PLASMA-ASSISTED VACUUM-COATING PROCESSES

For the properties of thin films produced in a vacuum the most important variable is the mobility of the particles in the course of condensation, which is dependent on the melting point of the coating material, the substrate temperature and the energy of the particles as they strike the substrate. Because of the generally higher particle energies in plasma-assisted processes, under comparable coating conditions lower substrate temperatures suffice than in the case of conventional evaporative coating. Especially with coating materials having higher melting points, compact films can be produced only if the particle energies are sufficiently high.