Cross flow metalizing of compact disc

Abstract

A cross flow system for metalizing compact discs, capable of being interposed in-line in the production of the compact discs after premastering, mastering, electro-forming, and molding includes a vacuum chamber having diametrically opposed vacuum locks and multiple metalization sources in the form of magnetrons, with a preferred cross flow including the introduction of a disc to be metalized through one lock and the exit of the metalized disc through the diametrically opposite lock. The double vacuum lock diametrically opposed cross flow system eliminates the problems of throughput limitations, high rate deposition, substrate pitting, and software complexity due to indexing which makes prior systems both costly and inefficient. The system also permits processing of more than one substrate or compact disc title such that multiple titled compact discs can be processed simultaneously.

1 . An apparatus for the metalizing of substrates comprising: 
 a vacuum chamber having a plurality of vacuum locks communicating therewith for facilitating the ingress and egress of substrates from and to the ambient atmosphere;    means for evacuating air from said chamber;    a substrate carrier located in said chamber;    means for providing a supply of substrates for introduction to said chamber through at least one of said vacuum locks;    means for introducing substrates to said chamber through said vacuum locks;    means for positioning said substrates introduced via said vacuum locks in said substrate carrier;    at least one sputtering means located within said chamber;    means for moving said substrate carrier to position substrates under said sputtering means for a predetermined period of time;    means for activating said sputtering means in timed relationship to the passage of substrates therebeneath; and    means for removing substrates from said chamber via a different vacuum lock than the vacuum lock through which the substrates entered said chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said sputtering means includes a magnetron.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said vacuum locks includes an aperture communicating with said means for introducing substrates to said chamber for the introduction of discs therethrough.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said chamber is circular and said substrate carrier is in the form of a dial rotationally movable in said chamber.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said apparatus comprises first and second vacuum chambers and first and second sputtering means.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein said first and second vacuum chambers are positioned opposite each other along said substrate carrier.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein said first and second sputtering means are positioned opposite each other in said chamber along said substrate carrier.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said sputtering means and said vacuum locks are arrayed alternately around said chamber.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said substrates entering said chamber via said first vacuum lock travel in a linear direction opposite the linear direction of travel of substrates entering said chamber via said second vacuum lock.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrates are compact discs.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrates are semiconductor wafers.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrates comprise plastic.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrates comprise ceramic.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said substrates comprise metal.  
     
     
         15 . A method of metalizing substrates comprising: 
 providing a supply of substrates;    introducing substrates to a vacuum chamber through a first vacuum lock;    passing said substrates under sputtering means for a predetermined amount time to metalize said substrate; and    removing said metalized substrates from said vacuum chamber via a second vacuum lock.    
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , further comprising the step of adding a second sputtering means such that: 
 substrates are also introduced to said vacuum chamber via said second vacuum lock;    substrates introduced via said second vacuum lock pass under said second sputtering means for a predetermined amount of time to metalize said substrates; and    substrates metalized by said second sputtering means exit said chamber via said first vacuum lock.    
     
     
         17 . A method of metalizing substrates comprising: 
 providing a supply of substrates;    introducing substrates to a vacuum chamber through a first vacuum lock;    introducing substrates to said vacuum chamber through a second vacuum lock;    passing substrates introduced to said vacuum chamber via said first vacuum lock under first sputtering means for a predetermined amount of time to metalize said substrates;    passing substrates introduced to said vacuum chamber via said second vacuum lock under second sputtering means for a predetermined amount of time to metalize said substrates;    removing said substrates metalized by said first sputtering means via said second vacuum chamber; and    removing said substrates metalized by said second sputtering means via said first vacuum chamber.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein said supply of substrates comprises at least first and second substrates kept separate by said method.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein all said first substrates are introduced to said vacuum chamber via said first vacuum lock.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein all said second substrates are introduced to said vacuum chamber via said second vacuum lock.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said first substrates travel in a first linear direction through said chamber and said second substrates travel in a second linear direction through said chamber.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the step of maintaining the substrates in position in said vacuum chamber through use of locking means associated with a centering pin used to position said substrates during movement of said substrates between said vacuum locks.