The multi-arc ion plating process of vacuum coating machine is widely used in real life. It has the advantages of fast deposition rate, uniform film thickness, good adhesion, high effect and low cost, and is favored by market coating manufacturers. The following Xiaobian will introduce the working principle and characteristics of multi-arc ion plating of vacuum coating machine in detail. I hope it will be helpful to you:

       The working principle of multi-arc ion plating technology of vacuum coating machine is mainly based on the theory of cold cathode vacuum arc discharge. After the multi-arc ion coater ignites the vacuum arc, some discontinuous, bright spots of various sizes and shapes appear on the surface of the cathode target. They swim rapidly and irregularly on the surface of the cathode. Other parts are formed to maintain the burning of the arc. The current density of the cathode spot reaches 104~105A/cm2, and it emits metal vapor at a speed of 1000m/s, in which every 10 electrons emitted can emit 1 metal atom, and then these atoms are ionized into positive ions with high energy (such as Ti+), positive ions combine with other ions (such as with N- to form TiN) when operating in the vacuum chamber, and deposit on the surface of the workpiece to form a coating.
      According to the theory of vacuum arc discharge, the transfer of electric charge mainly relies on field electron emission and positive ion current. These two mechanisms exist at the same time and restrict each other. During the discharge process, a large amount of cathode material is evaporated, and the positive ions generated by these evaporated atoms generate an extremely strong electric field within a short distance near the cathode surface. The stage escapes into a vacuum, producing so-called "field electron emission".
       The outstanding feature of the multi-arc ion plating process of the vacuum coating machine is that it can generate a plasma composed of highly ionized evaporated material, in which the ions have high kinetic energy. Evaporation, ionization, and acceleration are concentrated in the cathode spot and a small area around it. Its characteristics are as follows:
(1) The most notable feature is the direct generation of plasma from the cathode.
(2) The incident particle energy is high, the coating density is high, and the strength and durability are good.
(3) The ionization rate is high, generally reaching 60% to 80%.
(4) The deposition speed is fast and the wrapping property is good.
(5) The equipment is relatively simple, and it is safer to work with a low-voltage power supply.
(6) One arc is multi-purpose. The arc is not only an evaporation source and an ionization source, but also a heating source and an ion source for ion sputtering cleaning.
(7) The external magnetic field can improve the arc discharge, make the arc fine, refine the coating particles, increase the rate of charged particles, and can improve the uniformity of the etching of the cathode target surface and improve the utilization rate of the target material.