Physical Vapor Deposition Systems
Blue Wave Physical Vapor Deposition Systems
Blue Wave believes that placing a strategic focus on semiconductor fabrication equipment and device technologies will produce benefits that will enhance a development team's ability to create the future of thin film technologies. Their knowledge, gained through the entire process, equipment design and device fabrication allows them to remain at the forefront of thin film deposition and nano-technologies. Blue Wave develops low cost, reliable and customized thin film fabrication tools for the R&D market so that researchers can continue advances in nanotechnology and thin film research.
Please inquire if you do not see the deposition system you are interested in below, as Blue Wave manufactures many custom systems and can probably provide the specific deposition system you are interested in.
Models
Thermal Evaporation PVD System
Blue Wave's Thermal Evaporation System is one of the simplest of the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) tools available in the market. It is a fully customizable state-of-the-art physical vapor deposition system designed for synthesis of high quality metal and oxide thin films. In addition, the system can be used for single layer or multi-layer metal thin films (Al, Au, Pt, Ag, Cu, Ti, Cr, etc.), oxides (MnO3, TiO2, Al2O3), and organic OLEDs and multi-layer thin films.
This Thermal Evaporation System uses a resistive heating technique. In this technique, a pair of water-cooled high current vacuum electrical feedthroughs are used to heat a boat (alumina coated titanium or alumina coated molybdenum) or a coil (tungsten) as the heating element. These boats/coils have a trench or slot for placing the evaporation sources (deposition material in the form of pellets, balls or random pieces) in them. When a significant amount of current is passed through the feedthrough, the evaporation source is melted and evaporated. The rate of deposition depends on the amount of the current passed through (i.e. the higher the current, the higher is the deposition rate and vice versa). This deposition process is recommended to be performed at low pressures where the mean free path is longer than the distance of the substrate from the evaporation source.
Blue Wave has developed this Thermal Evaporation System to offer a variety of in-built and custom features.
Features
- High vacuum system (available in benchtop and standalone machine)
- Ability to hold any shape and size substrate using simple clamp technique
- Capable of multiple evaporation sources with cross contamination shield
- Shutter option for evaporation source (manual, pneumatic and programmed)
- Cross contamination shield for multiple source usage
- Optional thin film thickness monitor
- Optimized filament to substrate distance
- Mass flow controllers
- Process pressure adjustment
- Easy integration with a variety of other deposition techniques such as PLD, E-Beam, Sputtering and more.
Applications
- Metallic Coatings
- Oxides
- Nitrides
- Organic OLEDs
- Multilayer Films
Specifications
Process Chamber
- Customizable multi-port stainless steel chamber
- Multiple flange ports for optical windows and mounting accessories
- Base pressure compatibility better than 5E-2 Torr and is capable of reaching high vacuum (HV) levels
- Maximum baking temperature of 300°C when fitted with copper gaskets
- Electro-polished inside and out for enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion protection
Evaporation Source
- High current capacity copper feedthroughs with water cooling option and moly blocks mounted on a 6" CF Flange
- Tungsten, Moly, and Tantalum boat thermal evaporation boats options available in varying sizes
- Maximum evaporation source to depositing substrate distance range of 6"–10"
Gas Flow System
- Full-scale flow ranges available from 10 sccm to 1000 sccm
- Repeatable flow control to as low as 0.2 sccm
- Gas shut-off valves for over-pressure safety
- 1% F.S. accuracy and 1% of reading for most flow ranges
- Digital flow meters with fine electronic control available
Pressure Management System
- Variable speed turbopump for vacuum levels from 5E-1 Torr to 5E-8 Torr
- High accuracy, full-range pressure gauge with digital display
- Built in pressure set-point interlock for over pressure safety protection
Temperature Management System
- Versatile 2" diameter closed-loop substrate heater (temperature max 800°C and temperature non-uniformity across the wafer within 5%-10%)
- Eurotherm 2416 temperature controller for substrate heating with auto programming and manual modes
Process Power Source
- 0–6 volt, 250 Amp Low voltage, high current DC power supply
Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) System
The Blue Wave PLD System is a fully customizable state-of-the-art physical vapor deposition system designed for the synthesis of high quality thin films and thin film research. This PLD System offers a variety of built-in and custom features such as: optimized 3-target carousel, substrate heater, and pressure adjustment. It is designed for easy integration with a variety of other deposition techniques and sources such as: Sputtering, Thermal Evaporation & CVD, E-beam, and more.
Features
- 3-target Carousel
- Substrate Heating Stage
- Mass Flow Controller
- Vacuum Pumping
- Temperature Controller
- Laser & Laser Optics
Specifications
Process Chamber
- Customizable 12" diameter spherical stainless steel chamber
- Multiple (six 8" and 18" CF and one 6" CF) flange ports for mounting optical windows and other accessories
- Base pressure compatibility better than 5E-2 Torr
- Capable of reaching ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels greater than 5E-7 Torr with cryopump addition
- Maximum baking temperature of 300°C when fitted with copper baskets
- Electro-polished interior and exterior for enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion protection
Gas Flow System
- Full-scale flow ranges from 10 sccm to 1000 sccm
- Repeatable flow control to as low as 0.2 sccm
- Built-in gas shut-off valves for over-pressure safety
- 1% F.S. accuracy and 1% of reading for most flow ranges
Pressure Management System
- 350 L/sec Molecular turbopump for high vacuum levels up to 10E-8 Torr
- Dry or hydrocarbon roughing pump for base vacuum levels of 10E-2 Torr
- High accuracy, full–range pressure gauge with digital display
- Upstream or downstream process pressure control options
- Built-in pressure set-point interlock for over-pressure safety protection
Substrate Temperature Control System
- Versatile 2" diameter closed–loop substrate heater (temperature max 850°C and temperature non-uniformity across the wafer within 5-10%)
- Eurotherm 2416 temperature controller for substrate heating with auto programming and manual modes
Semi-1000 Electron Beam (EBeam) PVD System
Blue Wave's Semi-1000 is a high productivity electron beam (E-beam) system for depositions of metal films (Au, Au, Ti, Ni, Cr, Si, Co etc.) and oxide thin films (Al2O3, SiO2, MgO, Y2O3, HfO2 etc.) designed for R&D labs and prototype fabricators. The system handles a single 4" wafer or multiple small substrates (such as 1 cm2, 1 in2, or odd shape samples) with clips. The Semi-1000 is excellent for undergraduate or graduate researchers, Ph.D. students, and Research Scientists working in the field of thin film materials science, surface and interface engineering, thin film devices, sensors and advanced thin film research activities in R&D Universities, National Labs, and industry.
