the cathode is heated indirectly by means of the filament 62.
  • the cathode is held at a highly negative potential on the order of 20,000 volts with respect to the accelerating anode 29.
  • the electrons emitted from the cathode are focused by focusing electrode 27 into a beam 28.
  • the electrons are accelerated by means of the anode 29 to extremely high velocities and can be further focused by an appropriate focusing coil 64.
  • As the beam of electrons passes through the magnetic field 34 it is bent slightly so as to pass through the aligned openings 36 and '42 and then deflected again by magnetic field 44 so that the beam impinges on the surface of aluminum 20.
  • the beam of electrons may be of very high power, as
  • the water cooling coil 13 maintains the crucible 16 at a relatively low temperature, for example 700 to 800 C., at which point the aluminum is very unreactive with many metals and refractories such as carbon.
  • Aluminum can be fed to replenish the pool 20 continuously or intermittently by suitable wire or powder feeding equipment of known types. Equally, nolten aluminum can be continuously or intermittently added to the pool.
  • the present invention provides a long-life source of copious quantities of aluminum vapors for coating a fast-moving substrate. This is made possible by a number of considerations.
  • the source of electrons used for heating the aluminum to vaporization temperature is far removed from the locus of the aluminum vapors. Accordingly, there is no accelerating electrical field in the presence of any appreciable density of metallic vapors. Thus a high metallic vapor density can be achieved in the coating chamber without danger of disastrous arcing in the electrical system.
  • the present invention provides a combination of geometrical and electrical shields which can prevent plugging of the electron source by condensed aluminum vapors or destruction of the high temperature electron source by ion bombardment thereof.
  • Neutral atoms and molecules are prevented from entering the inner chamber 30 of the electron gun by means of the mechanical barriers associated with the openings 42, 36 and 35. Since the high energy aluminum vapors emitted from the source 20 will travel in straight lines they cannot pass through all three of the openings 42, 36 and 35. Accordingly, the great majority of neutral aluminum atoms and molecules 21 are of no problem whatsoever. However, a few atoms 21 may (due to thermal energy and collision with other atoms) travel in such a direction that they can pass through aligned holes 42 and 36.
  • deflecting magnetic field 44 has been illustrated as a constant magnetic field, it can be made with varying intensity so as to provide a scanning of the electron beam across the surface of the molten aluminum to assure uniform heating thereof.
  • the substrate can be paper, plastic, textile, metal or only the bare drum.
  • the drum is first coated with a release agent, then with a layer of molten aluminum and thereafter the thin layer of aluminum is transferred, by means of an adhesive bond, to another substrate, such as paper, textiles or the like.
  • apparatus for heating a metal to a temperature sufiicient-ly high to vaporize said metal in an evacuated chamber by directing a beam of electrons against a surface of a mass of said metal to be heated to said high temperature
  • the improvement which comprises a cathode for emitting electrons, a means including an accelerating anode for accelerating said electrons to a high energy level and for focusing the electrons emitted from the cathode into a beam and projecting the beam of electrons in a given path, said path missing the surface to be heated, a vapor shield between the focusing means and the surface to be heated, magnetic means positioned to bend the electron beam so that the electron beam is directed towards the surface to be heated when said beam is beyond the point of interception of the beam by the shield, and means positioned between said shield and said anode for creating an electrostatic field transverse to the electron beam, said transverse electrostatic field trapping ions migrating towards said cathode.
  • the improvement which comprises a cathode for emitting electrons, a means including an accelerating anode for accelerating said electrons to a high energy level and for focusing the electrons emitted from the cathode into a beam and projecting the beam of electrons in a given path, said path missing the surface to be heated, means for protecting the cathode and beam forming means from direct impingement of coating vapors thereon, means for creating an electrostatic field transverse to the electron beam, said transverse electrostatic field being located between said anode and said protecting means, said transverse electrostatic field trapping positive ions migrating towards said cathode, and magnetic means positioned to bend the electron beam through a substantial angle so that the electron beam is

Description

y 31, 1962 J. c. SIMONS, JR 3,046,935
IMPROVEMENT IN VACUUM COATING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ION TRAP FOR THE ELECTRON GUN THEREOF Filed June 4, l958 m D.- E 5 D./ s :s 0 U '0 E LL.
.2 m c m U O. E 5 D- O in INVENTOR.
