ADLC
Amorphous Diamond Like Carbon. An amorphous carbon material with mostly sp3 bonding that exhibits many of the desirable properties of diamond and graphite.

Batch
A batch is a group of tools that can be coated at the same time in the same coating chamber.

Cathode
The cathode is a PVD term, often referring to the source or target. More strictly speaking, it is the negative electrode to which the target material to be evaporated is fixed.

CVA
Chemical Vapour Aluminising is a process used to diffuse aluminum into the surface of a part to enhance temperature corrosion and oxidation resistence. (Chemical Vapor Aluminizing: US).

CVD
Chemical Vapour Deposition is the deposition of a coating by means of a chemical reaction in gases. In the case of standard CVD, the reaction is enabled through the high temperature of the process (800-1050(°) C).

Cycle
A coating cycle is the entire process from loading the batch and pumpdown of the chamber to coating, cooling and unloading.

Micron
A micron is a millionth of a meter.

PaCVD
Plasma activated CVD or Plasma assisted CVD. This is a low temperature (under 200(°) C) process of standard CVD. In the case of PaCVD the gas reaction is carried out through an RF power source. Sometimes referred to as PeCVD.

PeCVD
Plasma enhanced CVD (see PaCVD)

PVD
Physical Vapor Deposition is the deposition of coatings via the physical process of evaporating target material in a coating chamber.

Source
The source is a PVD term referring to the device which holds the target material and which incorporates the trigger, magnets, body and cooling. The source is sometimes generally referred to as the cathode.

sp2
Carbon atoms bonded similar to graphite

sp3
Carbon atoms bonded similar to natural diamond

Substrate
The base material to which the coating is applied.

Target
The target is a PVD term indicating the material to be evaporated. The target is incorporated into the source and is often generally referred to as the source or cathode.