A continuous sputtering apparatus comprising a main vacuum chamber, one loading station and a plurality of process stations capable of having their pressures controlled separately. The process station includes a sub vacuum chamber capable of being in communication with the main vacuum chamber through an opening and an evacuation port. The loading station and the process stations are arranged to be spaced with equal angles. Substrate holders are provided to face the stations and are rotated by said equal angle in a time. The substrate holder opens and closes the opening of the sub vacuum chamber to serve as a gate valve.