Method for a doublesided coating of optical substrates

• US 5,211,759 A
• Filed: 02/26/1992
• Issued: 05/18/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Original Assignee: Balzers Aktiengesellschaft (OC Oerlikon Corporation AG)
• Inventors: Zucchi, Mauro, Zimmermann, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): BUEKER, RICHARD R
• Application Number:
  US07/841,721
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723, 118/730
• US Class Current: 118/723.00R
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/001 General methods for coating; Devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3417 all coatings being oxide coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3452 comprising a fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/347 comprising a sulfide or oxysulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3476 comprising a selenide or telluride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/365 Coating different sides of a glass substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/20 on organic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/505 for rotation of the substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/503 using dc or ac discharges

Abstract

To reach a better production sequence and an increased quality for plasma polymerization coatings and evaporation coatings on both sides of optical lenses, it is suggested to proceed with the deposition of the layers within an especially suitable apparatus configuration where the plasma polymerization coating is deposited simultaneously on both sides of the lenses.

Claims

1. An arrangement for coating at least one substrate, comprising:

a vacuum chamber having an inlet for gas and an outlet from which a vacuum can be drawn;

gas supply means connected to the gas inlet for supplying selected gases to the vacuum chamber;

vacuum means connected to the vacuum inlet for drawing the vacuum in the vacuum chamber;

an electrically conductive substrate holder mounted for rotation around an axis in the vacuum chamber and having opposite sides;

at least one glow electrode in the vacuum chamber at a location with respect to the axis for facing both sides of the substrate holder for at least partly covering both sides of the substrate holder; and

at least one thermal evaporation source in the vacuum chamber for supplying a thermally evaporated material for deposit on a substrate held by the substrate holder.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, including a monomer in the gas means for discharge into the vacuum chamber, and a power supply connected to the glow electrode for producing a plasma polymerized layer from the monomer which is deposited on both sides of a substrate held by the substrate holder.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the glow electrode covers not more than approximately one-half of the area on both sides of the substrate holder.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, including an electrical supply line extending into the vacuum chamber and connected to the glow electrode, and dark space shields around the supply line and on the side of the electrode turned away from the substrate for shielding the supply line and electrode with respect to the vacuum chamber.