JA c. LAMA, P.
States IMPROVEMENT IN VACUUNI COATHJG APPA- This invention relates to coating and more particularly to vapor deposition coating under high vacuum wherein a material such as aluminum is vaporized, and the vapors are deposited on a substrate such as paper and the like which is moved through the stream of aluminum vapors. While the invention is of considerable utility with respect to many metals and non-metals, for convenience of illustration it will be primarily described in connection with the vaporization of aluminum under high vacuum conditions to provide a vapor deposited aluminum coating on a substrate.
The vacuum ,vapor deposition of aluminum has recently assumed considerable commercial importance in the metalizing of plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate, paper, textiles and metals, such as black iron. One of the principal problems in the operation of coating devices of this type has been the provision of a source of aluminum vapors which will run for many hours at an elevated temperature on the order of 1100 C. to 1300" C. so as to provide'a high concentration of aluminum vapors to permit rapid coating of a substrate moved through the aluminum vapors. When wide strips of paper, for example 60 inches wide, are to be coated at speeds from 1000 to ZOOOteet per minute, a high-temperature, large source for aluminum vapors is required. It is also highly desirable that the source be capable of operating for many hours without replacement or repair. Considerable advance has been made recently in solving these many problems. It has long been a primary objective in the art to provide a source of high temperature aluminum vapors which will have an almost indefinite life of operation.
of aluminum vapors which is cheap, efficient and reliable.
These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus 'possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the acdornpanying drawing, which is a diagrammatic, schematic, sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
In the present invention, a stream of high energy electrons is utilized as a source of energy for heating the aluminum to be vaporized in the vacuum coating chamber. it is recognized that the use of electron bombardment as a source of heat for vaporizing aluminum and other materials is not basically new. The suggestion has been before the art for many years. For example see the patents to Ruhle No. 2,423,729, Brown No. 2,621,625 and Steigerwald No. 2,746,420. However, so far as is known, none of the arrangements described in these patents has ever achieved any substantial degree of commercial sucof the electrons.
ice
cess. The reason for this is believed to reside in the fact that electron beam melting and vaporizing has involved high voltages and high energy electrons. In the Ruhle and'Steigerwald arrangements, the electron beams are directed at the surface of the aluminum to be vaporized and the aluminum vapors, in turn, travel in all directions, including directly towards the source of electrons. This can result in spark discharges and destruction of the electron source by erosion of the hot filament due to positive ion bombardment. This occurs despite the advantage offered by the Ruhle and Steigerwald systems that the kinetic energy of the electron beam is converted to thermal energy (heat) in the aluminum right at the surface thereof, which is where it is ultimately needed to accomplish its vaporizing function. In the Brown apparatus the aluminum is supported in a cup which is heated by electron bombardment. While this works satisfactorily for a while, it is difficult to maintain high temperature molten aluminum in contact with any solid body for an indefinite period of time.
In the present invention, the electron beam used for heating the molten aluminum is directed at the surface of the aluminum to be vaporized so that the heat generated is localized at the vaporizing surface. Accordingly, the molten aluminum may be confined in a cooled crucible, for example, so that the aluminum in contact with the Wall of the crucible is either solid or at such a low temperature that reaction with the crucible material is negligible. In fact, the aluminum can form its own crucible by proper cooling of a mass of aluminum, for example.
The difficulties of the prior art devices, utilizing electron beam vaporization are avoided by positioning the cathode for emitting the electrons in a portion of the coating apparatus which is well shielded from vapors emitted from the hot aluminum. The electrons emitted from the cathode are focused into a beam, which beam is projected into an initial path. The projection of this initial path misses the surface to be heated so that aluminum atoms traveling in a straight line from the heated aluminum surface cannot travel parallel to the focused initial path The electron beam, after passing the vapor shield is bent towards the surface to be heated so that the beam impinges on this surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the electron beam passes through a magnetic field to accomplish the bending thereof to a substantial degree. The apparatus also preferably includes an ion trap for trapping both positive and negative ions tending to migrate from the coating chamber towards the electron-emitting filament. Gne preferred embodiment of this ion trap constitutes a means for generating an electrostatic potential transversely of the path of the electron beam, this potential being ineffective to cause substantial deviation of the high energy electrons in the beam, but being capable of causing substantial deflection of low energy ions traveling in a direction opposite to the electrons in the beam.
Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a schematic, diagrammatic representation of one preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein 10 represents a wall defining a chamber12 in which aluminum is evaporated from a suitable source 1d so as to be deposited on a substrate 13 which is moved through the stream of aluminum vapors. The source 14 comprises a crucible 16 which is shown as being cooled by a cooling coil 18. This crucible 16 supports therein a pool 20 of molten aluminum in position to supply a stream of aluminum vapors 21 extending upwardly to condense on the moving substrate 13. The aluminum 2% in the crucible 16 is heated by a beam of electrons schematically indicated at 28. This electron beam comes from an auxiliary chamber 24 containing an electron gun which is schematically indicated as including a hemispherical, high-temperature cathode 26, a focusing electrode 27 and an accelerating anode 29. Several pumped chambers 30 and 32 are proidcdthrough which the electron beam is projected in its travel from the cathode to the surface of the molten aluminum 20. As the electron beam passes through the chamber 32, it is bent slightly by means of a transverse magnetic field schematically indicated at 34 so that the beam 28 is projected through the electron gun assembly, through holes 35 and 36 and also through an aligned hole 42 in the wall 40 serving as a vapor shield to prevent aluminum vapors from contacing the electron gun. After the electron beam 28 has passed through hole 42, it passes through another magnetic field schematically indicated at 44 so that it is bent downwardly to impinge on the surface of molten aluminum 20. The electron beam heats this molten aluminum surface to a very high temperature (on the order of 1200 to 1300 C.) so as to vaporize the aluminum at the high vacuum, which is maintained in the coating chamber 12. The substrate to be coated is illustrated as a flexible sheet such as paper which is supported by a large drum 46 as it is moved through a pair of openings 50 defining high impedance paths which prevent substantial flow of air from intermediate vacuum chamber 48 to high vacuum coating chamber 12. Only portions of the casing 52 defining the intermediate vacuum chamber 48 are illustrated.
Vacuum pumps 54 and 56 are schematically indicated for maintaining the various chambers in the electron gun at a very high vacuum so as to prevent damage to the high temperature cathode 26. A separate pump (not shown) may be provided for evacuating chamber 24 to a requisite low pressure.
As illustrated, the electron gun assembly also preferably is provided with a pair of capacitor plates 58 positioned on opposite sides of the path of travel of the electron beam 28. The purpose of these capacitor plates is to act as ion traps for deflecting relatively slow-moving ions which might otherwise tend to travel countercurrent to the flow of electrons. The positive ions will be attracted to the negative plate and the negative ions will be attracted to the positive plate. Since the electrons will be moving at extremely high velocities, they will be only slightly affected by the electrostatic field between the plates 58. However, the electron beam will be strongly deflected by the transverse magnetic field. The slow-moving positive and negative ions will only be slightly affected by the magnetic field, but strongly attracted or repelled, as the case may be, by the electrostatic field.
In the operation of the device schematically illustrated, the substrate such as paper, plastic or the like is threaded through the plate seals 50 into the coating chamber. The substrate can be introduced from the outside through appropriate seals (not illustrated) or it can be mounted in the intermediate vacuum chamber 48. The intermediate vacuum chamber is pumped down to a pressure on the order of 50 to 100 microns and the high vacuum coating chamber is preferably pumped down by pump 22 to a pressure of less than 1 micron Hg Abs. Pumps 54 and 56' will pump the interior of the electron gun to very low pressures, such as one-hundredth of a micron adjacent the cathode 26. The cathode is heated indirectly by means of the filament 62. The cathode is held at a highly negative potential on the order of 20,000 volts with respect to the accelerating anode 29. The electrons emitted from the cathode are focused by focusing electrode 27 into a beam 28. The electrons are accelerated by means of the anode 29 to extremely high velocities and can be further focused by an appropriate focusing coil 64. As the beam of electrons passes through the magnetic field 34, it is bent slightly so as to pass through the aligned openings 36 and '42 and then deflected again by magnetic field 44 so that the beam impinges on the surface of aluminum 20.
