Thin film technology sputtering

The photovoltaic industry is slowly expanding with continuous advances in materials and thin-film technology. The deposition techniques, which were at first based mostly on sputtering and evaporation, are now increasingly relying on CVD. 

Maissel, L. Application of Sputtering to the Depositon of Films. In Maissel, L., Glang, R. (eds.). Handbook of Thin Film Technology, New York, McGraw-Hill 1970 (review)... 

Stuait, R.V. Vacuum Technology>, Thin Films and Sputtering An Introduction, Academic Press, Inc, San Diego, CA, 1983,... 

To reduce expense, efforts are made to exploit integrated thin film technologies. For example, arrays have been produced via thin film deposition of the pyroelectric onto a sacrificial layer, e.g. a suitable metal or polysilicon, which is then selectively etched away. Thermal isolation of the pyroelectric element is achieved through engineering a gap between it and the ROIC silicon wafer. Yias in the supporting layer permit electrical connections to be made between the detector and the wafer via solder bonds. Imaging arrays have been produced in this way incorporating sputtered PST and sol-gel formed PZT films. 

For the formation of a metallic film in addition to thick film silk-screen technique, thin film metallization is another means for the film deposition. Deposition of thin film can be accomplished by either physical or chemical means, and thin film technology has been extensively used in the microelectronics industry. Physical means is basically a vapor deposition, and there are various methods to carry out physical vapor deposition. In general, the process involves the following 1) the planned deposited metal is physically converted into vapor phase and 2) the metallic vapor is transported at reduced pressure and condensed onto the surface of the substrate. Physical vapor deposition includes thermal evaporation, electronic beam assisted evaporation, ion-beam and plasma sputtering method, and others. The physical depositions follow the steps described above. In essence, the metal is converted into molecules in the vapor phase and then condensed onto the substrate. Consequently, the deposition is based on molecules and is uniform and very smooth. 

L. Maissel, "Application of Sputtering to the Deposition of Films", in L. Maissel and R. Clang, eds. "Handbook of Thin Film Technology," McGraw Hill,... 

In thin-film technology (layer thickness <1 pm), a microporous platinum layer is deposited on the already fired ceramic by thermal evaporation, sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, or electrolytic or electroless deposition. The microporosity of the thin electrode provides sufficient access of the exhaust gas to the three-phase boundary. 

G.K. Wehner and G.S. Anderson. The Nature of Physical Sputtering. In L.I. Mais-sel and R. Glang, editors. Handbook of Thin Film Technology. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970. 

Stuart RV (1983) Vacuum technology. Thin films and sputtering - an introduction. Academic, New York... 

In thin film technology there is a distinction between physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a combination of types is available. All methods work in vacuum. The most important physical processes are evaporation and the sputtering. The material is introduced into the system as a solid (target). With an energy introduced into the target, they resolve atoms and molecules form a layer on the substrate. The layer thickness achieved is in the micrometer range. The layer composition substantially corresponds to that of the target. It can be pure metals, alloys, or dielectrics. 

Thin-film media can be made by various technologies, eg, sputtered deposited Co—Cr—X films for longitudinal appHcations, laminated media for hard disk apphcation, metal evaporated tape, and multilayers for possible appHcations in magnetooptic recording. 

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