METHOD FOR VAPOR-DEPOSITING METALLIC OXIDE THIN FILM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continuously and stably form a metallic oxide thin film by vapor deposition on a running plastic film or sheet by an electron beam system. SOLUTION: This continuous vapor deposition film forming process is the one in which a metallic oxide solid is charged to a rotary hearth and is rotatively fed to a position to be irradiated with electron beams without interruption, a part is consumed for melting and vapor deposition, and the remaining part leaving from the electron beam irradiating position as nonevaporated and cooled to solidify is again returned to the electron beam irradiating position by the rotation of the hearth and is fed to vapor deposition, and the above execution is repeated. Then, two electron beams are used, and the powers of the two electron beams are controlled in such a manner that, in the part previously irradiated with a primary electron beam, only a melting phenomenon is mainly allowed to occur, and in the part irradiated with the succeeding secondary electron beam, an evaporating phenomenon is mainly allowed to occur to the metallic oxide rotatively fed in a state of being melted by the primary electron beam.