Ion Times
February 2020 Newsletter
Photonics West
Thanks to all our visitors that stopped at our booth during the show. We hope 2020 will be a productive year!
Coatings: Demonstration lab is open.
We have several optical materials available if you would like us to perform a demonstration coating. We are also in the process of integrating our Optical Monitor to our demonstration tool and should have this completed and ready for use in March. So far the the preliminary specifications are: Optical Monitor Specifications
We currently can deposit: SiO2, TiO2, and Ta2O5 at +/-0.5% uniformity using the planetary fixture. We are setup for 1″ diameter substrates. The planetary offers an economical approach to coating several optics at once: Planetary Specifications . The fixture holds 25mm diameter substrates up to 10mm thick.
Our single axis fixture currently holds 25mm and 50mm diameter substrates.
Please contact [email protected] with your requests.
Quick Tech Tip
Before purchasing a new set of grids for an older source, it is important to confirm the type of grid assembly will match the older set. We can help with the selection process and offer guidance for choosing the correct set of grids. We can also try to cross-reference older part numbers and check its description.
By the time the new grid set arrives for use, it is important to make sure the grids are installed properly. A quick test is to check how loose the assembly sits in the mounting hardware. Grids that are mounted should have some play or movement to allow for heat expansion. If the grid set is compressed too much, problems with beam drift may occur. If there are excessive gaps between the grid set and the mounting hardware, plasma shorting may cause issues. Proper installation is the sweet spot between no compression (too tight) and no gaps (too loose).
From Brett’s Desk
Our industry is coming full circle again. In the late 90’s I had the privilege working with talented folks who built and tested an optical monitor used to produce ion beam deposited DWDM telecom filters. Today I’m excited to see the roll out of the 5G network. When equipped with an Optical Monitor, our Techne deposition tool is a perfect fit that can deposit these next generation of telecom filters. We look forward to working with our customers in this industry and this next telecom revolution.
-Brett
Owner
Product of the Month: RF Linear Sources – our solution for in-line systems.
Our Linear ion beam sources are useful for in-line applications such as roll-to-roll or web coaters. The 6x30cm RF ion beam source can be equipped with either 6x30cm collimated graphite grids or 6x22cm shaped molybdenum grids, allowing greater process flexibility with a single ion source. Additionally, the gas, RF antenna cooling water, and DC connections have been placed on the side of the ion source instead of the rear giving the ion source more placement flexibility inside the chamber. We also offer a standard 6x22cm ion source with most of the same benefits, but constrained to 6x22cm molybdenum grids.
As with all RF ion sources, these can be run with both inert and reactive gases allowing a huge range of processes. With a maximum of 500mA and 1500V, these linear ion sources can handle both high-rate, high-throughput and precision assist or etch operations.
Both Linear sources offer a rectangular beam shape perfect for pre-cleaning parts. Contact us at 970-663-6988 for assistance.
