ICMCTF1999 Session G1: Innovations in Thin-film Manufacturing Processes

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 1:30 PM in Room Town & Country

Wednesday Afternoon

Start	Invited?	Item
1:30 PM	Invited	G1-1 Thin Film Applications in Automobile Industry Y. Taga (Toyota Central Research and Development Labs., Inc., Japan) The novelty of the functions provided by thin film technologies, together with their durability for practical use, is emphasized as the area where thin film process has a significant impact. Remarkable advances have been made in recent years in science and technologiy of thin film process for deposition. Up to present, thin films have been industrialized in several fields of applications in automobile with a capability of a long term use under severe enviromental conditions. This review paper first describes a new concept of thin film process in materials sythesis on the baisis of ion-surface iteraction during deposition and then illustrates several examples. These include (1) a new material of Ta-Sn-O films and the application to inorganic electroluminescent displays, (2) improvement of surface morphology of Indium Tin Oxide films by sputtering conditions and (3) an organic light-emitting thin film materials and devices ferformance. Furhter challenges to the application of sophisticated thin film technology to automobile will be discussed.
2:10 PM	Invited	G1-3 Design Principles of Deposition Equipment for Wear Resistant Coatings: Theory and Examples of Applications E.O. Bergmann (Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Genève, Switzerland); D. Doervald, G. van der Kolk (Hauzer Techno Coating Europe, Netherlands) Design criteria are developed for the various process steps of a deposition process. Variables used are substrate shape, size and weight, and the process parameters of the conditioning and process steps. These parameters are linked to the physical characteristics of the conditioning elements, the vapor sources and the transport process. The procedure can be used to generate an optimum design for the coating of various parts for given requirements: process, coating type and specific output or selected batch size. The procedure can be used to configure customized equipment or equipment best suited for a particular type of application. Its application is illustrated with several examples: Batch type and inline equipment for decorative coating of houseware, Tool coater for a job coating operation with mixed batches, a coater for the large scale coating of wear parts. Note: Requested an Oral Session.Design criteria are developed for the various process steps of a deposition process. Variables used are substrate shape, size and weight, and the process parameters of the conditioning and process steps. These parameters are linked to the physical characteristics of the conditioning elements, the vapor sources and the transport process. The procedure can be used to generate an optimum design for the coating of various parts for given requirements: process, coating type and specific output or selected batch size. The procedure can be used to configure customized equipment or equipment best suited for a particular type of application. Its application is illustrated with several examples: Batch type and inline equipment for decorative coating of houseware, Tool coater for a job coating operation with mixed batches, a coater for the large scale coating of wear parts.
2:50 PM		G1-5 Deposition of Copper by Using Self Sputtering J. Fu, P. Ding, F. Dorleans, Z. Xu, F. Chen (Applied Materials, Inc.) Magnetron sputtering source using sustained self sputtering has been developed for uniform deposition of copper on large wafers (200 mm). Usually Ar gas is used in sputter deposition. In sustained self sputtering, the sputtered Cu atoms were ionized in magnetron plasma, some Cu ions were accelerated to sputter more Cu atoms out of target, and no Ar gas was used for deposition. In this work, the magnetron was optimized to allow sustained self sputter deposition of Cu on 200 mm wafers with reasonable power (9-12 kW). Using a target of 325 mm in diameter, the minimum power density to sustain plasma without using Ar gas was reduced to 10.8 W/cm². This was much lower than the threshold power density reported in literature. In a long throw source, in which the spacing between the target and wafer was 16 cm, the resulting deposition rate was about 320 nm/minute when 12 kW of DC power was applied. The standard deviation of film thickness was less than 2.5% in our limited experiments. The pressure during sputtering was less than 3x10^-6 Torr. In comparison with Ar sputtering at Ar pressure of 1 mT, the step coverage was improved by about 20% by using sustained self sputtering. The step coverage can be further increased when the throw distance is increased. However, we did not observe significant enhancement of step coverage by applying DC and RF biases to wafer during sustained self sputtering, although about 20% of Cu species arriving the wafers were ionized.
