DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THIN FILM DEPOSITION USING A VACUUM ARC IN AN ENCLOSED CATHODE-ANODE ASSEMBLY

摘要

A vacuum-arc device including: a consumable cathode (230) including a first material having a defined active surface, a refractory anode (220) including a second material, an inter-electrode volume (260), bounded partially by at least a portion of an inner wall (280) of the cathode (230) and by at least a portion of an inner wall (280) of the anode (221 ), wherein at least a portion of the inner walls (221 ) form a first chamber surrounding the inter-electrode volume (260), the chamber having at least one opening (270) fluidly communicating between the inter-electrode volume (260) and a volume outside the chamber; a vacuum chamber, disposed around and communicating with the first chamber; an evacuation mechanism for evacuating the vacuum chamber; wherein the cathode (230) is adapted, and the cathode (230) and the anode (221 ) are disposed, such that upon evacuating the vacuum chamber using the evacuation mechanism, ignition of an arc discharge between the cathode (230) and the anode (221 ), and activation of a high-current power supply, a portion of the first material is liberated from the cathode (230), transported through the inter- electrode volume (260), and discharged from the first chamber through the opening (270), wherein: a total opening area of the at least one opening, Aopenings. is defined by a sum of a minimum cross-sectional area for each the opening (270), the cross-sectional area being normal to a path of the opening (270) between the inter-electrode volume (260) and the volume outside the chamber; a surface area of the anode (221 ), Aanode. is defined by a geometrical surface area of the portion of the anode (221 ) that bounds the inter-electrode volume (260); and wherein a ratio of the surface area of the anode (221 ) to the total opening area (270), Aanode /Aopenings is at least 10.