Method for Coating a Substrate and Metal Alloy Vacuum Deposition Facility

Abstract

A vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys having at least two metallic elements on a running substrate is provided. The vacuum deposition facility includes a vacuum deposition chamber, a substrate running through the vacuum deposition chamber and an evaporation crucible inside the vacuum deposition chamber. The evaporation crucible includes a heater and a bath of molten metal alloy which has at least two metallic elements in a predetermined and constant ratio. The evaporation crucible evaporates the molten metal alloy into a vapor. The vacuum deposition facility also includes a coater inside the vacuum deposition chamber and connected to the evaporation crucible. The coater sprays a face of the running substrate with the vapor at a sonic velocity in order to deposit a coating on the running substrate. The vapor includes the at least two metallic elements in the predetermined and constant ratio.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum deposition facility for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys comprising at least two metallic elements on a running substrate, comprising:
 a vacuum deposition chamber;   a substrate running through the vacuum deposition chamber;   an evaporation crucible inside the vacuum deposition chamber, the evaporation crucible including a heater and a bath of molten metal alloy including at least two metallic elements in a predetermined and constant ratio, the evaporation crucible evaporating the molten metal alloy into a vapor;   a coater inside the vacuum deposition chamber and connected to the evaporation crucible, the coater spraying a face of the running substrate with the vapor at a sonic velocity thereby depositing a coating on the running substrate, the vapor including the at least two metallic elements in the predetermined and constant ratio.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined and constant ratio of the bath remains constant during the depositing. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a furnace for melting metal. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the furnace is outside the vacuum deposition chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a recirculation pipe for continuously circulating the bath, the recirculation pipe connecting the evaporation crucible to the recharging furnace. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the furnace and the evaporation crucible are adjacent one another and have a common wall with at least one opening located beneath a level of the metal alloy bath and above a bottom of the furnace and of the evaporation crucible. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the furnace includes a heater. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the furnace supplies the molten metal alloy to the evaporation crucible. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a metal ingot feeder connected to the furnace for supplying metal ingots to the furnace for melting. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a pump between the evaporation crucible and the furnace for continuously circulating the bath. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum deposition facility as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a second pipe for continuously circulating the bath, the second pipe connecting the evaporation crucible to the recharging furnace.