Sensor system for a vacuum deposition apparatus

Claim 2

In a vapor deposition apparatus for use in coating articles: a vacuum chamber in which an article may be positioned; a source of coating material positioned within the chamber; means for hearing the source material and creating a moving cloud of vapor above the source material; means for supporting an article to be coated within the cloud area, and sensor means including a pickup plate to be coated during coating of the article, said plate being adjacent to said article support means and also within the cloud area and connected by suspension means for continuously determining the amount by weight of material deposited on the article, the weight deposited on the sensor means being determinative of the coating thickness deposited on the article.

Claim 3

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 1 wherein; the pickup plate is substantially a dome-shaped member, and the vapor collection surface is substantially parabolic in shape.

Claim 4

In a vapor deposition apparatus for use in coating articles: a vacuum chamber in which an article may be positioned; a source of coating material positioned within the chamber; means for heating the source material and creating a moving cloud of vapor above the source material; sensor means including a pickup plate positioned in proximity to the article to be coated, a cantilever beam supporting said pickup plate and incorporating a strain gauge for sensing the weight of the pickup plate, the addition of any vapor deposited on the pickup plate varying the output signal of the strain gauge and the sensor means including means for continuously recording the signal from the strain gauge.

Claim 5

In a vapor deposition apparatus for use in coating articles: a vacuum chamber in which an article may be positioned; a source of coating material positioned within the chamber; means for heating the source material and creating a moving cloud of vapor above the source material; sensor means including a pickup plate positioned in proximity to the article to be coated, a cantilever beam supporting said pickup plate and incorporating a strain gauge for sensing the weight of the pickup plate, the addition of any vapor deposited on the pickup plate varying the output signal of the strain gauge and the sensor means including means for continuously recording the signal from the strain gauge.

Claim 6

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 3 wherein; one end of the strain-gauged cantilever beam is supported by a liquid-cooled beam holder.

Claim 7

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 4 wherein; the strain-gauged cantilever beam is of a twisted beam construction, the end distal from the end supported in the beam holder being oppositely faced to the supported end with respect to the vapor source.

Claim 8

A coating apparatus for applying a metallic alloy to a substrate comprising: a chamber in which the substrate may be mounted; means for evacuating the chamber; means for feeding a bar of alloy into a crucible mounted within the chamber; a constant energy electron beam means for vaporizing the alloy in the crucible, the electron beam means thereby creating a moving vapor cloud between the crucible and the substrate, an alloy coating thereby being deposited on the substrate; supporting means for positioning the substrate within the vapor cloud area, and sensor means including a collecting plate located within the vapor cloud area and connected by suspension means for continuously determining the amount by weight of alloy material deposited on the substrate, the weight deposited on the sensor means being determinative of the coating thickness deposited on the substrate.

Claim 9

A coating apparatus for applying a metallic alloy to a substrate comprising: a chamber in which the substrate may be mounted; means for evacuating the chamber; means for feeding a bar of alloy into a crucible mounted within the chamber; a constant energy electron beam means for vaporizing the alloy in the crucible, the electron beam means thereby creating a moving vapor cloud between the crucible and the substrate, an alloy coating thereby being deposited on the substrate; supporting means for positioning the substrate within the vapor cloud area, and sensor means including a collecting plate located within the vapor cloud area and connected by suspension means for continuously determining the amount by weight of alloy material deposited on the substrate, the weight deposited on the sensor means being determinative of the coating thickness deposited on the substrate.

Claim 10

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 6 wherein; the pickup plate is substantially a dome-shaped member, and the vapor collection surface is substantially parabolic in shape.

Claim 11

A coating apparatus for applying a metallic alloy to a substrate comprising: a chamber in which the substrate may be mounted; means for evacuating the chamber; means for feeding a bar of alloy into a crucible mounted within the chamber; a constant energy electron beam means for vaporizing the alloy in the crucible, the electron beam means creating a moving vapor cloud between the crucible and the substrate for depositing an alloy coating on the substrate; supporting means for positioning the substrate within the vapor cloud area, and sensor means including a pickup plate positioned in proximity to the substrate to be coated and suspension means for the pickup plate for continually determining the amount of material deposited on the plate, said suspension means including a cantilever beam incorporating a strain gauge the addition of any vapor deposit on the pickup plate varying the output signal of the strain gauge and the sensor means including means for continuously recording the signal from the gauge.

Claim 12

A coating apparatus for applying a metallic alloy to a substrate comprising: a chamber in which the substrate may be mounted; means for evacuating the chamber; means for feeding a bar of alloy into a crucible mounted within the chamber; a constant energy electron beam means for vaporizing the alloy in the crucible, the electron beam means creating a moving vapor cloud between the crucible and the substrate for depositing an alloy coating on the substrate; supporting means for positioning the substrate within the vapor cloud area, and sensor means including a pickup plate positioned in proximity to the substrate to be coated and suspension means for the pickup plate for continually determining the amount of material deposited on the plate, said suspension means including a cantilever beam incorporating a strain gauge the addition of any vapor deposit on the pickup plate varying the output signal of the strain gauge and the sensor means including means for continuously recording the signal from the gauge.

Claim 13

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 8 wherein; one end of the strain gauged cantilever beam is supported by a liquid-cooled beam holder.

Claim 14

A vapor deposition apparatus as in claim 8 wherein; the strain-gauged cantilever beam is of a twisted beam construction, the end distal from the end supported in the beam holder being oppositely faced to the supported end with respect to the vapor source.