초록 ▼

An end-block for use in a tubular magnetron sputtering apparatus is disclosed. Such an end-block rotatably transfers movement, coolant 5 and electrical current to the target while maintaining vacuum integrity and a closed coolant circuit. It hence comprises a drive means, a rotary electrical contact

An end-block for use in a tubular magnetron sputtering apparatus is disclosed. Such an end-block rotatably transfers movement, coolant 5 and electrical current to the target while maintaining vacuum integrity and a closed coolant circuit. It hence comprises a drive means, a rotary electrical contact means, a bearing means, a number of rotary coolant seal means and a number of vacuum seal means. The inventive end-block occupies a minimal axial length along the target thus allowing 10 space savings in existing equipment such as e.g. display coaters. The axial length is reduced by mounting at least two of the means radial to one another.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An end-block for rotatably carrying a target around an axis of rotation in an evacuable sputtering apparatus, said end-block comprising a subset of at least two of the following means: a driven means for providing a driving force of rotation to the target, said driven means covering a driven mean

1. An end-block for rotatably carrying a target around an axis of rotation in an evacuable sputtering apparatus, said end-block comprising a subset of at least two of the following means: a driven means for providing a driving force of rotation to the target, said driven means covering a driven means range on said axis, said driven means range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said driven means on said axis;a rotatable electrical contact means covering a contact means range on said axis, said contact means range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said contact means on said axis; anda number of coolant seal means that are relative rotatable between fixed and rotatable parts, the number of coolant seal means covering corresponding coolant seal means ranges on said axis, said coolant seal means ranges being defined as perpendicular projections of said corresponding coolant seal means on said axis;wherein at least two different means out of said subset of means are arranged radially to one another, so that at least two ranges corresponding to said at least two different means overlap one another on said axis; andwherein said driven means is one of a pulley of a pulley-belt system, a driven gear of a worm-gear system, a driven gear of a cylindrical gear-gear system, or a driven gear of a conical gear-gear crossed axis system. 2. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said subset comprises the following means: the driven means covering the driven means range on said axis, said driven means range being defined as the perpendicular projection of said driven means on said axis;the rotatable electrical contact means covering the contact means range on said axis, said contact means range being defined as the perpendicular projection of said contact means on said axis; andthe number of coolant seal means, the number of coolant seal means covering the corresponding coolant seal means ranges on said axis, said coolant seal means ranges being defined as the perpendicular projections of said corresponding coolant seal means on said axis. 3. The end-block according to claim 1, further comprising a number of bearing means, the number of bearing means covering corresponding bearing means ranges on said axis, said bearing means ranges being defined as perpendicular projections of said corresponding bearing means on said axis. 4. The end-block according to claim 3, wherein said at least two different overlapping means out of said subset of means furthermore overlap on said axis with the number of bearing means. 5. The end-block according to claim 1, further comprising a number of vacuum seal means, the number of vacuum seal means covering corresponding vacuum seal means ranges on said axis, said vacuum seal means ranges being defined as perpendicular projections of said corresponding vacuum seal means on said axis. 6. The end-block according to claim 5, wherein said at least two different overlapping means out of said subset of means furthermore overlap on said axis with said number of vacuum seal means. 7. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said driven means range overlaps with said contact means range. 8. The end-block according to claim 3, wherein said driven means range overlaps with at least one of said bearing means ranges. 9. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said driven means range overlaps with at least one of said coolant seal means ranges. 10. The end-block according to claim 5, wherein said driven means range overlaps with at least one of said vacuum seal means ranges. 11. The end-block according to claim 3, wherein said contact means range overlaps with at least one of said bearing means ranges. 12. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said contact means range overlaps with at least one of said coolant seal means ranges. 13. The end-block according to claim 5, wherein said contact means range overlaps with at least one of said vacuum seal means ranges. 14. The end-block according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said bearing means ranges overlaps with at least one of said coolant seal means ranges. 15. The end-block according to claim 5, wherein at least one of said coolant seal means ranges overlaps with at least one of said vacuum seal means ranges. 16. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said end-block is configured to rotatably carry the target, said target having the axis of rotation, said end-block being configured for mounting on a wall of a sputtering apparatus, wherein said rotation axis is substantially parallel to said wall. 17. The end-block according to claim 1, wherein said end-block is configured to rotatably carry the target, said target having the axis of rotation, said end-block being configured for mounting on a wall of a sputtering apparatus, wherein said rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to said wall. 18. A sputtering apparatus comprising walls for providing an evacuable space, said apparatus further comprising an end-block mountable to one of said walls, said end-block having the features of claim 1. 19. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said one of said walls on which said end-block is mounted is removable. 20. The sputtering apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said removable wall is hinge jointed to said apparatus. 21. An end-block for rotatably carrying a target around an axis of rotation in an evacuable sputtering apparatus, said end-block comprising a subset of at least two of the following members: a driven member configured to provide a driving force of rotation to the target, said driven member covering a driven range on said axis, said driven range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said driven member on said axis;a rotatable electrical contact covering a contact range on said axis, said contact range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said contact on said axis; anda coolant seal that is relative rotatable between fixed and rotatable parts, and that covers a coolant seal range on said axis, said coolant seal range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said coolant seal on said axis;wherein at least two members of the subset are arranged radially to one another such that at least two ranges corresponding to said at least two members overlap one another on said axis; andwherein said driven member is one of a pulley of a pulley-belt system, a driven gear of a worm-gear system, a driven gear of a cylindrical gear-gear system, or a driven gear of a conical gear-gear crossed axis system. 22. The end-block according to claim 21, wherein said subset comprises at least three of the following: the driven member; the rotatable electrical contact; the coolant seal; a bearing for carrying said target and covering a bearing range on said axis, said bearing range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said bearing on said axis; and a vacuum seal that is relative rotatable between fixed and rotatable parts, and that covers a vacuum seal range on said axis, said vacuum seal range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said vacuum seal on said axis. 23. The end-block according to claim 21, wherein said subset comprises at least four of the following: the driven member; the rotatable electrical contact; the coolant seal; a bearing for carrying said target and covering a bearing range on said axis, said bearing range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said bearing on said axis; and a vacuum seal that is relative rotatable between fixed and rotatable parts, and that covers a vacuum seal range on said axis, said vacuum seal range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said vacuum seal on said axis. 24. The end-block according to claim 21, wherein said subset comprises the driven member; the rotatable electrical contact; the coolant seal; a bearing for carrying said target and covering a bearing range on said axis, said bearing range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said bearing on said axis; and a vacuum seal that is relative rotatable between fixed and rotatable parts, and that covers a vacuum seal range on said axis, said vacuum seal range being defined as a perpendicular projection of said vacuum seal on said axis.