First Process-Wide Sputtering Simulator Heralds Leap Forward in Thin-Film Deposition Efficiency and Cost Reduction
AURORA, IL – Sputter coating is widely used for fabricating thin film coatings in a diverse range of applications, from coatings on glass, semiconductor fabrication, and engineering coatings on products used in some of today’s most demanding high-technology applications. Of the many different types of sputtering processes, magnetron sputtering - where sputtered atoms are ejected from a target by the impact of ions produced within a magnetically confined plasma - offers advantages that have made it a popular choice. Among these are its relatively high sputtering efficiency and the flexibility to vary the properties of the plasma to control the characteristics of the deposited film.
Sputtering applications all share a need for optimizing the deposition profile and quality of film, maximizing utilization of sputter target materials, and minimizing processing time. Many variables determine the performance of a sputter coater and the quality of the deposited films, but engineers have had few advanced tools to assist in design and optimization. If design software is used, it tends to be for analyzing magnetic fields alone, which provides only a partial solution to an overall problem that also involves electric fields and the influence of the plasma. The typical design process for sputtering tools still relies greatly on the construction and test of physical prototypes. This experimental approach makes exploring a broad range of possible design options both costly and time consuming.