Sputtering System for Thin Films in Microsystems

除了蒸发，溅射是微系统技术中最常用的薄膜物理气相沉积(PVD)工艺。它的特点是薄膜沉积速度快，粗糙度低，密度高，横向均匀，几乎与任何衬底都有良好的附着力。此外，使用该工艺还可以沉积多种导电和非导电材料。因此，这种制造工艺对于制造三维微元件和系统是基本的和不可缺少的。IMT现有的溅射系统是一种实验室系统，是1995年购置的，在基本方面不再符合当前的技术水平。由于硬件和软件的陈旧和易出错，系统不再满足对层厚和均匀性的高要求。这些过程的重复性也不再得到保证。因此，一些薄膜材料现在只能沉积质量降低的薄膜材料，而另一些则根本无法沉积。重要的备件也不再可用。预计该工厂的故障将导致正在进行的研究项目长期中断，甚至终止。只有使用新的现代溅射系统，薄膜工艺才能达到创新的技术水平。它的设计目的是最大限度地选择薄膜材料及其性能，并确保工艺的质量和重复性。同时加载多个底物将节省时间，从而降低成本。多个溅射源的存在应允许同时获得不同的材料，而无需转换。因此，切换到其他流程将更容易、更快。此外，所谓的共溅射将使新的沉积工艺和材料具有不同的层性能。高功率脉冲磁控溅射(HiPIMS)技术也将在薄膜工艺开发方面扩大研究潜力。建议的溅射系统将使更深入的调查和更多的沉积工艺/材料和层性能的变化，以及更高的质量工艺保证。这表明，可以针对现有的研究问题开发全新的方法，并可以开发涂层和系统的创新想法和研究概念。IMT将有机会更清楚地将自己与具有类似技术取向的研究机构区分开来。然后，工业用户也可以从研究成果的转让中受益。

Besides evaporation, sputtering is the most commonly used PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process for thin film deposition in microsystems technology. It is characterized by high deposition rates of thin films with low roughness, high density and lateral homogeneity as well as good adhesion to almost any substrate. In addition, a wide variety of conductive as well as non-conductive materials can be deposited using this process. Thus, this manufacturing process is fundamental and indispensable for the fabrication of three-dimensional micro components and systems. The existing sputtering system of the IMT, a laboratory system, was procured in 1995 and in essential aspects no longer corresponds to the current state of the art. Due to the outdated and error-prone hardware and software, the system no longer meets the high requirements regarding layer thickness and homogeneity. The reproducibility of the processes is also no longer guaranteed. As a result, some thin-film materials can now only be deposited with reduced quality and others not at all. Important spare parts are also no longer available. The expected breakdown of the plant will result in a long-term interruption of ongoing research projects and even their termination. The thin-film process can only be brought up to an innovative technological level with a new, modern sputtering system. It is designed to maximize the selection of thin film materials and their properties and to ensure the quality and reproducibility of the processes. Simultaneous loading of multiple substrates will allow for time savings and, consequently, cost reductions. The presence of multiple sputtering sources should allow different materials to be made available at the same time and without conversion. Switching to other processes will thus be easier and faster. Furthermore, the so-called co-sputtering shall enable new deposition processes and materials with different layer properties. The High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) technology will also expand the research potential with regard to thin film process development. The proposed sputtering system will enable more in-depth investigations and significantly more variations in deposition processes/materials and layer properties with higher quality process assurance. This suggests that entirely new approaches to existing research questions can be developed and innovative ideas and research concepts for coatings and systems can be developed. The IMT would have the opportunity to distinguish itself even more clearly from research institutions with a similar technological orientation. Industrial users can then also benefit from the transfer of research results.