Modifiable magnet configuration for arc vaporization sources
The present invention relates to an arc vaporization source for generating hard surface coatings on tools. The invention comprises an arc-vaporization source, comprising at least one electric solenoid and a permanent magnet arrangement that is displaceable relative to the target surface. The vaporization source can be adjusted to the different requirements of oxide, nitride, or metal coatings. The rate drop during the lifespan of a target to be vaporized can be held constant or adjusted by suitably adjusting the distance of the permanent magnets to the front side of the target. A compromise between the coating roughness and rate can be set.
1. ARC vaporization source with a magnetic field arrangement provided on a target comprising coating material for generating magnetic fields on and above a surface of the target, wherein the magnetic field arrangement comprises:
marginal permanent magnets,
a central permanent magnet, and
at least one ring coil placed behind the target, whose inner diameter defined by windings has a diameter that is less than or equal to a diameter of the target, characterized in that the marginal permanent magnets and the central permanent magnet are displaceable away from the target perpendicularly to the surface of the target and a projection of the marginal permanent magnets onto the target surface is further away from a middle of the target surface than a projection of the ring coil onto the target surface, and the central permanent magnet is displaceable away from the target perpendicularly to the surface of the target independently of the marginal permanent magnets, wherein the marginal and central permanent magnets are adjustable to:
(a) a first setting at which the ARC vaporization source is configured to perform an ARC vaporization coating process, wherein the marginal and central permanent magnets take up a first position in which their poles are closest to the coating material, and in this first position the end of the pole of the marginal permanent magnet that is closest to the coating material, and the end of the pole of the central permanent magnet that is closest to the coating material, and the end of the ring coil that is closest to the coating material, lie in one plane, said first setting generating a magnetic field of 60-100 Gauss;
(b) a second setting at which the ARC vaporization source is configured to perform an ARC vaporization coating process, wherein the marginal and central permanent magnets take up a second position at a distance between 5 mm and 50 mm further from the target surface than the first position, wherein in this second position the end of the pole of the marginal permanent magnet which is closest to the coating material and the end of the pole of the central permanent magnet which is closest to the coating material are further far away from the target surface than the end of the ring coil which is closest to the coating material, said second setting generating a magnetic field of 10-40 Gauss; and
(c) a third setting at which the ARC vaporization source is configured to perform an ARC vaporization coating process, wherein the marginal and central permanent magnets are separated from the ring coil, said third setting generating a magnetic field of 5-15 Gauss.
2. ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 , characterized in that polarization of the marginal permanent magnets is the same for all.
3. ARC vaporization source according to claim 2 , characterized in that, inside the ring coil, a central permanent magnet is provided with an opposite polarization to the polarization of the marginal permanent magnets.
4. ARC vaporization source according to claim 2 , characterized in that the central permanent magnet is permanently connected over a connection leading through a magnetic flux with the marginal permanent magnets.
5. ARC vaporization installation with the ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 .
6. ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 , characterized in that the magnetic field arrangement is configured is such a manner that at the second setting of the magnetic field arrangement the position of the marginal and central permanent magnets are adjusted in such a manner that the pole of the marginal permanent magnet and the pole of the central permanent magnet are placed in one plane between the end of the ring coil which is closest to the coating material and the end of the end of the ring coil which is most far away from the coating material.
7. ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 , characterized in that the magnetic field arrangement is configured is such a manner that at the second setting of the magnetic field arrangement the position of the marginal and central permanent magnets are adjusted in such a manner that the pole of the marginal permanent magnet and the pole of the central permanent magnet are placed in one plane more far away from the coating material than the end of the ring coil which is most far away from the coating material.
8. ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 , characterized in that the ring coil is a permanently arranged coil.
9. ARC vaporization source according to claim 1 , characterized in that the magnetic field arrangement is configured in such a manner that the central permanent magnet is removed far away from the target regardless of the marginal permanent magnet.
10. ARC vaporization source according to claim 9 , characterized in that the magnetic field arrangement is configured is such a manner that at the third setting of the magnetic field arrangement the end of the pole of the central permanent magnet which is closest to the coating material is placed in one plane more far away from the coating material than the pole of the marginal permanent magnet which is closest to the coating material.
11. Method for coating substrates in an ARC vaporization installation with an ARC vaporization source according to claim 5 , wherein during coating process the magnetic field arrangement is adjusted in such a way that the strength of the generated magnetic field is adjusted by adjusting the position of the central and marginal permanent magnets.
12. Method according to claim 11 , wherein during coating process the central and marginal permanent magnets are adjusted in the first position at a distance from the coating material which leads to a generation of the magnetic field of 60-100 Gauss.
13. Method according to claim 11 , wherein during coating process the central and marginal permanent magnets are adjusted in the second position at a distance from the coating material which leads to a generation of the magnetic field of 10-40 Gauss.
14. Method according to claim 11 , wherein during coating process the central and marginal permanent magnets are adjusted in the second position at a distance from the coating material which leads to a generation of the magnetic field of 5-15 Gauss and the coil current is switched off.