What Is PVD Sputtering?

Exactly what is sputtering and how does the sputtering process work? First your PVD or physical vapor deposition coating materials are placed on a magnetron in a solid form called a target. For highly pure PVD coatings you need a clean environment with only materials of your choosing. This is why the chamber is evacuated, to remove almost every molecule from the chamber. Then the chamber is backfilled with a process gas. Which gas is selected is based on the type of material to be deposited; Common process gasses include argon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Now the conditions are ready to begin the PVD coating process. A negative electrical potential is applied to the target material to be sputtered which is the magnetron cathode - and the positive anode or ground is the chamber body. This electrical potential will cause free electrons to accelerate away from the magnetron. When these electrons collide with a process gas atom they strip the gas atom of an electron creating a positively charged process gas ion. The positively charged ion is accelerated toward the magnetron. This ion carries enough energy with it to "knock off" or "sputter" some of the magnetrons target material. Target material will then collect on surfaces in the path that the magnetron is directed. This is how "sputtered" material collects on your substrate. The light from the plasma is created when the ions recombine with free electrons into a lower energy state. Positively charged ions recombine with free electrons to create a neutral atom again. The plasma glow is created when the ions recombine with free electrons into a lower energy state. When a free electron recombines with an ion it has a voltage; the ion needs less voltage, so this 'excess voltage' is let off as light. The light is the plasma glow that is seen during processing. This thin film deposition process continues at a constant rate until the desired thickness is achieved and the power is removed from the cathode. This amazing atomic reaction known as "sputtering" is what makes Semicore a leader in custom PVD coating sputtering equipment. Contact [email protected] for more information

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