The development of a thin film sputter deposition system using a novel hidden anode ion source and motion control
Date
2020
Authors
VanGemert, Jack J., author
Williams, John D., advisor
Farnell, Casey, committee member
Menoni, Carmen, committee member
Wilson, Jesse, committee member
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Abstract
Thin films consist of metallic or dielectric materials that are commonly deposited onto surfaces where properties, intrinsic to the thin film, are desired. Ranging from a single atomic layer to several microns in thickness, thin films are found to be useful for a broad range of applications. Most thin film applications desire uniform, durable, and adherent coatings with specific optical, electrical, or tribological properties. Therefore it is important that deposition systems can produce thin films with properties suited for the application at hand. The development of a thin film sputter deposition system is presented. The system has been shown to produce large area art pieces at a low cost compared to current deposition systems. The deposition system uses a novel hidden anode ion source (HAIS) to sputter target material, assist film growth, and to clean substrates prior to deposition. To the author's knowledge, an ion source of this design has not been implemented in a deposition system prior to the one discussed. The characterization of a novel ion source is presented in detail along with the other system components. Deposition rates and thin film profiles are used to validate experimental results and predict thin film properties for various operating conditions. Coatings produced by the system are studied and used to determine film characteristics of interest to the application of outdoor art. Structural thin film properties of interest for long outdoor lifetime art work include film adhesion, density, and residual stress. Visual thin film properties important for the artwork are related to optical properties such as reflection, transmission, and absorption. The plasma-based deposition system is shown to be a tool of high potential for creating engaging, long lifetime art pieces.
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Subject
engineering
ion source
thin film
hidden anode
art
sputter deposition