Process and device for the vacuum plasma arc deposition of decorative and wear-resistant coatings

摘要

A process and a device for vapour deposition utilise the technology of cathodic plasma arc deposition in order to deposit hard coatings on cosmetic components or commodity articles (substrates) at down to very low temperatures (the temperature range from approximately 50 to approximately 500@C). The films consist of nitrides, carbides and carbonitrides of titanium, zirconium, titanium-zirconium, titanium-aluminium and of doped systems of the abovementioned systems. The metal is vaporised, using a cathodic arc source, in a vacuum chamber filled if appropriate with low-pressure protective gas or doping gas and forms a hard coating on the surface of the substrate, pulse wise operation being possible for the source. This deposition process improves the colour reproducibility and the wear resistance at down to very low substrate temperatures (greater than or equal to approximately 50@C). The adhesion of the coatings can be improved further by appropriate pre-tension of the substrate. The film compositions, and therefore the colours, can be appropriately adjusted in order to make the use of gold superfluous for decorative applications. IMAGE