JP2559123Y2 - Vacuum arc deposition equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus used for coating a wear-resistant film such as TiN on the surface of a tool steel, and more particularly, to a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus provided outside a disk-shaped cathode. In a vacuum arc evaporation system provided with a surrounding cylindrical shield, when replacing the cathode,
A vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus that enables the shield to be easily mounted concentrically on the cathode so that the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus (also called a vacuum arc ion plating apparatus).
Generates an arc discharge between an anode and a cathode made of a film-forming material in a vacuum chamber, and evaporates and ionizes the film-forming material from the evaporation surface of the cathode by the arc discharge.
The ionized cathode material is deposited on the surface of the deposition target to which a negative bias voltage is applied.
In this case, the arc discharge forms a cathode spot that moves randomly with intense evaporation and ionization of the cathode material made of the film-forming material on the evaporation surface of the cathode. ) Is provided outside the cathode with a cylindrical shield surrounding it.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a main part of a conventional vacuum arc evaporation apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 71 denotes a base of a vacuum chamber (not shown). On the base 71 of the vacuum chamber, a columnar conducting conductor 72 having a center axis L is provided so as to protrude into the vacuum chamber. ing. The conducting conductor 72 is electrically insulated from the base 71 of the vacuum chamber by a ceramic insulator 73. A cathode 74 is attached to the current-carrying conductor 72, and a disc-shaped energizing cathode support 75 is fixed for energizing the cathode 74.A disc-shaped cathode 74 is mounted on the cathode support 75. It is supposed to be. The cathode 74 is made of a metal material for forming a film, and the upper surface in the figure becomes an evaporation surface.
The conducting conductor 72, the cathode support 75, and the cathode 74 are provided coaxially with the central axis L as shown in the figure. The inside of the cathode support base 75 is water-cooled, and is also called a cooling floor.

Outside the cathode 74, a cylindrical shield 76 made of a magnetic material is disposed so as to be concentric with the cathode 74 and surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the cathode with a gap G of about 0.5 mm. I have. As a member for fixing the shield 76, a fixing bolt 77 is passed through a bolt through hole of an annular insulating member 78 having a circular donut shape and screwed into a female screw engraved on a base 71 of the vacuum chamber to thereby form a vacuum chamber. An annular insulating member 78 that is concentric with the cathode 74 is attached to the base 71. A plurality of fixing bolts 77 are attached along the circumferential direction of the annular insulating member 78. And shield
76 is attached to the annular insulating member 78 by passing a fixing bolt 79 through a bolt through hole in a flange portion of the shield 76 and screwing into a female screw engraved on the annular insulating member 78.
A plurality of the fixing bolts 79 are attached along the circumferential direction of the flange of the shield 76. In addition, above the cathode 74,
An anode (not shown) and an object to be deposited are provided.

[0005]

In the conventional vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus described above, after replacing the cathode 74, when the shield 76 is attached to the annular insulating member 78 using the fixing bolt 79, the outer periphery of the cathode and the inner periphery of the shield are removed. If the gap G between the surfaces is to be set to a small gap of about 0.5 mm, there is play in the bolt through-hole of the flange of the shield 76, and the like.
Is simply screwed into the female thread of the annular insulating member 78,
The shield 76 cannot be installed concentrically with respect to. Therefore, the plurality of fixing bolts 79 are sequentially tightened while measuring using a gap gauge so that the gap G between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction. For this reason, when replacing the cathode that is frequently performed according to the type of the object to be deposited and the cathode consumption, it takes time to attach the shield concentrically to the cathode, and the operation of the vacuum arc deposition apparatus There was a problem that the rate decreased.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. In a vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus provided with a cylindrical shield surrounding the outside of the cathode, when the cathode is replaced, The shield can be easily mounted concentrically on the cathode so that the gap dimension between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus which can be enhanced.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides the above-described object.
In order to achieve the following, it is configured as follows .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a cathode (4) having a disc-like shape and having one surface serving as an evaporation surface (41 ) and a cylindrical (4) surrounding the cathode (4) are spaced apart from the outside. In a vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus provided with a shield (6) in a vacuum chamber, the shield (6) is on the opposite side of the cathode evaporation surface (41).
Located in the end face, are formed annular step having peripheral stepped surface forming a large diameter a and concentric therewith than the shield circumference surface (6b) (6a) is in said cathode (4), the evaporated Hatsumen On the other side of (41) ,
A mounting flange portion (42) having an annular step portion (42a) having a peripheral step surface (42b) having a diameter corresponding to the peripheral step surface (6b) of the shield (6) is formed, and a circular donut shape is formed. None, cathode
(4) has a peripheral surface that can make surface contact with the peripheral step surface (42b), and is fitted to the annular step portion (42a) of the cathode (4) from the cathode evaporation surface (41) side and the cathode (4 said mounting flange portion of the) (42) comprises an annular insulating member (7) being arranged on the shield (6)
, The peripheral step surface (6b) is a support to the annular insulating member is positioned (7) so as to surface contact with the peripheral surface of the annular insulating member (7), the annular insulating of the shield (6) Member (7)
And is attached to the mounting flange portion (42) of the cathode (4) through a hole.

