Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Sputter deposition of metals and alloys

From LabAdviser

Feedback to this page: click here

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Sputter deposition of metals and alloys

Many metals and some alloys are well suited for sputter deposition. Below you can compare the sputter systems available here at Nanolab for depositing them.

This page is a collective page for metals and alloys that we do not deposit by any other methods. Other metals that may be deposited both by sputtering and other methods are described on their own individual metal pages (see the thin film main page).

Metals which have been sputter deposited here at Nanolab and which cannot be deposited here by e-beam or thermal evaporation include:

  • Cobalt
  • Iron

Alloys which may be sputter deposited here at Nanolab include:

  • Al-Cu
  • Co-Fe
  • Cu-Ti
  • Fe-Mn
  • Mn-Ir (deposited several times with the Sputter-System (Lesker), see process log)
  • Nb-Ti (deposited several times with the Sputter-System (Lesker), see process log)
  • Ni-Co
  • Ni-Fe (deposited several times with the Sputter-System (Lesker), see process log)
  • Ni-V (extensively deposited with the Sputter-System (Lesker), see process log, and with the Wordentec, see process log)
  • Ti-W alloy (10%/90% by weight) (extensively deposited with the Sputter-System (Lesker), see process log, and with the Wordentec, see process log)

Comparison of sputter deposition options


Sputter deposition (Wordentec) Sputter deposition (Sputter-System (Lesker)) Sputter deposition (Sputter-system Metal-Oxide (PC1)) Sputter deposition (Sputter-system Metal-Nitride (PC3))
General description

Sputter deposition in chamber which also has thermal and e-beam evaporation. Single 6" sputter target directly below substrate. Short target-substrate distance for relatively good uniformity.

Sputter deposition in chamber with 6 sputter guns with 2" targets at a slight angle to the substrate.

Sputter deposition in chamber with 6 sputter guns for metal and oxide deposition.

Sputter deposition in chamber with 4 sputter guns for metal and nitride deposition.

Pre-clean RF Ar clean RF Ar clean RF Ar clean RF Ar clean
Target (source material) size 4" 2" 3" 3" and 4"
Angle between target and substrate facing directly tilted tilted tilted and facing directly
Power supply options DC DC and RF DC, RF, Pulsed DC, and HiPIMS DC, RF, Pulsed DC, and HiPIMS
Other options High-strength magnet for magnetic materials High-strength magnet for magnetic materials
Batch size
  • 24x2" wafers or
  • 6x4" wafers or
  • 6x6" wafers
  • 1x4" wafer or
  • 1x6" wafer or

several small samples

  • up to 10x4" wafers or
  • up to 10x6" wafers
  • or many smaller samples
  • up to 10x4" wafers or
  • up to 10x6" wafers
  • or many smaller samples
Pumping time from wafer load

Approx. 1 hour

Approx. 10 min

Approx. 5 min plus 6 min transfer time

Approx. 5 min plus 6 min transfer time

Allowed substrates
  • Silicon wafers
  • Quartz wafers
  • Pyrex wafers
  • Silicon wafers
  • And almost any that does not degas. Special carrier for III-V materials.
  • Silicon wafers
  • And almost any that does not degas. Special carrier for III-V materials.
  • Silicon wafers
  • And almost any that does not degas. Special carrier for III-V materials.
Allowed materials
  • Silicon oxide
  • Silicon (oxy)nitride
  • Photoresist
  • PMMA
  • Mylar
  • SU-8
  • Metals
  • Almost any - see cross contamination sheets for PC1 and PC3
  • Almost any - see cross contamination sheets for PC1 and PC3
Comments