Generation of gas-metal plasma of arc low-pressure discharges and investigation of the deposition mode of wear-resistant nitride coatings

The modes of gas-metal plasma generation are investigated at independent and combined operation of plasma generators of the different construction. The dependences of an ion current on a collector on the current of the arc discharge of plasma sources, on the pressure and on the composition of working gas in the wide ranges of parameters are obtained. The distributions of metal and nitride coatings growth rate along vacuum chamber radius at the use of the system of magnetic plasma flow separation from droplet fraction are revealed. The service properties of the plasma sources of different type are defined. The parameter ranges for the optimum modes of ZrN and ZrNbN coating deposition by vacuum arc plasma-assistance method are revealed. The parameters of gas-metal plasma at simultaneous functioning the different type plasma sources are measured.