PURPOSE: To make it possible to form thin layers having a good adhesion property to a large supporting body by arranging separate cathode plates to shapes respectively forming the faces of rectangular parallel hexahedrons in a thin layer adhering apparatus by cathode sputtering.

CONSTITUTION: The cathode plates 1 to 4 are so placed as to form an angle of 90° on an anode 5. The respective cathode plates are so placed as to form the angle of 90° with the adjacent plates. The rectangular parallel hexahedrons are formed by the cathode plates 1 to 4. Permanent magnets 6 are placed on the circumferences of the plates 1 to 4 and cooling water is passed to a cooling chamber 8 closed by members 9 and the plates 1 to 4 to cool the plates 1 to 4. This apparatus is placed in the chamber and after the inside of the chamber is evacuated, gases are introduced into the chamber under a prescribed pressure. These gases are ionized to generate an electrode discharge between the anode 5 and the cathodes 1 to 4. The gaseous ions collide against the cathodes 1 to 4 and the atoms are released. These atoms are directed toward opposite walls and are further bounced back. A large amt. of the ions formed between the cathodes l to 4 are directed toward the apertures opposed by the positive charges of the anode 5 and are then directed toward the supporting body, such as glass, simultaneously with the atoms, by which the desired films are formed.