Transformation of axial vacuum-arc plasma flows into radial streams and their use in coating deposition processes

Radial filtered plasma flow formation in the annular gap between two oppositely directed rectilinear vacuum-arc erosion-plasma sources with magnetic focusing has been investigated. Studies were made into the impact of the parameters of the system (magnetic fields, substrate position) on the ion flow density and deposition rate distributions across the outlet annular opening between the anodes, and also on the roughness of the coatings obtained. As a result, the experiments have given the conditions which provide for coating deposition at a uniform rate over the whole width of the annular substrate surface with minimum plasma losses in the process of transformation of axial plasma flows into radial streams.