APPARATUS FOR VACUUM DEPOSITION OF METALS

Patent · Tue Mar 13 04:00:00 EST 1962

OSTI ID:4809812

Milleron, N

An apparatus and a method are described for continuous vacuum deposition of metals for metallic coatings, for ultra-high vacuum work, for purification of metals, for maintaining high-density electron currents, and for other uses. The apparatus comprises an externally cooled feeder tube extending into a container and adapted to feed metal wire or strip so that it emerges in a generally vertical position therein. The tube also provides shielding from the heat produced by an electron beam therein focused to impinge from a vertical direction upon the tip of the emerging wire. By proper control of the wire feed, coolant feed, and electron beam intensity, a molten ball of metal forms upon the emerging tip and remains self-supported thereon by the interaction of various forces. The metal is vaporized and travels in a line of sight direction, while additional wire is fed from the tube, so that the size of the molten ball remains constant. In the preferred embodiments, the wire is selected from a number of gettering metals and is degassed by electrical resistance in an adjacent chamber which is also partially evacuated. The wire is then fed through the feed tube into the electron beam and vaporizes and adsorbs gases to provide pumping action while being continuously deposited upon surfaces within the chamber. Ion pump electrodes may also be provided within line of sight of the vaporizing metal source to enhance the pumping action. (AEC)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-16-010143
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 3024965
• OSTI ID: 4809812
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

COATING
CONTROL
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENGINEERING AND EQUIPMENT
METALS
PLATING
THERMAL INSULATION
TUBES
VACUUM
VAPORS
VESSELS
WIRES