[0009] the invention of claim 2 is a circle-shaped one surface evaporation surface (141) and cathodic (14), the cathode (14)
A cathode support base (5) for mounting electricity and a shield that forms a cylindrical shape and surrounds the cathode (14) from the outside at a distance
(16) in a vacuum chamber, wherein the shield (16) comprises a cylindrical shield body (161) and the cathode in the shield body (161).
At the end face opposite to the evaporation surface (141),
(161) a plurality of cylindrical insulators (162) attached along the circumferential direction in a state of being in contact with a virtual concentric circle having a diameter larger than the inner circumferential circle and concentric with the inner circumferential circle, and the cathode (14) Is
A flange portion (142) is formed on the opposite side of the evaporation surface (141) to form an annular shape and is located on the opposite side of the cathode evaporation surface (141).
On the other hand, while having an annular concave portion (20c) corresponding to the flange portion (142) of the cathode (14) , the surface on the cathode evaporation surface (141) side, a peripheral step surface (20b) corresponding to the virtual concentric circle With annular step (2
Has 0a), the cathode (14) is fitted to be Hamada' from the evaporated Hatsumen (141) side to regulate the axial and radial movement of the cathode (14), said cathode (14) an annular retainer (20) attached to the cathode support base (5), said shield (16), the seal
The cylindrical insulator (162) of the annular retainer (2).
0) wherein is positioned to contact with the peripheral step surface (20b) and the supported on said annular retainer (20), the annular retainer (2
0) .

[0010]

[Action] In the vacuum arc deposition apparatus according to the invention of structure claims 1 as described above, during installation of the cathode (4) is fitted with a cathode (4) to the cathode support base, the cathode
(4) mounting flange portion (42) an annular step portion formed on the (42
peripheral step surface of a) a (cyclo insulating member having a peripheral surface capable of surface contact to 42b) (7), by fitting the cathode evaporation surface (41) side to the annular step of the cathode (4) (42a) , Placed on the mounting flange (42) of the cathode (4) . Then, the shield (6) is loosely fitted to the outside of the negative electrode (4) , so that the peripheral step surface (6b) of the shield annular step (6a ) is formed on the annular insulating member (7) . It is positioned so as to be in surface contact with the peripheral surface, and is supported by the annular insulating member (7) . In this state, the shield (6) is
Attach it to the mounting flange (42) of the cathode (4) via (7) . Thereby, the shield (6) is mounted concentrically with respect to the cathode (4) , and a state in which the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction is obtained.

In the vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the cathode (14) is attached, an annular retainer (20) is fitted around the cathode (14) and the cathode (14) is fitted. <br/> attached to the cathode support base (5) by the pole (14) of said annular retainer (20). The shield (16) is a cylindrical shield body
(161) and the cathode steam in the shield body (161).
The shield body (1 ) is attached to the end face opposite to the
61) . It is composed of a plurality of cylindrical insulators (162) attached along the circumferential direction so as to be in contact with an imaginary concentric circle having a larger diameter and concentric with the inner circumferential circle of 61) . And
The shield (16) is attached to the annular support (2 ) on the cathode support (5).
(0) , the cylindrical insulator (162) is loosely fitted to the outside of the cathode (14) attached by the annular retainer (2 ).
0) is positioned so as to come into contact with the peripheral step surface (20b) , and is supported by the annular retainer (20) . In this state, the shield (16) is attached to the annular retainer (20) . This allows the cathode (14)
The shield (16) is mounted concentrically with respect to the, so that the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield, which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
3 is a perspective view of the annular insulating member shown in FIG. 2.

