Vacuum treatment system for application of thin, hard layers

Abstract

Vacuum treatment system for application of thin layers onto substrates ( 36, 38, 40, 42 ) with a transfer chamber ( 5 ) and several treatment chambers ( 6, 8, 10, 12 ), said treatment chambers peripherally attached to the transfer chamber and being connected to said transfer chamber by means of a common opening ( 27, 29, 31, 33 ) for inlet and outlet of substrate ( 36, 38, 40, 42 ), and with a handling device ( 24 ) for transport of the substrate ( 36, 38, 40, 42 ) between the treatment chambers ( 6, 8, 10, 12 ), whereby the handling device ( 24 ) has at least one substrate holder ( 37, 39, 41, 43 ) with one pivot and/or rotating retaining part to hold the substrates ( 36, 38, 40, 42 ), by means of which the substrates ( 36, 38, 40, 42 ) can pivot and/or rotate in the treatment chambers ( 6, 8, 10, 12 ).

We claim:  
     
         1 . A vacuum treatment system for deposition of a thin layer onto a substrate comprising a transfer chamber, at least one treatment chamber, said treatment chamber being peripherally attached to the transfer chamber and being connected to said transfer chamber by means of a common opening for inlet and outlet of said substrate, a handling device for transport of the substrate having at least one substrate holder with one pivot and/or rotating retaining part to hold the substrate, whereby the substrate can be pivoted and/or rotated in the treatment chamber.  
     
     
         2 . The vacuum treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one treatment chamber has an outlet opening which can be closed by a lid, and the substrate can move through the outlet opening into and/or out of the vacuum treatment system.  
     
     
         3 . The vacuum treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one treatment chamber has a heater so that the substrates can be heated.  
     
     
         4 . The vacuum treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one treatment chamber has a vacuum coating device, which is used to coat the substrate with a material for vapor coating.  
     
     
         5 . The vacuum treatment system according to  claim 4  wherein said vacuum coating device is a vacuum vapor coating device.  
     
     
         6 . The vacuum treatment system according to  claim 5 , wherein a material to be vapor coated consists of a base alloy of the composition MCrAlY, where the base alloy constituent M contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A method for the production of a wear-resistant, hard layer on a substrate by means a vacuum treatment system comprising: 
 a) inserting a substrate to be coated into a first treatment chamber through an outer opening therein and positioning of the substrate on a substrate holder extending into said first treatment chamber;    b) evacuating said first treatment chamber for production of a pressure equilibration between a transfer chamber having vacuum pressure, and said first treatment chamber;    c) moving the substrate with a cover plate from a closed position assigned to the first treatment chamber into a first assigned open-position by actuation of a handling device;    d) moving the substrate with the cover plate from the first open-position into a second open position assigned to a second treatment chamber, by a rotation of a handling device by a rotational angle of 180°;    e) moving the substrate with the assigned cover plate from the second open-position into a second assigned closed position, so that the substrate is transported into a second treatment chamber;    f) heating the substrate by means of heat energy in said second treatment chamber to a temperature of>800° C.;    g) moving the heated substrate from the second treatment chamber together with its assigned cover plate into the second open-position;    h) transporting the substrate by rotation of the handling device about a rotational angle of 90° into a third open-position assigned to a third treatment chamber;    i) transporting of the substrate with its assigned cover plate from said third open-position into a third assigned closed position, so that the substrate is transported into the third treatment chamber;    j) coating the substrate with a material cloud produced by vaporization of a coating source;    k) transporting the coated substrate with its assigned cover plate into the third open-position;    l) transporting the coated substrate with its assigned cover plate by rotation of the handling device about a rotational angle of 90° into the first open-position;    m) transporting the coated substrate with its assigned cover plate into the first closed position of the first treatment chamber;    
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  further comprising ventilating the first treatment chamber and removing the coated substrate through the outlet opening of the first treatment chamber.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein the temperature in (f) is>1000° C.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein coating (j) is carried out by electron beam vaporization.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein said second treatment chamber has a heater.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein said third treatment chamber has a vacuum coating source.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein said substrate is a workpiece intended for use in a turbine system.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the worpiece is a turbine blade.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  14  wherein said turbine blade is for a gas turbine engine.