The thin film process uses liquid or gaseous chemicals, evaporation methods, or the sputtering process to create thin films. Chemical vapor deposition, evaporation, and sputtering are explained in detail. Thin films have many uses and are commonly made of metals and alloys on substrates such as plastics, glass, and ceramics.
The thin film process can involve a number of different chemical or physical procedures. The most common thin film processing techniques use liquid or gaseous chemicals, evaporation methods or the sputtering process. Combinations of these techniques are also common in the thin film process, which allows for greater control over the properties of the final product. The thin film process can be physical or chemical in nature.
Chemicals, in both liquid and gaseous forms, can be used to create a thin film. For example, chemical vapor deposition exposes a material to a chemical that decomposes or reacts with the material. There are often hazardous or volatile by-products created during this process, so laboratories must be equipped to dispose of the resulting chemicals. Heating the substrate can enhance thin film growth during chemical vapor deposition.
Evaporation is another common thin film process. In evaporation, the target material is heated until it evaporates or sublimes. Once the substance is a gas, it is released into a chamber which contains the substrate on which the thin film will form. The substance affects the substrate and forms a thin film.
There are several machines that can be used to evaporate target materials. These machines can heat a target material on a heated coil, platen or in a heated chamber. Substances can also be evaporated if they are hit by a beam of high intensity electrons or photons, such as those emitted by a laser.
The sputtering process, also called sputter deposition or reactive magnetron sputtering, is a commonly used thin-film process. During this process, a substrate is placed in a vacuum chamber in a specialized machine. Air is drawn from the chamber and the target material is released into the chamber in the form of a gas. Strong magnets create a charge which causes the target material to ionize and deposit on the substrate. Moving the substrate back and forth during this process ensures that the thin film is evenly distributed over its surface.
The thin film process creates thin films of various elements or molecules ranging from a few to a few hundred atoms thick. Thin films have many uses and are common components in computers, optical devices, and as color filters for cameras and telescopes. Thin films are commonly made of titanium, aluminum, gold, silver and alloys of these metals. Common substrates include metals, plastics, glass and ceramics.
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