The beam of electrons may be of very high power, as
much as 60,000 watts. This power, representing the kinetic energy of the electrons, is converted to heat When the beam strikes the surface of aluminum 20. The surface of the aluminum is raised to a very high temperature on the order of 1200 to 1300 C. so that copious quantities of aluminum vapors are released to the vacuum coating chamber 12. Due to the high vacuum in the coating chamber 12 the aluminum vapors travel in substantially straight lines from the surface of the aluminum pool 20. Most of these vapors condense on the substrate 13 which is moved over the surface of the aluminum source while other vapors condense on the interior walls of the coating chamber 12. The water cooling coil 13 maintains the crucible 16 at a relatively low temperature, for example 700 to 800 C., at which point the aluminum is very unreactive with many metals and refractories such as carbon. Aluminum can be fed to replenish the pool 20 continuously or intermittently by suitable wire or powder feeding equipment of known types. Equally, nolten aluminum can be continuously or intermittently added to the pool.
The present invention, as described above, provides a long-life source of copious quantities of aluminum vapors for coating a fast-moving substrate. This is made possible by a number of considerations. In the first place, the source of electrons used for heating the aluminum to vaporization temperature is far removed from the locus of the aluminum vapors. Accordingly, there is no accelerating electrical field in the presence of any appreciable density of metallic vapors. Thus a high metallic vapor density can be achieved in the coating chamber without danger of disastrous arcing in the electrical system.
In the second place, the present invention provides a combination of geometrical and electrical shields which can prevent plugging of the electron source by condensed aluminum vapors or destruction of the high temperature electron source by ion bombardment thereof. Neutral atoms and molecules are prevented from entering the inner chamber 30 of the electron gun by means of the mechanical barriers associated with the openings 42, 36 and 35. Since the high energy aluminum vapors emitted from the source 20 will travel in straight lines they cannot pass through all three of the openings 42, 36 and 35. Accordingly, the great majority of neutral aluminum atoms and molecules 21 are of no problem whatsoever. However, a few atoms 21 may (due to thermal energy and collision with other atoms) travel in such a direction that they can pass through aligned holes 42 and 36. If these atoms pass through these two aligned holes without being ionized, they will strike one of the capacitor plates 58 or the inner surface of the tube 32. If they are ionized due to the high-energy electron beam also passing through these holes, they will be attracted toward one of these capacitor plates 58 due to the electrostatic field between the plates. Accordingly, essentialiy no neutral atoms or molecules will pass through the hole 35 into the chamber 30 in position to be ionized and bombard the hot cathode 26. If it is found that, under any particular set of circumstances, too many neutral molecules or atoms are migrating into the chamber 30, additional electrical capacitor plates and mechanical shields can be provided in chamber 30 with suitable magnetic bending of the high energy electron beam around such mechanical shields. However, for most purposes, such additional electrical and mechanical shielding of the cathode should not be necessary.
While the deflecting magnetic field 44 has been illustrated as a constant magnetic field, it can be made with varying intensity so as to provide a scanning of the electron beam across the surface of the molten aluminum to assure uniform heating thereof.
While a preferred embodiment has been described above, numerous modifications thereof may be practiced without departing from the spirit of the invention. For
example, the substrate can be paper, plastic, textile, metal or only the bare drum. In this latter case, the drum is first coated with a release agent, then with a layer of molten aluminum and thereafter the thin layer of aluminum is transferred, by means of an adhesive bond, to another substrate, such as paper, textiles or the like. This technique is disclosed in the copending application of Staufier, Serial No. 721,888, filed March 17, 1958.
Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
What is claimed is:
1. In apparatus for heating a metal to a temperature sufiicient-ly high to vaporize said metal in an evacuated chamber by directing a beam of electrons against a surface of a mass of said metal to be heated to said high temperature, the improvement which comprises a cathode for emitting electrons, a means including an accelerating anode for accelerating said electrons to a high energy level and for focusing the electrons emitted from the cathode into a beam and projecting the beam of electrons in a given path, said path missing the surface to be heated, a vapor shield between the focusing means and the surface to be heated, magnetic means positioned to bend the electron beam so that the electron beam is directed towards the surface to be heated when said beam is beyond the point of interception of the beam by the shield, and means positioned between said shield and said anode for creating an electrostatic field transverse to the electron beam, said transverse electrostatic field trapping ions migrating towards said cathode.
