線形プラズマ−光学システム

摘要

The invention relates to a technique for forming flows of vacuum arc cathode erosion plasma to produce high quality coatings. The plasma flows are transported in a plasma-optical system from an arc evaporator to the outlet of a plasma source under the effect of a transporting magnetic field generated using electromagnetic coils. The transporting magnetic field is generated by the superposition of a constant magnetic field and additional magnetic fields of variable strength which deflect the plasma flows from the surfaces of the structural elements of the plasma source. The strength of the corresponding additional magnetic field increases as the plasma flow approaches the surface of a structural element of the plasma source and decreases as the plasma flow moves away from the surface of that element. In the device for implementing the above method, a vacuum arc power supply (15) is connected to an anode (2) via the winding of an electromagnetic coil (16) which surrounds said anode. In a linear embodiment of the plasma-optical system, an electrically conductive section of a tube (11) inside the anode (2) is electrically connected to one end of the winding of an electromagnetic deflection coil (12). The other end of this winding is connected to the positive terminal of the vacuum arc power supply (15). Using the above method and device significantly reduces loss of macroparticle-free plasma.