Posted on July 23, 2021July 23, 2021

Denton Vacuum was recently assigned U.S. patent number 10,815,570 for a linearized energetic radio-frequency plasma ion source. This source is designed as a large area, filament-free source that is fully compatible with high-throughput, in-line sputtering systems. Some of the unique, patent-protected features of this source are: Plasma ion source with independent control over ion current… Read More

Posted on October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

Material transfer efficiency may not be the biggest concern for all coatings, but when using precious metals, it becomes a major factor in cost of ownership. For applications that require the use of precious metals to ensure performance, like metal contacts and superconducting tape, your thin film deposition system design will play a major role… Read More

Posted on March 3, 2020March 3, 2020

Thin film deposition methods such as evaporation for indium bump deposition are often ideal for achieving good lift-off for patterned coatings. However, evaporation techniques can fall short of production needs for high-volume manufacturing. High-volume applications often require magnetron sputtering as a deposition method. The challenge for these manufacturers is to achieve good lift-off while meeting… Read More

Posted on January 13, 2020January 13, 2020

One design consideration that can affect your process and thin film coating performance is the collective orientation of the substrate and cathodes during magnetron sputtering. Your system configuration may be oriented either horizontally or vertically, and both orientations have their benefits and tradeoffs. Vertical Sputtering: Benefits In a vertical sputtering configuration, the substrate and cathodes… Read More

Posted on November 22, 2019April 28, 2022

One approach to cathode placement during sputtering is a planar configuration, in which the cathode is mounted directly above the substrate. This is the preferred method for applications where uniformity is paramount to performance. Benefits of Planar Cathode Placement When you mount the cathodes directly above the substrate during thin film deposition, you’ll achieve: Excellent… Read More

Posted on October 28, 2019December 11, 2019

During sputtering, there are several different approaches for cathode placement, depending on what you need to achieve from your process. Positioning the cathodes confocally to the substrate is the preferred method for co-sputtering multiple materials during deposition. Cathode Placement Approaches Where the cathode or cathodes are placed in relation to the substrate can have an… Read More