2. In apparatus for coating a substrate wherein the subtrate is moved above a source of coating vapors in an evacuated coating chamber and wherein a beam of electrons is directed against a surface of a mass of material to be vaporized so as to heat a portion of the surface to its vaporization temperature, the improvement which comprises a cathode for emitting electrons, a means including an accelerating anode for accelerating said electrons to a high energy level and for focusing the electrons emitted from the cathode into a beam and projecting the beam of electrons in a given path, said path missing the surface to be heated, means for protecting the cathode and beam forming means from direct impingement of coating vapors thereon, means for creating an electrostatic field transverse to the electron beam, said transverse electrostatic field being located between said anode and said protecting means, said transverse electrostatic field trapping positive ions migrating towards said cathode, and magnetic means positioned to bend the electron beam through a substantial angle so that the electron beam is finally directed towards the surface to be heated.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,025 Penning Feb. 7, 1939 2,239,642 Burkhardt et a1. Apr. 22, 1941 2,423,729 Ruhle July 8, 1947 2,727,171 De Gier Dec. 13, 1955 2,932,588 Frank Apr. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 754,102 Great Britain Aug. 1, 1956
US739742A 1958-06-04 1958-06-04 Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof Expired - Lifetime US3046936A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US739742A US3046936A (en) 1958-06-04 1958-06-04 Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US739742A US3046936A (en) 1958-06-04 1958-06-04 Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3046936A true US3046936A (en) 1962-07-31

Family

ID=24973595

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US739742A Expired - Lifetime US3046936A (en) 1958-06-04 1958-06-04 Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US3046936A (en)

Cited By (44)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3117022A (en) * 1960-09-06 1964-01-07 Space Technhology Lab Inc Deposition arrangement
US3132198A (en) * 1962-01-15 1964-05-05 Stauffer Chemical Co Electron beam furnace
US3172649A (en) * 1963-04-01 1965-03-09 United States Steel Corp Crucible for vaporizing metal
US3177535A (en) * 1960-06-21 1965-04-13 Stauffer Chemical Co Electron beam furnace with low beam source
US3183563A (en) * 1962-06-05 1965-05-18 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Apparatus for continuous foil production by vapor deposition
US3202794A (en) * 1963-02-18 1965-08-24 Thermionics Lab Inc Permanent magnet transverse electron beam evaporation source
US3227133A (en) * 1962-04-13 1966-01-04 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Multiple layer coating and cleaning
US3230110A (en) * 1962-01-22 1966-01-18 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Method of forming carbon vapor barrier
US3235647A (en) * 1963-06-06 1966-02-15 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Electron bombardment heating with adjustable impact pattern
US3244855A (en) * 1963-07-19 1966-04-05 United States Steel Corp System for correcting the shift of an electron-gun beam from the desired region of impingement
US3271179A (en) * 1962-09-24 1966-09-06 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Method for the manufacture of an optical filter
US3276902A (en) * 1963-10-01 1966-10-04 Itt Method of vapor deposition employing an electron beam
US3281265A (en) * 1963-09-17 1966-10-25 United States Steel Corp Method and apparatus for controlling coating thickness by electron beam evaporation
US3303320A (en) * 1962-09-25 1967-02-07 Heraeus Gmbh W C Vapor-coating apparatus
US3308292A (en) * 1964-03-25 1967-03-07 Ardenne Manfred Von Apparatus for vaporization of polyatomic molecules by bombardement with a neutral particle beam
US3322930A (en) * 1961-05-12 1967-05-30 Welding Research Inc Protective shield for electron gun
US3329524A (en) * 1963-06-12 1967-07-04 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Centrifugal-type vapor source
