Application of Cathodic Arc PVD Coater

Cathodic arc deposition is actively used to synthesize extremely hard film to protect the surface of cutting tools and extend their life significantly. A wide variety of thin hard-film, Superhard coatings and nanocomposite coatings can be synthesized by this technology including TiN, TiAlN, CrN, ZrN, AlCrTiN and TiAlSiN.

This is also used quite extensively particularly for carbon ion deposition to create diamond-like carbon films. Because the ions are blasted from the surface ballistically, it is common for not only single atoms, but larger clusters of atoms to be ejected. Thus, this kind of system requires a filter to remove atom clusters from the beam before deposition. The DLC film from filtered-arc contains extremely high percentage of sp3 diamond which is known as tetrahedral amorphous carbon, or ta-C.
Filtered Cathodic arc can be used as metal ion/plasma source for Ion implantation and Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation and Deposition (PIII&D).