Real-time monitoring and control of magnetron sputter deposition of thin coatings

该项目的目的是制定一项实时监测和控制物理气相沉积过程的战略，以提高涂层厚度、涂层成分、涂层附着力和真空质量等关键参数的重现性，从而大大提高所生产涂层的质量保证。这将使估计75%的PVD涂料市场渗透到目前尚未得到服务的高附加值制造领域，支持英国经济这一重要部门的创新。对所有工艺阶段的监测和控制--抽空、基材清理和涂层沉积--将创新性地使用单一技术--光学发射光谱分析。这将用于确定和监测与特定工艺阶段相关的相关发射线，以确定终点并发出信号，包括沉积涂层的厚度。该方法还将应用于涂层设备的状态监测，以优化维护计划和系统可用性

The aim of this project is to develop a strategy for real-time monitoring and control of physical vapourdeposition processes to increase the reproducibility of vital parameters such as coating thickness, coatingcomposition, coating adhesion and vacuum quality and thereby provide significantly enhanced qualityassurance of the coatings produced. This will enable penetration of the estimated seventy five percent of themarket for PVD coatings in high value manufacturing that is not currently served, supporting innovation in thisimportant sector of the UK economy. Monitoring and control of all process stages – evacuation, substratecleaning and coating deposition - will be, innovatively, undertaken using a single technology – optical emissionspectrometry. This will be used to identify and monitor relevant emission lines associated with particularprocess stages to identify and signal end points, including the thickness of the coating deposited. The approachwill also be applied to condition monitoring of the coating equipment to optimise maintenance schedules andsystem availability