Combinatorial PVD
Description
The combinatorial PVD synthesis platform corresponds to magnetron cathode sputtering equipment, the purchase of which is financed under HIWAY-2-MAT. The installation of the equipment, brand Plassys-Bestek, is planned for December 2024. This involves simultaneously co-spraying 3 target materials (A, B, C), placed on cathodes, whose inclination can be individually modulated in an automated manner. This technique aims to deposit a thin film presenting a continuous composition gradient between 3 distinct zones, rich in A, B or C, located at the periphery of the substrate. It offers the advantage of being able to explore a vast field of compositions on the same substrate, up to 100 mm in diameter, in a single deposition experiment. The equipment has been designed to be able to deposit both insulating materials such as oxides and metallic materials.
Location
CEA Tech Pessac (Bordeaux).
Contacts
Platform managers: Gunay YILDIRIM
Associated targeted project coordinator: Guilhem DEZANNEAU
Technical characteristics
The deposition station is made up of 3 cathodes sized to accommodate targets of 50 mm in diameter. The cathodes can be powered by 3 radio-frequency (RF) generators or by 3 direct current (DC) generators. The equipment also offers the possibility of using 3 HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron sputtering) type power supplies. The inclination of each cathode can be controlled individually by motorized tilt adjustment, without having to open the vacuum deposition chamber.
The substrate holder placed above the 3 cathodes can accommodate a substrate up to 100 mm in diameter. The distance between the substrate holder and the group of 3 cathodes is adjustable. The substrate can be heated up to a maximum temperature of 650°C. The substrate holder is also RF polarizable. Finally, it is motorized to rotate; it can be placed at a fixed angular position before deposition.
A semi-automatic, single-plate SAS allows rapid loading and unloading of the substrate without having to open the vacuum deposition chamber.
In addition to the combinatorial PVD equipment, a monochromator was purchased to complete the configuration of an X-ray diffractometer (Rigaku Smart Lab XE 9kW, located at the ICMCB, contact aline.rougier@icmcb.cnrs.fr) allowing automated microdiffraction measurements of sample libraries to be carried out on a 10 x 10 cm² substrate.
Associated targeted project
