Influence of substrate geometry on ion-plasma coating deposition process

As usual research works devoted to the study of vacuum-arc coating deposition process are carried out in the gas pressure ranged from 0.001 to 1 Pa. Such a pressure range is coincident as saving a high degree of plasma flows orientation. In this work, the characteristics of the coatings condensation process are investigated at the gas pressures range of 1_hellip10 Pa, which is characterized by the chaotization of metallic plasma flow due to collisions with the gas particles. Influence of substrate geometry on the feature of Ti vacuum arc plasma condensation process in presence of N₂ or Ar was investigated. Influence of gas pressure and substrate potential on deposition rate is conditioned the competitive processes of condensation and sputtering, and also presence of space-charge layer on the interface plasma-substrate. Influence of potential on deposition rate especially strongly shows up for cylindrical substrates of small size. For such substrates it was found substantial (approximately in 4 times) rising of deposition rate at the increasing of negative potential from 100 to 700 V when nitrogen pressure is about 2.5 Pa. Possibility of droplet-free coating deposition on the substrates reverse surface and in discharge ambient, being outside area of cathode direct visibility is shown.