US3330901A (en) * 1964-03-25 1967-07-11 Lokomotivbau Elektrotech Electron bombardment melting furnace
US3338744A (en) * 1963-05-23 1967-08-29 Nat Res Corp Process for vacuum depositing high purity superconductive niobium films without the use of high vacuum
US3347701A (en) * 1963-02-05 1967-10-17 Fujitsu Ltd Method and apparatus for vapor deposition employing an electron beam
US3394217A (en) * 1965-06-11 1968-07-23 Air Reduction Method and apparatus for controlling plural electron beams
US3394678A (en) * 1966-12-23 1968-07-30 Air Reduction Apparatus for vacuum coating
US3434863A (en) * 1965-02-03 1969-03-25 Stanford Research Inst Luminescent films containing rare earth oxides
US3556048A (en) * 1968-09-05 1971-01-19 Nasa Vacuum evaporator with electromagnetic ion steering
US3647524A (en) * 1969-07-18 1972-03-07 Dow Chemical Co Vapor phase metal plating process
US3660158A (en) * 1968-12-30 1972-05-02 Gen Electric Thin film nickel temperature sensor and method of forming
FR2124467A1 (en) * 1971-02-09 1972-09-22 Bekaert Sa Nv
DE1262101C2 (en) * 1962-12-15 1973-10-25 CRUCIBLE FOR EVAPORATION OF SUBSTANCES IN A VACUUM USING ELECTRON BEAMS, IN PARTICULAR FOR TAPE EVAPORATION
US3887784A (en) * 1971-12-27 1975-06-03 Commissariat Energie Atomique Welding guns
US3890721A (en) * 1972-12-26 1975-06-24 Canon Kk Developing liquid recovery device in a copying machine
US3949187A (en) * 1973-05-26 1976-04-06 Balzers Patent Und Beteiligungs Ag Electron-beam evaporation apparatus
US4051010A (en) * 1975-12-18 1977-09-27 Western Electric Company, Inc. Sputtering apparatus
US4062319A (en) * 1975-12-18 1977-12-13 Western Electric Co., Inc. Vacuum treating apparatus
FR2437265A1 (en) * 1978-09-28 1980-04-25 Arnoldy Roman F METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PLATE WITH HARDENED SURFACE
EP0041850A2 (en) * 1980-06-10 1981-12-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. A method of vacuum depositing a layer on a plastics film substrate
FR2494905A1 (en) * 1980-11-26 1982-05-28 Us Energy HIGH POWER LINEAR PULSE BEAM HARVESTING APPARATUS
US4532888A (en) * 1982-08-03 1985-08-06 Bakish Materials Corp. Electron-beam coating of very broad strips
US5064989A (en) * 1957-06-27 1991-11-12 Lemelson Jerome H Surface shaping and finishing apparatus and method
US6214408B1 (en) * 1997-10-16 2001-04-10 Balzers Und Leybold Deutschland Holding Ag Method for the operation of an electron beam
US20030177639A1 (en) * 2002-03-19 2003-09-25 Berg N. Edward Process and apparatus for manufacturing printed circuit boards
US20040108060A1 (en) * 2002-12-06 2004-06-10 Eastman Kodak Company System for producing patterned deposition from compressed fluids
DE102009057486A1 (en) * 2009-12-10 2011-06-16 Ferrotec Gmbh Electron beam deflection device, magnetic deflection unit for such a deflection device and device for vapor deposition of a planar substrate with such a deflection device
WO2013138049A1 (en) * 2012-03-12 2013-09-19 Synos Technology, Inc. Plasma reactor with conductive member in reaction chamber for shielding substrate from undesirable irradiation
US20220333231A1 (en) * 2021-04-15 2022-10-20 Applied Materials, Inc. Evaporation source cooling mechanism

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2146025A (en) * 1935-12-28 1939-02-07 Philips Nv Coating by cathode disintegration
US2239642A (en) * 1936-05-27 1941-04-22 Bernhard Berghaus Coating of articles by means of cathode disintegration
US2423729A (en) * 1939-02-22 1947-07-08 Ruhle Rudolf Vaporization of substances in a vacuum
US2727171A (en) * 1951-01-11 1955-12-13 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Ion trap for a cathode ray tube
GB754102A (en) * 1951-06-22 1956-08-01 Edwards & Co London Ltd W Improvements in or relating to a method and apparatus for vapourising materials, forexample, metal in vacuum
US2932588A (en) * 1955-07-06 1960-04-12 English Electric Valve Co Ltd Methods of manufacturing thin films of refractory dielectric materials

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2146025A (en) * 1935-12-28 1939-02-07 Philips Nv Coating by cathode disintegration
US2239642A (en) * 1936-05-27 1941-04-22 Bernhard Berghaus Coating of articles by means of cathode disintegration
