Importance

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Abstract

This invention relates to magnetically enhanced cathodic plasma deposition and cathodic plasma discharges where the charged particles can be guided in a rarefied vacuum system. Specifically, a cluster or combination of cathodic plasma sources is described where a least two plasma source units are arranged in a rarefied gas vacuum system in such way that the resulting magnetic field interaction offers a guided channelling escape path of electrons in essentially perpendicular direction to the main bulk of neutral particles and droplets generated in the cathodic plasma source. In addition the cathodic plasma source arrangement of the present invention would generate a zone of very low magnetic field where the electrons are trapped via electric and magnetic fields. Ions generated by the plasma cluster would follow electrons via escape paths determined by electric and magnetic fields. The direction for the ions is fundamentally different from those of the neutral particles offering in this manner a charged particles filtering method. The invention could take form in different embodiments and different arrangements of these plasma clusters, interacting by magnetic interactions in such a way that the plasma would cross areas for the desired plasma treatment and/or coating of suitable substrates.

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First Claim