Cathodic arc plasma deposition of hard coatings

摘要

Metal is evaporated using a pulsed cathodic arc source in a vacuum chamber optionally filled with a low pressure gas ambient or dopant gas to form the hard coating on the surface of the substrate. This deposition process improves the reproducibility of color and wear resistance down to very low substrate temperature (greater than or equal to about 50 DEG C.). The films may be deposited on cosmetic or functional substrates and may consist of nitrides, carbides, and carbonitrides, of at least one of titanium, zirconium, titanium-zirconium, titanium-aluminium based on systems and doped systems of the foregoing systems. Adhesion of the coatings may be further enhanced by appropriate biasing of the substrate. The film compositions, hence color, can be suitable adjusted to eliminate the use of gold for decorative applications.