Processes for Thin-Film Deposition and Surface Modification

Chemical vapor deposition competes directly with other coating processes which, in many cases, are more suitable for the application under consideration. These competing processes comprise the physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes of evaporation, sputtering, and ion plating, as well as the molten-material process of thermal spray and the liquid-phase process of solgel. A short description of each process follows. For greater detail, the listed references should be consulted. 

Like CVD, PVD is a vapor deposition process where the deposition species are atoms, molecules, or a combination of the two. The distinction between these two processes is that, in CVD, deposition occurs by chemical reaction, whereas in PVD, deposition is by condensation. CVD is usually endothermic and PVD is exothermic. 

An important recent trend is the tendency for the two processes, CVD and PVD, to merge. CVD for instance, now makes extensive use of plasma (a physical phenomenon) and conversely. 

The three principal PVD subprocesses, evaporation, sputtering, and ion plating, are described belowl lPl 

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Appendix Alternative Processes for Thin-Film Deposition and Surface Modification... 

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