A modified, filtered, pulsed cathodic vacuum arc implantation and deposition apparatus with the filtering duct working as a second anode

A modified filtered pulsed cathodic vacuum arc implantation and deposition apparatus with the filtering duct biased positively 30–60 V relative to the cathode has been set up. Pulsed cathodic vacuum arc discharge between the duct and the cathode was observed. As a result of this, the cathode erosion rate and ion intensity at the substrate increased dramatically. The influence of the focusing magnetic field of the MEVVA plasma source as well as the positive bias and the guide magnetic field of the filtering duct on the arc discharge and the duct output were studied. Experimental results show that the output of the duct and the duct current increased with increasing duct potential and increasing arc source focusing magnetic field. It is also shown that the duct current decreased with an increase in the guiding magnetic filed, and 7–8 mT duct magnetic field is the optimum for the duct output.