1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a base of a vacuum chamber (not shown). A base 1 of the vacuum chamber has a columnar conductive conductor 2 having a central axis L.
Is provided inside the vacuum chamber with its distal end projecting therefrom. The conducting conductor 2 is electrically insulated from the base 1 of the vacuum chamber by the ceramic insulator 3. On the current-carrying conductor 2, a disk-shaped cathode support base 5 for electric current is fixed coaxially with the central axis L. A cathode 4, which will be described later, made of a film-forming material is mounted on the cathode support base 5 coaxially with the central axis L, and the cathode 4 whose upper surface in the drawing is a cathode evaporation surface 41 is separated from the outside by a gap G. A shield 6 which will be described later and has a short cylindrical shape having an inner diameter D that surrounds it is attached.

The shield 6 made of a magnetic material is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, a peripheral step surface which is disposed on an annular insulating member 7 described later and has a predetermined size larger than the inner peripheral diameter D and concentric with the inner peripheral surface is provided on an end surface on the anti-cathode evaporation surface side. An annular stepped portion 6a having 6b and protruding toward the anti-cathode evaporation surface side is formed. The shield 6 is provided with a shield fixing screw counterbore 6A on which an insulating sleeve 6d is disposed at four positions equally distributed on the circumference thereof, and has a circular donut shape on the surface on the cathode evaporation surface side. A thin upper surface protective cover 6c made of a material is attached by screws (not shown). The shield 6 has a width of about 20 mm and a thickness of about 10 mm, for example.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cathode 4 is disposed on the cathode support base 5 and has a diameter d on the side of the cathode evaporation surface 41, and is provided with the shield 6 on the anti-cathode evaporation surface side. A peripheral surface having a diameter and a shape corresponding to the peripheral surface 6b of the annular step 6a
A mounting flange portion 42 having an annular step portion 42a having a protrusion 42b and protruding toward the cathode evaporation surface side is formed.
A female screw into which four shield fixing screws 8A for fixing the shield 6 are screwed is attached to the mounting flange 42 of the cathode 4, and the cathode 4 is fixed to the cathode support base 5. Screw fixing holes 8B through which four cathode fixing screws 8B are inserted.

Reference numeral 7 denotes an annular insulating member having a circular donut shape. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the annular insulating member 7 has an inner peripheral surface that can make surface contact with the peripheral step surface 42b of the annular step portion 42a of the cathode 4, and the annular insulating member 7 Step 42a
And is arranged on the mounting flange portion 42 of the cathode 4. As shown in the drawing, the annular insulating member 7 has a screw through hole 7A through which the shield fixing screw 8A is inserted.
Are provided, and a cathode fixing screw receiving hole 7B is provided.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a cylindrical protective cover, which is an annular insulating member for the protective cover fixed to the base 1 of the vacuum chamber.
Attached to 10. The protective cover 9 includes a mounting flange portion for the shield 6, the annular insulating member 7, and the cathode 4.
This is for covering the outer peripheral surface of the cathode support base 42 and the cathode support 5 to prevent a decrease in insulation between the cathode 4 and the shield 6 due to adhesion of a conductive vapor deposition material (for example, TiN) floating in the vacuum chamber. An anode (not shown) and an object to be deposited are arranged in front of the evaporation surface of the cathode 4.

[0018] In the vacuum arc evaporation apparatus having the above structure,
The procedure for attaching a new cathode due to exhaustion of the evaporation surface will be described below. First, the cathode 4 is screwed to the cathode support 5 by passing the cathode fixing screw 8B through a screw through hole of the mounting flange portion 42 of the cathode 4 and screwing it into a female screw engraved on the cathode support 5. Next, the annular insulating member 7
Is externally fitted to the annular step portion 42a of the cathode 4 from the cathode evaporation surface side,
It is arranged on the mounting flange portion 42 of the cathode 4. Then, the shield 6 from which the upper surface protective cover 6c has been removed is fitted to the outside of the cathode 4 from the cathode evaporation surface side, and the annular step 6a of the shield 6 is formed.
Is positioned on the annular insulating member 7 in a state where the peripheral step surface 6b is aligned with the inner peripheral surface of the annular insulating member 7 so as to be in surface contact. After that, the shield fixing screw 8A is attached to the annular insulating member 7.
The shield 6 is screwed to the mounting flange 42 of the cathode 4 via the annular insulating member 7 by passing through the screw through hole 7A and screwing into a female screw engraved on the mounting flange 42. Then, the upper surface protection cover 6c is attached. In this way, the shield 6 can be easily attached to the cathode 4 with the shield 6 concentrically aligned, and the gap G between the cathode 4 and the shield 6 is set to a small gap of about 0.5 mm. Also, a state in which the gap G is uniform in the circumferential direction can be easily obtained.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield, which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 C
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line C of FIG. 4 to 6,
The same components as those of the embodiment device described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

