Method for Coating a Substrate and Metal Alloy Vacuum Deposition Facility

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for coating a substrate. A metal alloy layer including at least two metallic elements is continuously deposited on the substrate by a vacuum deposition facility. The facility includes a vapor jet coater for spraying the substrate with a vapor containing the metallic elements in a constant and predetermined relative content, the vapor being sprayed at a sonic velocity. The process may advantageously be used for depositing Zn—Mg coatings. The invention also provides a vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys, for implementing the process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys comprising at least two metallic elements on a running substrate, comprising:
 a vacuum deposition chamber;   means for running the substrate through the chamber;   a sonic vapor jet coater;   means for feeding the coater with a vapor, the vapor having the at least two metallic elements in a predetermined and constant ratio;   means for evaporating a metal alloy bath to the vapor, the metal alloy bath having the at least two metallic elements, the vapor being fed the coater; and   means for adjusting a composition of the metal alloy bath, so the composition of metal alloy bath is capable of remaining constant over a course of time.   
     
     
         21 . The facility as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the means for adjusting the composition of the metal alloy bath include means for feeding the evaporation means with a molten metal alloy of a controlled composition. 
     
     
         22 . The facility as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the evaporation means include an evaporation crucible provided with a heating means and the means for feeding the evaporation means with a molten metal alloy of controlled composition include a recharging furnace connected to a metal ingot feed means and is provided with a heating system, the recharging furnace being connected to a respective evaporation crucible. 
     
     
         23 . The facility as recited in  claim 22 , further including a recirculation pipe for continuously circulating the bath, the recirculation pipe connecting the evaporation crucible to the recharging furnace. 
     
     
         24 . The facility as recited in  claim 23 , wherein the evaporation crucible is placed in the vacuum chamber and the recharging furnace is placed outside the vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         25 . The facility as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the recharging furnace and the evaporation crucible are placed side by side and have a common wall pierced by at least one opening located beneath a level of the metal alloy bath and above a bottom of the furnace and of the crucible. 
     
     
         26 . The facility as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the evaporation crucible is placed in a confined chamber and the recharging furnace is placed outside the confined chamber. 
     
     
         27 . An ingot comprising:
 a zinc base and comprising 30 to 55% magnesium by weight;   the ingot being an ingot supplied to the vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 22 .   
     
     
         28 . The ingot as recited in  claim 27 , comprising 30 to 50% magnesium by weight. 
     
     
         29 . A vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing a coating on a running substrate, the coating including a metal alloy having at least two metallic elements, the vacuum deposition facility comprising:
 a vacuum deposition chamber;   a substrate running through the deposition chamber;   a metal alloy bath including the at least two metallic elements, a composition of the metal bath alloy capable of remaining constant over a course of time;   an evaporator for evaporating the metal alloy bath to a vapor, the vapor including a predetermined and constant ratio of the at least two metallic elements; and   a sonic vapor jet coater being fed with the vapor.   
     
     
         30 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 29 , wherein the evaporator is fed with a molten metal alloy having a controlled composition. 
     
     
         31 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the evaporator includes an evaporation crucible having a heater and further comprising a recharging furnace connected to the evaporation crucible, the recharging furnace connected to a metal ingot feeder and having a furnace heater, the recharging furnace feeding the molten metal alloy to the evaporation crucible. 
     
     
         32 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 31 , further including a recirculation pipe for continuously circulating the metal alloy bath, the recirculation pipe connecting the evaporation crucible to the recharging furnace. 
     
     
         33 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 32 , wherein the evaporation crucible is placed in the vacuum deposition chamber and the recharging furnace is placed outside the vacuum deposition chamber. 
     
     
         34 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 31 , wherein the recharging furnace and the evaporation crucible are placed side by side and have a common wall, the common wall including at least one opening located beneath a level of the metal alloy bath and above a bottom of the furnace and of the crucible. 
     
     
         35 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 34 , wherein the evaporation crucible is placed in a confined chamber and the recharging furnace is placed outside of the confined chamber. 
     
     
         36 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 29 , further comprising a rotary support roller supplying the substrate to the vacuum deposition chamber. 
     
     
         37 . An ingot comprising:
 a zinc base and being 30 to 55% magnesium by weight;   the ingots being supplied to the vacuum deposition facility recited in  claim 29 .   
     
     
         38 . The ingot as recited in  claim 37 , wherein the ingot is 30 to 50% magnesium by weight.