US2423729A (en) * 1939-02-22 1947-07-08 Ruhle Rudolf Vaporization of substances in a vacuum
US2727171A (en) * 1951-01-11 1955-12-13 Hartford Nat Bank & Trust Co Ion trap for a cathode ray tube
GB754102A (en) * 1951-06-22 1956-08-01 Edwards & Co London Ltd W Improvements in or relating to a method and apparatus for vapourising materials, forexample, metal in vacuum
US2932588A (en) * 1955-07-06 1960-04-12 English Electric Valve Co Ltd Methods of manufacturing thin films of refractory dielectric materials

Cited By (52)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5064989A (en) * 1957-06-27 1991-11-12 Lemelson Jerome H Surface shaping and finishing apparatus and method
US3177535A (en) * 1960-06-21 1965-04-13 Stauffer Chemical Co Electron beam furnace with low beam source
US3117022A (en) * 1960-09-06 1964-01-07 Space Technhology Lab Inc Deposition arrangement
US3322930A (en) * 1961-05-12 1967-05-30 Welding Research Inc Protective shield for electron gun
US3132198A (en) * 1962-01-15 1964-05-05 Stauffer Chemical Co Electron beam furnace
US3230110A (en) * 1962-01-22 1966-01-18 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Method of forming carbon vapor barrier
US3227133A (en) * 1962-04-13 1966-01-04 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Multiple layer coating and cleaning
US3183563A (en) * 1962-06-05 1965-05-18 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Apparatus for continuous foil production by vapor deposition
US3271179A (en) * 1962-09-24 1966-09-06 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Method for the manufacture of an optical filter
US3303320A (en) * 1962-09-25 1967-02-07 Heraeus Gmbh W C Vapor-coating apparatus
DE1262101B (en) * 1962-12-15 1973-10-25
DE1262101C2 (en) * 1962-12-15 1973-10-25 CRUCIBLE FOR EVAPORATION OF SUBSTANCES IN A VACUUM USING ELECTRON BEAMS, IN PARTICULAR FOR TAPE EVAPORATION
US3347701A (en) * 1963-02-05 1967-10-17 Fujitsu Ltd Method and apparatus for vapor deposition employing an electron beam
US3202794A (en) * 1963-02-18 1965-08-24 Thermionics Lab Inc Permanent magnet transverse electron beam evaporation source
US3172649A (en) * 1963-04-01 1965-03-09 United States Steel Corp Crucible for vaporizing metal
US3338744A (en) * 1963-05-23 1967-08-29 Nat Res Corp Process for vacuum depositing high purity superconductive niobium films without the use of high vacuum
US3235647A (en) * 1963-06-06 1966-02-15 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Electron bombardment heating with adjustable impact pattern
US3329524A (en) * 1963-06-12 1967-07-04 Temescal Metallurgical Corp Centrifugal-type vapor source
US3244855A (en) * 1963-07-19 1966-04-05 United States Steel Corp System for correcting the shift of an electron-gun beam from the desired region of impingement
US3281265A (en) * 1963-09-17 1966-10-25 United States Steel Corp Method and apparatus for controlling coating thickness by electron beam evaporation
US3276902A (en) * 1963-10-01 1966-10-04 Itt Method of vapor deposition employing an electron beam
US3330901A (en) * 1964-03-25 1967-07-11 Lokomotivbau Elektrotech Electron bombardment melting furnace
US3308292A (en) * 1964-03-25 1967-03-07 Ardenne Manfred Von Apparatus for vaporization of polyatomic molecules by bombardement with a neutral particle beam
US3434863A (en) * 1965-02-03 1969-03-25 Stanford Research Inst Luminescent films containing rare earth oxides
US3394217A (en) * 1965-06-11 1968-07-23 Air Reduction Method and apparatus for controlling plural electron beams
US3394678A (en) * 1966-12-23 1968-07-30 Air Reduction Apparatus for vacuum coating
US3556048A (en) * 1968-09-05 1971-01-19 Nasa Vacuum evaporator with electromagnetic ion steering
US3660158A (en) * 1968-12-30 1972-05-02 Gen Electric Thin film nickel temperature sensor and method of forming
US3647524A (en) * 1969-07-18 1972-03-07 Dow Chemical Co Vapor phase metal plating process
FR2124467A1 (en) * 1971-02-09 1972-09-22 Bekaert Sa Nv
US3887784A (en) * 1971-12-27 1975-06-03 Commissariat Energie Atomique Welding guns
US3890721A (en) * 1972-12-26 1975-06-24 Canon Kk Developing liquid recovery device in a copying machine