4 to 6, reference numeral 16 denotes a shield. The shield 16 has a shield body 161 having a short cylindrical shape, and a cylinder attached to the end face of the shield body 161 on the anti-cathode evaporation surface side. Composed of an insulator 162,
It is arranged on an annular retainer 20 described later. The cylindrical insulator 162 is attached to the shield main body 161 in a state where the top on the inner side is located in a virtual concentric circle KC having a predetermined diameter larger than the inner peripheral diameter D of the shield main body 161 and concentric with the inner peripheral circle. I have. In this embodiment, the cylindrical insulator 16 is fixed to each of the three positions at which the circumference is equally distributed by fixing screws 18C.
2 is screwed. Also, the shield body 161 has
Insulation sleeves 161d
Are provided, and a top protection cover 161c is attached to the surface on the cathode evaporation surface side by screws (not shown).

Reference numeral 14 denotes a cathode disposed on the cathode support 5. The cathode 14 has a flange 142 formed on the opposite side of the cathode evaporation surface 141 from the cathode evaporation surface 141. 20
Is an annular retainer having an annular shape. This annular retainer 20
Has an annular concave portion 20c corresponding to the flange portion 142 of the cathode 14, on the surface on the anti-cathode evaporation surface side, as shown in FIGS.
On the surface on the cathode evaporation side, the cylindrical insulator 16 of the shield 16 is provided.
2 has an annular stepped portion 20a having a peripheral stepped surface 20b corresponding to the virtual concentric circle KC and protruding toward the cathode evaporation surface.
The annular retainer 20 is fitted over the cathode 14 from the cathode evaporation surface side with its inner peripheral surface being in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the cathode.
For restricting the axial and radial movement of the. The annular retainer 20 is provided with a female screw into which three shield fixing screws 18A for fixing the shield 16 are screwed, and a female screw for pressing and fixing the cathode 14 against the cathode support base 5. Screw through holes into which the cathode fixing screws 18B are inserted are provided.

[0022] In the vacuum arc evaporation apparatus having the above structure,
The procedure for attaching a new cathode due to exhaustion of the evaporation surface will be described below. First, the annular retainer is attached to the cathode 14.
The cathode 14 is threaded through the annular retainer 20 through the annular retainer 20 by fitting the cathode fixing screw 18B through the screw through hole of the annular retainer 20 and screwing it into the female screw engraved on the cathode support 5. Fixed to. Next, the shield 16 from which the upper surface protective cover 161c has been removed is fitted on the outside of the cathode 14 from the cathode evaporation surface side, and the cylindrical insulator 162 contacts the peripheral step surface 20b of the annular step portion 20a of the annular retainer 20. Is positioned on the annular retainer 20 in such a state as to be aligned. In this state, the shield 16 is screwed to the annular retainer 20 by screwing the shield fixing screw 18A into a female screw engraved on the annular retainer 20. Then, the upper surface protective cover 161c is attached.

Thus, the shield for the cathode 14 is provided.
16 can be easily mounted concentrically, and even when the gap G between the cathode 14 and the shield 16 is set to a small gap of about 0.5 mm, the gap G is uniform in the circumferential direction. The state is easily obtained. Further, in this embodiment, since there is no need to provide a mounting flange portion having a stepped portion or a screw hole on the cathode, there is an advantage that the processing cost of the cathode is lower than that of the preceding embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield part which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. Claim 2 described above, except that the configuration of the shield is partially different.
Since the configuration is the same as that of the embodiment device according to the present invention, common portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, description thereof will be omitted, and only different points will be described. The cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 7 is the same as that in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the shield body 161 constituting the shield 16 has a tool corresponding to the position of the cathode fixing screw 18B, such as a screwdriver with a top cover 161c removed. Is provided with a through hole 161B which can be taken in and out. Thus, according to this embodiment, the shield 16 can be easily attached to the cathode 14 in a state where the shield 16 is concentrically aligned, and the annular retainer 20 and the shield 16 are integrated with each other when attaching and detaching the cathode 14. There is an advantage that it can be handled and the number of work steps is reduced.

