US 11,926,890 B2
Cathode arc source
Xu Shi, Singapore (SG); Ming Chu Yang, Singapore (SG); and Kok How Tan, Singapore (SG)
Assigned to NANOFILM TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, Singapore (SG)
Appl. No. 17/437,646
Filed by Nanofilm Technologies International Limited, Singapore (SG)
PCT Filed Mar. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/056860
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 9, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/187743, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19163312 (EP), filed on Mar. 15, 2019; and application No. 1907666 (GB), filed on May 30, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0145444 A1, May 12, 2022
Int. Cl. C23C 14/14 (2006.01); C23C 14/06 (2006.01); C23C 14/32 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 14/325 (2013.01) [C23C 14/0605 (2013.01); C23C 14/14 (2013.01); H01J 37/32055 (2013.01); H01J 2237/332 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cathode arc source comprising:
a station for a cathode target;
a first magnetic field source located between the target station and the position where a substrate is to be located;
a second magnetic field source located below the target station; and
a third magnetic field source located between the first and second magnetic field sources and having an opposite polarity to the first magnetic field source;
characterised in that the resultant magnetic field from the first, second and third magnetic field sources has zero field strength in a direction substantially normal to the target station at a position of up to 10 cm above the target, and wherein the second magnetic field source has an opposite polarity to the first magnetic field source.