3:30 PM		G1-7 PVD-INLINE System - A New Concept for High Productivity in Industrial Application R. Wilberg, M. Falz, T. Lunow (VTD, Dresden, Germany); M. Ertl (ECE, Bensheim, Germany) The increasing demand of hard coatings as surface finish in mass production industries like door hardware or sanitary hardware requires new aspects in production systems. In addition to BATCH-systems introduced until now,a new concept of machines, the INLINE-system has been developed for this solution. While in batch systems all technological process steps are executed in one and the same process vessel in sequence, the INLINE system provides several chambers were the single process steps are performed in parallel operation. Comparing the two systems, many technological and economical advantages favour of the INLINE. Using an INLINE system, an automated operation can be achieved to the greatest extent. The coating unit can be linked automatically to the previons pre-cleaning system without any manual handling and operation. Multilayer coatings can be performed without any extension of the coating cycle. The new developed and manufactured 5-chamber-INLINE system is presented for PVD coatings of Cr and ZrN on brass substrates. The main advantage of this system is the substitute of electroplated chromium as corrosion barrierlayer by a PVD sputtering deposition. In addition to the most important technological results, economical aspects are presented.
3:50 PM		G1-8 Bio-compatible Low Reflective Coatings for Surgical Tools Using Reactive DC-Magnetron Sputtering and Arc-Evaporation - a Comparison Regarding Steam Sterilisation Resistance F. Hollstein, S. Scholz (Techno-Coat Oberflächentechnik GmbH Zittau, Germany); P. Louda (Technical University of Liberec, Czech Republic) The reflection and scattering of bright light from the surfaces of surgical tools disturb the visual operating field of the surgeon. To decrease this kind of disturbance a hard black PVD thin film offers itself as a possible precaution. In the present paper, the two dark PVD finish layers Ti-Al-N and Ti-C-N on stainless steel substrates were considered. The coatings were performed by dc-magnetron sputtering or arc-evaporation, respectively. For corrosion protection a Nb-Ti-N interlayer as diffusion barrier was studied. The main problem to be solved was the long-time steam oxidation due to multiple sterilisation cleansings of the surgical tools. Long-time oxidation stability of super-lattice Nb-Ti-N/Ti-Al-N and Nb-Ti-N/Ti-C-N on stainless steel substrates is sufficiently affected by the PVD coating methods. The results of dc-magnetron sputtering and arc-evaporation coatings are presented comparatively regarding different processing parameters for an industrial PVD-engine of the HTC 1000/4 ABS^TM type.
4:10 PM		G1-9 Study of Zinc Coatings on Steel Substrate Attained by Two Different Techniques Y. De Abreu, A. Da Silva, A. Ruiz, R. Requiz (University Simon Bolivar, Venezuela); N. Angulo, R. Alanis (Lamigal, Venezuela) The purpose of this research was to identify the influence of different work parameters, such as bath temperature, cooling rate, air knives wiping, dipping time and bath alloy additions, on the morphology and coating thickness attained ussing two different galvanized processes: Cook Norteman and Sendzimir. The data of these operational variables were reported for each process. Optical and scanning electron microscopies were used to characterize the microstructure of the metallic samples. Also, bending tests were performed in order to evaluate the adhesion of the coatings. It was found that the most influential step in galvanizing was dipping. At this stage, the bath temperature, the air knives parameters and the aluminum concentration, were the factors that determined the coating morphologies obtained. Also, it was found that Al concentration during dipping, controls the formation of eta Fe-Zn intermetallic phase. For Al concentration lower than 0.09 wt. %, the alloy layer formed on the steel consisted of eta, theta, delta and gamma phases; the Fe content increases from the outer surface down to the coating substrate interface. Higher concentration of Al (more than 0.16 wt %) produced eta phase that is richer in Zn than in the former case. Also, close to the substrate coating interphase, lamellas rich in Fe, Al and Zn were formed. Both coatings showed good adherence under the same testing conditions.
4:30 PM		G1-10 Novel Thin Film Interconnects F.A. Malik, M. Hassan (EMMAY, Pakistan) Interconnects and associated photolithography play a dominant role in the feature shrinkage of electronic devices. Most interconnects are fabricated by use of thin film processing techniques. Planarization of dielectrics and novel metal deposition methods are being investigated. Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) of oxides and metals is fast becoming the choice method. Instead of physical vapor deposition recent trends have been towards chemical vapor deposition of metals. Interconnects are being fabricated in conjunction with planarized dielectric layers. Plasma anodization of aluminum can greatly simplify multilevel metallization processing. Deposited aluminum can be changed to insulting oxide by plasma anodization. Reliability of devices will depend to a large extent on the quality of the interconnects.