R&D inline pilot production coater now with HiPIMS Positive kick

Why add HiPIMS+ve Kick?

GP Plasma updated it inline coated for customer development work by adding HiPIMS positive-kick power supplies to the sputter targets. In summary providing the following;

* Semi-collimated flux for controlled film structure and minimizes deposition on chamber walls, improving target material efficiency.

* Lower temperature deposition critical for temperature sensitive substrates and minimizing film stress.

* Denser films for improved properties

* Better adhesion to the substrate reducing risk of film delamination or spallation.

Better Control Over Film Microstructure

  • Advantage: Semi-collimated flux allows precise control of film crystallinity and orientation, tailoring properties like electrical conductivity or optical transparency.

  • Impact: For perovskites and solar cells, controlled microstructure enhances charge carrier mobility and light absorption. In smart glass, it enables tunable optical properties (e.g., electrochromic switching).

  • Reason: The directional flux and high ion energy in HiPIMS promote ordered atomic arrangements, reducing grain boundary defects.

Improved Step Coverage for Complex Geometries

  • Advantage: Semi-collimated deposition provides better coverage on textured or patterned substrates, such as those used in advanced solar cells or smart glass with microstructured surfaces.

  • Impact: Enhanced step coverage ensures uniform coatings on non-planar surfaces, improving device performance and scalability.

  • Reason: The directional flux allows particles to reach recessed areas more effectively than isotropic deposition methods.

Improved Film Uniformity and Quality

  • Advantage: Semi-collimated flux ensures a more directional deposition, reducing angular spread of sputtered particles compared to conventional sputtering.

  • Impact: This leads to uniform film thickness and microstructure across large-area substrates like glass or sheet metal, critical for consistent performance in solar cells and smart glass coatings. Uniform films minimize defects, improving optical and electrical properties (e.g., transparency in smart glass or efficiency in perovskites).

  • Reason: The positive kick pulse enhances ion acceleration, directing sputtered species more perpendicularly to the substrate, reducing shadowing effects and ensuring even coverage.

Enhanced Adhesion and Density

  • Advantage: The high-energy, semi-collimated ions in HiPIMS increase the kinetic energy of deposited particles, promoting denser films with stronger adhesion to substrates like plastics or glass.

  • Impact: Dense films improve durability and resistance to environmental factors (e.g., moisture, UV) in solar and perovskite applications, extending device lifespan. Strong adhesion is particularly crucial for flexible plastic substrates, where delamination is a concern.

  • Reason: The energetic ion bombardment compacts the growing film, reducing voids and enhancing interfacial bonding.

Application-Specific Benefits

  • Solar Cells: Enhanced film density and uniformity improve charge transport and reduce recombination losses, boosting efficiency in silicon or perovskite solar cells.

  • Perovskites: Controlled microstructure and reduced defects enhance stability and performance, addressing key challenges in perovskite degradation.

  • Smart Glass Coatings: Uniform, dense films with tailored optical properties ensure consistent electrochromic or thermochromic performance across large glass panels.

Other Applications

  • Architectural Glass Coatings

  • Automotive Glass and Component Coatings

  • Flexible Electronics and Displays

  • Anti-Reflective and Optical Coatings for Consumer Electronics

  • Wear-Resistant and Decorative Coatings for Tools and Consumer Goods

  • Barrier Coatings for Packaging

  • Photovoltaic Module Encapsulation and Anti-Soiling Coatings

  • Medical Device Coatings

In summary, the semi-collimated deposition flux in HiPIMS with positive kick power supplies enables high-quality, uniform, and durable thin films, making it ideal for advanced applications on glass, plastics, or sheet metal substrates. These advantages stem from the directional control and high-energy ion flux, which optimize film properties for performance and scalability.

Troy vom Braucke