yoke plate 12 are not cooled they are in the ambient atmosphere it is contemplated that the cathode 6 may include binary ternary or quaternary alloys including elements of the rare earth group 59 pr 70 yb and elements of the transition metal group 26 fe 28 ni and that the magnetron system will apply an amorphous thin film layer of these alloys on substrate 4 it is also contemplated that the magnetron system may be operated to apply a protective layer over such amorphous thin film layer where the protective layer comprises a metal or dielectric material such as al aln or si 3 n 4 the cathode basin 7 has a flange shaped edge 13 an 0 ring insulator 14 is interposed between edge 13 and cover 15 of a cathode chamber which is at ground potential one or more pumps 16 and 17 are also connected with this cover 15 via a large suction cross section which continuously evacuate the cathode chamber the cathode basin 7 is electrically connected to the negative pole of a variable dc voltage source 18 which supplies a dc voltage of approximately 0 to 1000 volts opposite the sputtering cathode 6 are two shanks 21 and 22 standing perpendicularly one upon the other with shank 21 being.