Apparatus for steering the arc in a cathodic arc coater

摘要

An apparatus for applying material by cathodic arc vapor deposition to a substrate is provided which includes a vessel, apparatus for maintaining a vacuum in the vessel, a disk-shaped cathode, apparatus for selectively sustaining an arc of electrical energy between the cathode and an anode, and apparatus for steering the arc around the cathode. The arc of electrical energy extending between the cathode and the anode liberates a portion of the cathode which is subsequently deposited on the substrate located inside the vessel.