High-rate low-temperature dc pulsed magnetron sputtering of photocatalytic TiO2films: the effect of repetition frequency

The article reports on low-temperature high-rate sputtering of hydrophilic transparent TiO2thin films using dc dual magnetron (DM) sputtering in Ar + O2mixture on unheated glass substrates. The DM was operated in a bipolar asymmetric mode and was equipped with Ti(99.5) targets of 50 mm in diameter. The substrate surface temperature Tsurfmeasured by a thermostrip was less than 180 °C for all experiments. The effect of the repetition frequency frwas investigated in detail. It was found that the increase of frfrom 100 to 350 kHz leads to (a) an improvement of the efficiency of the deposition process that results in a significant increase of the deposition rate aDof sputtered TiO2films and (b) a decrease of peak pulse voltage and sustaining of the magnetron discharge at higher target power densities. It was demonstrated that several hundreds nm thick hydrophilic TiO2films can be sputtered on unheated glass substrates at aD = 80 nm/min, Tsurf < 180 °C when high value of fr = 350 kHz was used. Properties of a thin hydrophilic TiO2film deposited on a polycarbonate substrate are given

Sputter deposition of silicon oxynitride gradient and multilayer coatings

The optical properties of silicon oxynitride films deposited by reactive d.c. magnetron sputtered films have been investigated. In particular the absorption characteristics of silicon nitride thin films in the visible spectrum (VIS) and their optical bandgap were analyzed regarding their composition and deposition properties. It could be shown that there is a significant difference between the absorption in the visible spectrum and the optical bandgap for these layers. Furthermore the influence of the unipolar and the bipolar pulse mode on the optical layer properties is presented. The extinction coefficient for silicon nitride single layers could be reduced to a value of 2E-4 at 500 nm without external heating. There is also a dependency of the absorption of silicon oxynitride layers on the discharge voltage. Moreover the resulting spectra of rugate and edge filters consisting of these layers are shown, offering lower absorption than single layers

Zerstaeubungseinrichtung

The atomizing device is designed to coat large substrates with ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic materials. The device, consisting of a cathode (target), anode, magnetic system and power supply, is designed in such a way that the target consists of at least two isolated subtargets to which any voltages can be applied. The targets are attached to heat sinks which are also isolated. The magnetic system consists of separate controllable magnetic units. Power can be supplied from either d.c. or a.c. sources. The gap between the subtargets and the sub-heat sinks lies within the range of the poles of the magnetic unit

The double ring magnetron process module - a tool for stationary deposition of metals, insulators and reactive sputtered compounds

The double ring magnetron module has become a powerful tool for solving a great variety of thin film deposition tasks in the field of stationary sputter deposition of substrates in the diameter range of 200 mm at high deposition rates. Different variants of powering - DC, MF (50kHz) and RF (13.56 MHz) - that allow to sputter conductive and insulating materials will be compared. In reactive sputtering new solutions for magnetron design, reactive gas inlet, power input and control systems will be reported, that guarantee during the target life time the stable, reproducible and uniform deposition of materials like SiO2 or Al2O3

Ensuring long term stability of process and film parameters during target lifetime in reactive magnetron sputtering

Reactive magnetron sputtering of a metallic target in a mixture of inert and reactive gas is now widely applied for compound deposition at high rates. It has been shown that problems due to arcing and the hysteresis of the process can be overcome by pulse sputtering and appropriate process control. Another important aspect is the shift of deposition parameters and reactive working point due to the target erosion. For industrial application compensation of the shift is desired to achieve constant deposition conditions and homogeneous film properties during target life. For this different possibilities exist. In the paper reactive sputtering of alumina films using stationary sputtering with the Double Ring Magnetron (DRM) is reported. Ongoing target erosion is compensated by using the movable magnet systems of the DRM to keep magnetic field strength at the target constant during target erosion. This technique has the advantage of constant electric discharge parameters during target life and therefore ensures constant energetic substrate bombardment. Results with respect to constancy of deposition rate, film thickness distribution and film properties are discussed. Furthermore process stability and efficacy of the hidden anode are evaluated throughout target life

Process technology, applications and potentials of magnetron sputtering technology for optical coatings

Different magnetron sputter geometries and modes for the deposition of optical coatings are presented. Examples of AR- and filter coatings are given demonstrating the high potential of this technology for different applications

Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Aufbringen eines Duennschichtsystems mittels Zerstaeuben

FR 2872173 A UPAB: 20060124 NOVELTY - A device for applying a system of thin films, with complex physical functions corresponding to a predefined conception, on a substrate by medium frequency pulsed magnetron pulverisation comprises : (A) a vacuum chamber (103) accommodating an installation for pulverisation by magnetron (105 having at least one target (108); (B) an installation (102) for introducing and extracting the substrate; (C) a first installation for the introduction of a gas vector (110); (D) a second installation for the introduction of gas (109) for introducing in a separately controlled manner at least two different reactive gases; (E) an installation for regulating, as a function of time, the ratio of the reactive gas mixture in the vacuum chamber as a function of the predefined conception of the system of thin films; (F) a measuring installation (116) for collecting a value of at least one magnitude characteristic of the pulverisation by medium frequency pulsed magnetron; (G) a regulation installation (117, 118) that compares the collected value with a first consigned value to deduce a first signal for regulating the quantity of reactive gas fed to the vacuum chamber, the ratio of the reactive gas mixture in the vacuum chamber may then be modified by the regulation installation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for the method of applying a system of thin films using this device. USE - The invention is used for the application of a system of thin films with complex physical function corresponding to a predetermined conception onto a substrate by pulverisation by medium frequency pulsed magnetron, the system of thin films being made up of partial films of different materials and the position of the coating of the substrate being the same for the pulverisation of all the partial films. It is notably applicable for the fabrication of optical components, such as lenses, prisms and filters. ADVANTAGE - The invention allows the application of a system of thin films with complex physical functions made up of at least two different materials onto substrates by magnetron pulverisation. The device used is simple, small and economic to operate. It allows the system of thin films to be applied with precision and with a very high reproducibility. It involves very few movements of the substrate thus minimising the development of particles producing defects in the thin films