Ion-Assisted Vacuum Evaporation Equipment

The Ion-Assisted Vacuum Evaporation System integrates high-vacuum thermal or electron-beam evaporation sources with a Kaufman-type or End-Hall ion source. By bombarding the growing film with ionized gas (Ar or O2) during physical vapor deposition (PVD), the system transfers kinetic energy to adatoms, suppressing columnar microstructure and preventing moisture absorption in optical and dielectric thin films.

Built for cleanroom integration and continuous multi-shift production, the system scales from R&D footprints (300 mm chambers) to high-throughput industrial lines (900 mm dual-door and planetary rotation configurations).

Near-Bulk Density: Elevated adatom surface mobility eliminates visible film porosity and maximizes mechanical hardness.

Intrinsic Stress Tuning: Adjustable ion beam energy neutralizes mechanical stress, preventing delamination on thick dielectric stacks.

Low-Thermal-Budget Processing: Momentum-driven densification allows high-performance coating on temperature-sensitive polymer substrates without thermal distortion.

Recipe Automation: PLC-controlled vacuum interlocks and pump-down sequencing managed via an industrial touch-panel HMI with data logging.

Roughing Stage: Dual-stage rotary vane mechanical pump coupled with a roots blower (150 L/s speed) for fast crossover.

High Vacuum Stage: Magnetically levitated turbomolecular pump (1600 L/s) backed by an oil-free dry scroll pump to eliminate hydrocarbon backstreaming.

Cryogenic Option: Liquid nitrogen cold trap and cryopump integration for low water-vapor partial pressures.

Vacuum Measurement: Cross-calibrated Pirani and Cold Cathode gauges for real-time feedback from atmosphere to 10^-7 Pa.

Evaporation Materials
Oxides: SiO2, TiO2, Ta2O5, Nb2O5, Al2O3

Fluorides: MgF2, LaF3

Metals: Al, Ag, Au, Ti, Cr

Substrate Compatibility
Optical Substrates: Fused silica, N-BK7, silicon, germanium, and zinc selenide windows.

Semiconductor Wafers: 100 mm to 300 mm silicon and compound semiconductor wafers.

Polymers: PET, PI (Polyimide), and PMMA films using low-temperature IAD parameters.

Precision Optics: Anti-reflective (AR) coatings, laser mirrors, and narrow bandpass filters requiring humidity resistance.

Microelectronics: Metal gate electrodes, adhesion layers, and passivation barriers in semiconductor packaging.

Optoelectronics: Transparent conductive oxide (TCO) contacts and OLED moisture-barrier encapsulation layers.

Chamber Geometry: Rectangular or cylindrical builds tailored to cleanroom wall constraints.

Multi-Source Integration: Co-evaporation setups accommodating up to three E-beam guns and four thermal boats.

In-Situ Metrology Ports: Flange integration ports for spectroscopic ellipsometers or optical monitoring systems.

Automation Level: Semi-automatic research builds or fully automated cassette-to-cassette wafer handling.

Leak Detection: Helium mass spectrometer testing on every chamber with a strict rejection threshold of < 1 x 10^-9 Pa*m^3/s.

Cleanliness Verification: Residual gas analyzer (RGA) scan performed pre-shipment to verify zero organic hydrocarbons.

System Burn-In: 72-hour continuous dry-run test of mechanical drives, cooling manifolds, and electrical interlocks.

Documentation: Material mill test certificates (MTRs), electrical schematics, and Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) reports.

Site Preparation: Detailed facility guide covering floor loading, chilled water (>= 5 m^3/h), clean dry air (CDA), and exhaust.

Commissioning: Field service deployment for mechanical leveling, utility hookup, vacuum calibration, and recipe sign-off.

Operator Training: 5-day on-site program covering operation, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and safety interlocks.

Spare Parts: Critical wear items (filaments, QCM crystals, seals, turbomolecular bearings) stocked regionally.