Laboratory is focused on the preparation of thin films and coatings by PVD methods for different applications.
a) development of thin films for gas sensors and IR (infrared detectors)
• preparation of thin films based on TiO2 using reactive magnetron sputtering, epitaxial TiO2 films deposited by pulsed laser deposition.
• preparation of thin films based on VOX
b) development of hard coatings with emphasis on mechanical properties.
• development and optimization of procedures for the preparation of hard thermally stable 2D and 3D nanostructured coatings by means of PVD techniques. Primarily, deposition of single phase coatings based on Ti-N, Cr-N and Ti-B. Further, development of ternary and quarternary systems based on Ti-B-N, Ti-Si-N, Ti-Al-N, Ti-B-Si, Ti-B-Si-N, Ti-B-Ta-N, Ti-Al-Si-N, etc.
• development of protective amorphous and/or nanocomposite coatings based on Cr-Al, Si-Cr, Ta-Al prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering in nitrogen atmosphere and doped or alloyed by Si, B, Y, etc. for high-temperature applications in air environment.
c) development of superconducting thin films
• preparation of superconducting films based on MgB2 using magnetron co-deposition from Mg and B targets, or by means of electron gun assisted evaporation from magnesium and boron fragments.
• preparation of thin electric barrier films based on AlN using RF magnetron sputtering or pulsed laser deposition.
d) preparation of metallic films for electrical contacts in superconducting films or gas sensors.
Laboratory scaled high vacuum chamber 50l for magnetron co-sputtering
– two 2″ unbalanced circular magnetrons with tilting
– biased substrate holder with heating up to 800°C
– two steps dry vacuum pumping (scroll pump + turbomolecular pump), base pressure < 10-4Pa
– DC power supply 1kW
– RF power supply 800W with matching network
– DC bias supply 1kW
2x Laboratory scaled high vacuum chambers 20l for reactive magnetron sputtering
– 2″ balanced/unbalanced circular magnetrons
– biased substrate holder with heating up to 800°C
– mass flow controllers for gases inlet with 4 channel regulation
– two steps dry vacuum pumping (diaphragm pump + turbomolecular pump), base pressure < 4×10-5Pa
– DC power supplies 1kW
– DC bias supply up to -400V
Multifunctional high vacuum chambers Balzers for reactive magnetron co-sputtering and ARC technology
– vacuum chamber 80l
– two 4″ unbalanced circular magnetrons with tilting for co-sputtering
– four unbalanced rectangular magnetrons with variable magnetic filed in close-field configuration
– possible change of rectangular magnetrons to ARC cathodes
– 4x external magnetic coils
– biased carousel for substrate holders
– mass flow controllers for gases regulation during deposition
– two steps vacuum pumping (rotary pump + cryogenic pump), base pressure < 5×10-5Pa
– 4x DC power supplies 10kW
– DC bias supply up to -150V
– 2x DC power supplies for ARC
Laboratory scaled high vacuum chamber 14l for magnetron sputtering of Pt thin films
– 2″ balanced circular magnetrons
– substrate holder with heating up to 800°C
– two steps dry vacuum pumping (diaphragm pump + turbomolecular pump), base pressure < 4×10-4Pa
– DC power supplies 1kW
Sferical high vacuum chamber 90l for ion etching
– ion source PLATAR – output ion beam current density up to 5mA/cm2 and ion energy 150-1500eV
– cooled substrate holder with rotating and tilting
– two steps dry vacuum pumping (scroll pump + turbomolecular pump), base pressure < 10-4Pa
Pulsed Laser Deposition – Omicron Nanotechnology
– ultra high vacuum chamber
– three steps vacuum pumping (scroll pump + turbomolecular pump+ titanium sublimation pump), base pressure < 3×10-7Pa
– substrate holder with XYZ axis motions, tilting and rotating
– substrate heating up to 900°C also in oxygen atmosphere
– holder with 5 positions for 1″ targets
– 4x mass flow controllers
– loadlock with separate pumping (diaphragm+turbopump)
– Ion and Ion/Atom hybrid source – Tectra Plasma Source GEN II – for etching or ion beam assisted deposition
-248 nm KrF excimer laser – Coherent COMPEX Pro 201 F
– In-situ RHEED Staib Instruments – 30 keV
– In-situ Ellipsometry – J.A. Woollam M-2000V – spectral range 370 nm – 1000 nm
– computer controlled deposition process
High vacuum chamber for annealing in Ar atmosphere
– two steps dry vacuum pumping (diaphragm pump + turbomolecular pump), base pressure < 10-3Pa
– substrate heating up to 900°C
Annealing furnace MTI up to 1600°C
– Al2O3 tube with 8 cm diameter
– annealing in Ar, N2, O2 and air atmosphere
– PID regulation of temperature ramping and cooling