[0026]

As will be understood from the above description, according to the vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, in the vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus provided with a cylindrical shield surrounding the cathode outside the cathode, there is no need to replace the cathode. The shield can be easily mounted concentrically on the cathode so that the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the cathode and the inner peripheral surface of the shield is uniform in the circumferential direction. Rate can be increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield, which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the annular insulating member shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield, which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cathode and a shield, which are main parts of a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a configuration of a main part of a conventional vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vacuum chamber base 2 ... Conductor 3 ... Ceramic insulator 4 ... Cathode 41 ... Cathode evaporation surface 42 ... Mounting flange 42a ... Annular step 42b ... Peripheral step surface 5 ... Cathode support base 6 ... Shield 6a
… Circular step 6b… Circumferential surface 6c… Top protection cover 6d… Insulation sleeve 6A… Shield fixing screw counterbore hole 7
… Circular insulating member 7A… Screw through hole 7B… Cathode fixing screw receiving hole 8A… Shield fixing screw 8B… Cathode fixing screw 9…
Protective cover 10… Circular insulating member for protective cover 14… Cathode
141 ... Cathode evaporation surface 142 ... Flange 16 ... Shield 161
… Shield body 161A… Shield fixing screw counterbore 16
1B: Through hole 161c: Top protection cover 161d: Insulation sleeve 162: Cylindrical insulator 18A: Shield fixing screw 18B
… Cathode fixing screw 18C… Fixing screw 20… Circular retainer
20a: annular step 20b: peripheral step 20c annular recess KC:
Virtual concentric circles

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A disc-shaped one of which has an evaporating surface (41).
In a vacuum arc evaporation apparatus provided in a vacuum chamber with a cathode (4) and a shield (6 ) having a cylindrical shape and surrounding the cathode (4) from the outside at an interval, the shield (6) includes: On the opposite side of the cathode evaporation surface (41)
An annular step portion (6a) having a diameter larger than the inner peripheral surface of the shield and having a concentric peripheral surface (6b ) is formed on the end surface to be disposed, and the cathode (4) is provided on the evaporation surface ( 41) On the other side , shield
(6) a peripheral step surface (42b) having a diameter corresponding to the peripheral step surface (6b )
A mounting flange portion (42) having an annular step portion (42a) having a circular donut shape is formed, and has a peripheral surface that can make surface contact with the peripheral step surface (42b) of the cathode (4). , The cathode from the cathode evaporation surface (41) side
The cathode (4) fitted to the annular step (42a) of (4)
Annular insulating member disposed on the mounting flange portion (42)
With (7), the shield (6) is positioned so before <br/> SL peripheral step surface of the shield (6) (6b) is in surface contact with the peripheral surface of the annular insulating member (7) is supported by the annular insulating member (7) is a vacuum, characterized in that it is configured to be attached to the mounting flange portion of the cathode (4) (42) through the annular insulating member (7) Arc evaporation equipment. 2. A disk-shaped one of which has an evaporating surface (14).
1) the cathode (14) , a cathode support (5) for energization to which the cathode (14) is attached, and a shield (16) that has a cylindrical shape and surrounds the cathode (14) at an interval from the outside. In a vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus provided in a vacuum chamber, the shield (16) has a cylindrical shield body (161).
And the cathode evaporation surface (1) of the shield body (161).
41), a plurality of cylindrical insulators attached along the circumferential direction so as to be in contact with an imaginary concentric circle having a diameter larger than the inner circumference of the shield body (161) and concentric with the inner circumference of the shield body (161). more becomes the body (162), the cathode (14), the flange portion on the opposite side of the evaporated Hatsumen (141) (142)
An annular concave portion (2 ) corresponding to the flange portion (142) of the cathode (14) is formed on a surface opposite to the cathode evaporation surface (141).
0c) , while an annular step (20a) having a peripheral step (20b) corresponding to the virtual concentric circle on the surface on the side of the cathode evaporation surface (141 ).
The cathode (14) is removably fitted to the cathode (14) from the evaporation surface (141) side to regulate axial and radial movement of the cathode (14), and holds the cathode (14) to the cathode support. An annular retainer (20) attached to the table (5) is provided, and the shield (16) is provided with the shield (1).
The cylindrical insulator 6) (162) is supported on the positioning has been said annular retainer (20) so as to be in contact with said peripheral step surface of the annular retainer (20) (20b), the annular retainer (20) A vacuum arc vapor deposition apparatus characterized in that it is configured to be attached to a device.