SEC-600

Deposition systems add thin films to substrates inside a vacuum chamber. Sputtering systems generally form films by creating a plasma that ejects material from a target and deposits that material onto the substrate surface. Such tools are used when a process flow needs controlled conductive, barrier, adhesion, optical, or protective layers.

Sputtering systems generally evacuate a process chamber, introduce process gas, ignite a plasma, and transfer material from a source onto the substrate. Sputtering systems commonly use substrate fixturing, shutters, and process controls to manage film placement and deposition conditions. Deposition systems in this class are built around a vacuum vessel, pumping hardware, power delivery, source hardware, and substrate handling fixtures.

Sputtering tools are used after substrate preparation when a process flow requires formation of a thin film. Sputtering steps can precede lithography, etch, lift off, anneal, dielectric deposition, or packaging operations depending on the device structure being built. Sputtering systems are commonly integrated into development and production flows for metal stack formation and surface modification.

Sputtering systems are used to deposit metallic and other functional thin films for microfabrication. Typical applications include contact metallization, interconnect formation, adhesion layers, barrier layers, reflective coatings, seed layers, and electrode films. The same class of equipment is also used in optics, sensors, and other vacuum thin film work where uniform coating on prepared substrates is required.