Typical Application Areas: Nanotechnology, Thin Film Metallization, Thin Films, Solar Energy, Thin Film Batteries, Magnetics Thin Films, Thin Film Catalyst, Thin Film Devices, Thin Film Sensors, Optical Coatings, AR and Conducting Coatings, Thin Film Dielectrics, and Multilayer Coatings.
Features
- High Vacuum Stainless Steel Deposition Chamber
- Chamber Pumping
- Vacuum Gauging
- Blue Wave Substrate Fixture
- Gas Flow Through Fine Needle Valve
- Inficon Quartz Monitor Crystals for in-situ thickness measuring and monitoring
Specifications
Process Chamber
- Custom, cylindrical stainless steel chamber
- Over 10 various sized flange ports for optical windows, mounting accessories, and internal access
- Crystal monitor for deposition thickness measurement
- Pneumatic shutter for substrate shielding during running processes
Evaporation Source
- Rotatable multi-pocket source rated for 10kW of power
- Water-cooled electron beam gun
- 600W max filament power resistance
Gas Flow System
- Full-scale flow ranges available from 10 sccm to 1000 sccm
- Repeatable flow control to as low as 0.2 sccm
- Gas shut-off valves for over-pressure safety
- 1% F.S. accuracy and 1% of reading for most flow ranges
- Digital flow meters with fine electronic control available
Pressure Management System
- Turbo/Cryopump for high vacuum better than 5E-7 Torr
- High accuracy, full-range pressure gauge with digital display
- Built-in pressure set-point interlock for over pressure safety protection
- Base pressure compatibility better than 5×10-3 Torr and is capable of reaching ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels
Temperature Management System
- Versatile 2" diameter closed-loop substrate heater (temperature max 800°C and temperature non-uniformity across the wafer within 5-10%)
- Eurotherm 2416 temperature controller for substrate heating with auto programming and manual modes
Process Power Source
- Max power of 10kW
- Simultaneous operation of up to 3 E-beam sources
- Constant emission current regulation
- Full remote operation or optional handheld for voltage and the source
Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition (HFCVD) System
The Blue Wave HFCVD system is a fully-customizable hot filament chemical vapor deposition system designed for synthesis of nano-diamond coatings, CVD diamond films, Micro crystalline CVD diamond coatings, graphene, carbon nanotubes(CNTs), and a variety of other thin film coatings. Designed for an affordable and simplified deposition process, the HFCVD system is used in universities and research labs throughout the USA and internationally, and offers several built-in and custom features necessary to begin deposition of high quality films within hours of installation.
Features
- Spherical 12" diameter electro-polished, double-walled water cooled deposition chamber
- Process Monitoring Pressure Gauge
- Filament Holder and Tensioning
- High Energy Density Filament Power Supply
- Process Gas Flow Meters
- Linear motion z-stage for controlling sample to filament distance
- Substrate Rotation
- Substrate Heater
System Options
- Two Color IR Pyrometer for Filament Temperature Measurement
- Additional Mass Flow Controllers
- Load-lock chamber with gate valve for in-situ wafer transfer while running filaments or CVD Diamond process
- In-situ Laser Reflectivity for in-situ film growth thickness monitoring
- LabView Control
- Graphene Synthesis
Specifications
Process Chamber
- Customizable 12" diameter, spherical stainless steel water-cooled chamber
- 10" quick access door for sample and filament holder loading and unloading
- Multi-flanged chamber for optical windows and accessories mounting
- Base pressure compatibility better than 5×10-2 Torr and is capable of reaching ultra high vacuum (UHV) levels
- Maximum baking temperature of 300°C when fitted with copper gaskets
- Electro-polished inside and out for enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion protection
Gas Flow System
- Full-scale flow ranges from 10 sccm to 1000 sccm
- Repeatable flow control to as low as 0.2 sccm
- Gas shut-off valves for over-pressure safety
- 1% F.S. accuracy and 1% of reading for most flow ranges
- Mass flow controllers may be calibrated for a wide range of inert and reactive gases
Pressure Management System
- High accuracy, full-range pressure gauge with digital display
- Integrated capacitance manometer vacuum pressure gauge
- Upstream or downstream process pressure control options
- Built-in pressure set-point interlock for over pressure safety protection
- Full Scale ranges as low as 1 Torr for low pressure processes and up to 100 Torr
Temperature Management System
- Versatile 2"–4" diameter closed-loop substrate heater (temperature max 800°C and temperature non-uniformity across the wafer within 5%-10%)
- Eurotherm 2416 temperature controller for substrate heating with auto programming and manual modes
Power Source
- 3 to 10 kW DC Power supply with digital display and over voltage protection
- Mounted with 200 Amp current capacity cables for high current performance
- Safety interlock included for electrical current output shutdown
