Vacuum coating of substrates - on conveyor passing vacuum chambers with glow discharge polymerisation and metal vapour deposition

摘要

Substrates receive alternately layers of glow-discharge polymer and of metal by passing them from one vacuum chamber with a glow discharge section to a second vacuum chamber with a metal evaporator via a vacuum lock. They are transported on an endless chain which runs over two sprockets and has in each straight strand a glow discharge section. The endless chain has carrier links with sealing blocks between them. This eliminates any possible contact of the substrates with air between the operational stages. Large and rigid substrates can be coated without excessive space requirements. The vacuum lock seals are more simple to produce than for plants with a revolving drum.