US3949187A (en) * 1973-05-26 1976-04-06 Balzers Patent Und Beteiligungs Ag Electron-beam evaporation apparatus
US4051010A (en) * 1975-12-18 1977-09-27 Western Electric Company, Inc. Sputtering apparatus
US4062319A (en) * 1975-12-18 1977-12-13 Western Electric Co., Inc. Vacuum treating apparatus
FR2437265A1 (en) * 1978-09-28 1980-04-25 Arnoldy Roman F METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A PLATE WITH HARDENED SURFACE
US4237362A (en) * 1978-09-28 1980-12-02 Tapco International, Inc. Method of producing hardfaced plate
EP0041850A3 (en) * 1980-06-10 1982-06-09 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. A method of vacuum depositing a layer on a plastics film substrate
EP0041850A2 (en) * 1980-06-10 1981-12-16 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. A method of vacuum depositing a layer on a plastics film substrate
FR2494905A1 (en) * 1980-11-26 1982-05-28 Us Energy HIGH POWER LINEAR PULSE BEAM HARVESTING APPARATUS
US4532888A (en) * 1982-08-03 1985-08-06 Bakish Materials Corp. Electron-beam coating of very broad strips
US6214408B1 (en) * 1997-10-16 2001-04-10 Balzers Und Leybold Deutschland Holding Ag Method for the operation of an electron beam
US6436466B2 (en) 1997-10-16 2002-08-20 Unaxis Deutschland Holding Gmbh Method for the operation of an electron beam
US20050170291A1 (en) * 2002-03-19 2005-08-04 Berg N. E. Process and apparatus for manufacturing printed circuit boards
US20030177639A1 (en) * 2002-03-19 2003-09-25 Berg N. Edward Process and apparatus for manufacturing printed circuit boards
US20040108060A1 (en) * 2002-12-06 2004-06-10 Eastman Kodak Company System for producing patterned deposition from compressed fluids
DE102009057486A1 (en) * 2009-12-10 2011-06-16 Ferrotec Gmbh Electron beam deflection device, magnetic deflection unit for such a deflection device and device for vapor deposition of a planar substrate with such a deflection device
US9218936B2 (en) 2009-12-10 2015-12-22 Ferrotec Europe Gmbh Deflecting device for electron beams, magnetic deflecting unit for such a deflecting device, and device for vapor coating a planar substrate using such a deflecting device
WO2013138049A1 (en) * 2012-03-12 2013-09-19 Synos Technology, Inc. Plasma reactor with conductive member in reaction chamber for shielding substrate from undesirable irradiation
US9177788B2 (en) 2012-03-12 2015-11-03 Veeco Ald Inc. Plasma reactor with conductive member in reaction chamber for shielding substrate from undesirable irradiation
US9558963B2 (en) 2012-03-12 2017-01-31 Veeco Ald Inc. Plasma reactor with conductive member in reaction chamber for shielding substrate from undesirable irradiation
US20220333231A1 (en) * 2021-04-15 2022-10-20 Applied Materials, Inc. Evaporation source cooling mechanism

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3046936A (en) Improvement in vacuum coating apparatus comprising an ion trap for the electron gun thereof
US3562141A (en) Vacuum vapor deposition utilizing low voltage electron beam
JP2019525386A (en) X-ray source with ionization tool
JPH05171423A (en) Deflection electron gun device for vacuum deposition
US5466941A (en) Negative ion sputtering beam source
US3390249A (en) Vaporization monitoring apparatus
US5180477A (en) Thin film deposition apparatus
US3267015A (en) Systems and processes for coating by evaporation
EP0094473B1 (en) Apparatus and method for producing a stream of ions
JPS56139673A (en) Manufacture of lead coat
Probyn A low-energy ion source for the deposition of chromium
JPH0543784B2 (en)
JP4065725B2 (en) Piercing-type electron gun and vacuum deposition apparatus provided with the same
JP2000144392A (en) Thin film forming device and formation of thin film
JPS60262963A (en) Device for vapor-depositing compound thin film
JPH0214426B2 (en)
JP2755499B2 (en) Thin film forming equipment
JPH0735569B2 (en) Thin film forming equipment
JPH0467774B2 (en)
JPS62185875A (en) Apparatus for forming film in vapor phase
JP3788632B2 (en) Continuous ion plating equipment
JPS594045Y2 (en) Ionization device for thin film production
JP3088560B2 (en) Ion plating equipment
JPH05339720A (en) Device for formation of thin film
JPS63277754A (en) Thin film forming device