Method and device for homogeneously coating 3d substrates

Abstract

A method and a device are provided for homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates in a vacuum chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein individual substrates, with a curved substrate surface directed toward the sputtering source, are able to be moved past said source in a translational manner. The sputtering source is fastened to a chamber wall within a vacuum chamber so as to have two degrees of freedom such that the sputtering source is able to be set both in terms of its spacing to a surface to be coated of a substrate, which is moved past in front of said sputtering source in a translational manner, and with respect to the surface normal of the surface to be coated proceeding from a fixed point such that the surface normal deviation is 0° at all times.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates in a vacuum chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein the 3D substrates, with a curved substrate surface to be coated directed toward the sputtering source, are individually able to be moved past said source in a translational manner, wherein
 the spacing between the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate and an adaptable sputtering source and the inclination angle of the adaptable sputtering source to the 3D substrate are adapted steplessly during the linear passage of individual 3D substrates through the vacuum chamber along a process curve such that   the spacing between the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate to the adaptable sputtering source remains constant, and   such that the surface normal of the adaptable sputtering source corresponds at all times to the current surface normal of the surface to be coated of the 3D substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inclination angle of the adaptable sputtering source is able to be set in a predefined angle range. 
     
     
         3 . A device for homogeneously coating surfaces of 3D substrates in a vacuum chamber which has a sputtering source, such as a planar source or a tube or double-tube source, wherein the 3D substrates, with a curved substrate surface to be coated directed toward the sputtering source, are individually able to be moved past said source in a translational manner, wherein the sputtering source is fastened to a chamber wall within a vacuum chamber so as to have two degrees of freedom such that the sputtering source is able to be set both in terms of its spacing to a surface to be coated of a 3D substrate, which is moved past in front of said sputtering source in a translational manner, and with respect to the current surface normal of the surface to be coated of the substrate proceeding from a fixed point such that the deviation of the current surface normal from the surface normal of the sputtering source is 0° at all times. 
     
     
         4 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the sputtering source is fitted on an end block and is connected by the free end to a counter-bearing which, via a counter-bearing receptacle, is supported on the end block, the latter being connected via a tube connection to one end of a doubly angled pivoting tube, the other end of which is coupled to a pivoting-tube drive. 
     
     
         5 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the axis of symmetry of the pivoting-tube drive at the same time forms a virtual axis of rotation (D) about which the pivoting tube is able to be pivoted, wherein the axis of rotation (D) at the same time extends longitudinally through the sputtering source. 
     
     
         6 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the pivoting-tube drive is coupled via a vacuum rotary lead-through, in the form of a hollow shaft, to a pivoting-motor/gearing unit which is arranged at the front free end of a displacement tube. 
     
     
         7 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the pivoting-motor/gearing unit is situated in an atmospheric box. 
     
     
         8 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the displacement tube is fastened to the inner side of the chamber wall by way of a connection tube as a fixed point. 
     
     
         9 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the displacement tube and the connection tube are sealed off from the chamber atmosphere with the aid of a vacuum bellows. 
     
     
         10 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the displacement tube is guided, together with the pivoting-tube drive situated at the free end of said tube, on a displacement bearing arrangement and is coupled to a linear drive. 
     
     
         11 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the linear drive, in the form of a pneumatic or electric drive, is coupled to the displacement tube via a displacement drive rod. 
     
     
         12 . The adaptable sputtering source as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the sputtering source is a planar source or a tube or double-tube source.