Abstract
The conditions of powder and film deposition at different pressures in the working chamber and the influence of substrate temperature in using of vacuum arc discharge are investigated. The experiments were carried out on a VAS-1 vacuum arc sprayer with known parameters of discharge circuit. The optimal pressure regime for deposition of thin films of nanoscale thickness was 10-3 mbar or below. The calculated estimation time for film deposition ratio was about 1 μ/min. In the experiment the thin layers of copper at pressure 10-4 mbar was observed. When a plasma was produced on a cold substrate, a continuous film was not observed. The optimal pressure for producing nanopowders was equal to 10-2 mbar; particle agglomeration and the formation of a fractal structure were observed at this pressure. Individual spherical particles with a size of 100-600 nm were deposited at a pressure of 10-3 mbar. In their composition, elements of a substrate and electrode materials were found. The recommendations for choosing optimal modes to obtain nanosize coatings by the vacuum arc method and technological conditions for obtaining nanopowders using the pulse installation for industrial application was given.