Whatever you are looking for in a PVD sputtering system there is probably a more advanced Semicore version that is tested, proven and stable at a price that will give you more for your money. When you think you have found what you are looking for with a sputtering coater machine, be sure to check with Semicore and read our FAQs regarding Physical Vapor Deposition Equipment: What You Must Know About Costs Before Purchasing to ensure you are getting all you can.
Some specific examples of in-line and batch sputtering machines are pictured below – for a complete list of evolutionary OEM versions along with their specifications and improvements contact your Semicore Equipment, Inc. representative.
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PVD Thin Film Deposition Equipment Types
Thin film deposition systems basically fall into four categories.
Batch Systems typically have their process chamber opened to atmosphere every time the substrates are loaded and unloaded. They can be used for both R&D as well as production scale applications. Depending on the type of thin film deposition equipment, they can hold many small or larger wafers or other substrates through a single chamber at one time. Sometimes a second chamber known as a “load lock” can be added to prevent the process chamber from being exposed to atmosphere.
Cluster Tool or CT Systems have multiple process chambers for applying different thin film processes in multiple steps. These are attached to a centralized chamber that uses a robot to deliver one wafer or substrate to different process chambers where a single thin film process is applied in each chamber. This deposition technique can speed up the total cycle time and increase process control for higher volume production. In many cases, load lock chambers are also added to allow multiple substrates to be loaded or unloaded at a time.
In-line Systems have a lock chamber and multiple process chambers oriented linearly. This allows one or multiple substrates to be conveyed through the machine with more than one process step is required. The application is similar to CT systems but with more substrate size and shape flexibility while maintaining the high volume production requirement.
Bench-top and Small Scale R&D Systems are smaller low volume thin film coating equipment typically for laboratory research and product development. However some small part manufacturing facilities use them for their production as the small footprint and lower cost allows them to have multiple systems for different product lines.
And, if you have not found what you need in any standard PVD coating machine, Semicore is fully capable of working with you to engineer, develop, and manufacture a practical one-off or limited run quantity of what you need with an in-line magnetron sputtering system and batch evaporation equipment.
For a more in depth understanding of the technical details involved in Semicore’s thin film deposition sputtering systems, please review our white papers below on PVD coating systems and allow us to answer any questions you have at Sales@Semicore.com or by calling 925-373-8201.
Sputtering is the manufacturing process at the heart of today’s semiconductors, CDs, disk drives and optical devices industries. On an atomic level, sputtering is the process whereby atoms of a target or source material is bombarded by high energy particles in a vacuum environment that “knocks off” or “sputters” atoms that are deposited as a thin film onto a substrate – such as a silicon wafer, solar panel or optical device… Read More
There are several forms of Thin Film Deposition which is a vacuum technology for applying coatings of pure materials to the surface of various objects. The coatings are usually in the thickness range of angstroms to microns and can be a single material, or multiple materials in a layered structure… Read More
An “In-Line” PVD Sputtering System is one in which substrates pass linearly beneath one or more Sputter cathodes to acquire their Thin Film coating. Normally the substrates are loaded onto a carrier or pallet in order to facilitate this motion, and some smaller systems handle just one pallet per batch run… Read More