Download - ARGUS 54 - Optical Sputter Coater Vacuum Process Technology LLC Dr. Keqi Zhang & Ralph Faber
ARGUS 54 - Optical Sputter Coater
Vacuum Process Technology LLCDr. Keqi Zhang & Ralph Faber
May 1, 2013
Motivations: Offer a deposition tool for optical coating industry that
combines the advantages of both e-beam evaporation (large area, fast rate) and IBS deposition (stable process, higher film quality).
Approaches: Plasma enhanced pulsed DC magnetron sputtering Basic concept is based on a 54-inch chamber with a
planetary system that contains six 16-inch planets.
Key Performances / Features: Sputtered deposition of multilayers of metals, and
metal oxides Large area, fast deposition rate
6 x 16-inch planets Rate: Ta2O5 / Nb2O5: 5Å/s, SiO2: 6Å/s
Uniformity: typical ±1.0%, goal: ±0.5% Thickness control
Standard: quartz crystal, time power Optional: through-the-planet optical monitoring (Single Wavelength or Broad Band)
Optical Sputter Coater
Pulsed DC ion / plasma enhancedMaterials: Ta2O5/SiO2
Very stable and repeatable process:Deposition rate: 5.0Å/s --- Ta2O5
6.0Å/s --- SiO2
Optical Sputter Coater
Single layer Ta2O5, 5.0 Å/s
Single layer SiO2, 6.0Å/s
Single layer uniformity across a 16-inch planet: < ±1%
Uniformity of a LP filter across a 16-inch planet (spectrally measured)
Uniformity of a LP filter across a 16-inch planet (Normalized)
550nm Longpass Filter, 30 layers
Coating examples : 72-layer SP (Ta2O5/SiO2 , 5.7µm)Backside uncoated
Coating examples : 37-layer GFF (Ta2O5/SiO2, 3.8µm)Backside uncoated
Coating examples: 14-layer BBAR (Ta2O5/SiO2)
Coating examples: 10-layer Dual-band AR (Ta2O5/SiO2)
Coating examples: 58-layer IR cut filter (Ta2O5/SiO2)
IR Cut Filter Made by a Competitor’s Coater
Coating examples: IR cut filter
Argus’54
Competitor’s
Coating examples: 104-layer WB(Ta2O5/SiO2, 7.9µm)
Coating examples: 224-layer WB(Ta2O5/SiO2, 23µm)
Coating examples: 80-layer WB(Ta2O5/SiO2, 7.1µm)Backside uncoated
Coating examples: 52-layer Longpass(Ta2O5/SiO2, 3.0µm)Backside uncoated
Current status: Optical properties: excellent
Absorption: low Scattering: low
Mechanical properties Dense, durable film Film stress: 230 – 300MPa, compressive
Film uniformity Less Than ±0.5% on a 16-inch planet
High throughput; unparalleled process stability
Platform Comparison
Products and Applicationsfor the Argus Optics System