Physical Vapor Deposition Materials or PVD materials are those employed in sputtering magnetrons to create coatings and thin film coatings. PVD is one of the many methods of thin film coatings that has proven to be very effective, particularly in handling step coverage. The materials employed include:
* Oxide
* Fluoride
* Sulfide
* Chloride
* Metals
* Metal Alloys
* Master Alloys
The PVD coating may be applied to electroplated material such as steel or directly to any substrate material. As long as the material has been thoroughly coated with nickel-chromium, a company can successfully coat it with PVD materials.
Shapes for PVD Materials
When it comes to PVD materials used in the sputtering method shapes and sizes can readily vary. While the size may fluctuate ordinarily, technical restrictions may place limits on the specific item or component to be accepted. This could be seen as detrimental except for the expertise that makes allowances when such instances occur. The limitation is solved easily by addressing the totality in individual segments.
Fundamental Steps of PVD
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is not a singular step but consists of several. They work together to deposit several thin layers of PVD materials. The layers are extremely thin – referred to in the industry as thin film deposition. They can be as small as a few nanometers. The three basic steps are as follows:
1. Vaporization of the PVD materials
1. Transportation of the vapor to the surface of the base or substrate
2. Condensation of the materials onto the substrate to produce thin films
No matter what the process, sputtering or evaporation, it involves these three basic steps.
Advantages of Sputtering Deposition
Sputter deposition offers several advantages over other methods. Among them are:
* Reproducibility
* Easier process automation – when compared with other methods including both thermal evaporation and E-Beam thermal evaporation.
* Good step coverage
* Environmentally friendly
These are all aspects that industries look for when they consider what application the PVD materials will best suit.
Applications for PVD Materials
PVD materials are used in a variety of applications. One of the more common ones is in semi-conductor processing. Overall, the material finds its use in the manufacturing of various microelectronic devices as well as in the fabrication of:
* Interconnects
* Battery electrodes
* Fuel cell electrodes
* Diffusion barriers
* Optical coatings
* Conductive coatings
PVD materials are also employed in modifying the surface of many items. This helps to rectify any irregularities or other issues.
PVD Materials
If you want to achieve a certain appearance and improve on the qualities of a component, the answer is to employ thin film deposition. Among the most common methods of doing so is PVD. To ensure the process produces the required outcome, it is very important to consider the substrate metals. It is also essential to know exactly what PVD materials will interact with and react with the substrates to arrive at the mandated result.
