Vacuum evaporation is a process where materials are heated to form thin films or coatings on various substrates. This process happens in a vacuum environment to prevent contamination and ensure that only the desired material forms the thin film.
7 Key Points Explained: What Materials are Used in Vacuum Evaporation?
1. Definition and Purpose of Evaporation Materials
Evaporation materials are substances used to form thin films or coatings on surfaces through the process of evaporation.
These materials are heated to high temperatures until they vaporize. The vaporized material then condenses on the substrate to form a thin film.
2. Evaporation Boats
Evaporation boats are essential thermal evaporation materials. They are often made from Tungsten, Molybdenum, and Tantalum.
These boats contain raw materials like BN, TiB2, and AlN powder. Variations include 3-component-boats and 2-component boats.
3. Basket Heaters
Basket heaters allow the evaporation material to be loaded directly into the basket without a crucible.
The choice of evaporation source is determined by the substrate being coated, ensuring a match between the source and the substrate.
4. Vacuum Evaporation Process
Vacuum evaporation occurs in a gas pressure range of 10-5 to 10-9 Torr to prevent contamination.
The material vaporized must reach a temperature where its vapor pressure is 10 mTorr or higher for an appreciable deposition rate.
Typical vaporization sources include resistively heated stranded wires, boats, or crucibles, and high-energy electron beams.
5. Indirect Heating
Some materials are prone to erosion when exposed to high temperatures directly, making indirect heating necessary.
Heat-resistant and stable materials like alumina, yttrium oxide, or zirconia are used to make crucibles for indirect heating.
6. Thermal Evaporation Materials
A broad range of materials can be used in vacuum evaporation, including gold, silver, titanium, silicon dioxide, tungsten, copper, and various alloys.
These materials are chosen based on their compatibility with the substrate and the desired film characteristics.
7. Historical Context
The study of thermal evaporation in vacuum began in the late 19th century, with early contributions from scientists like H. Hertz and S. Stefan.
Thomas Edison applied for a patent covering vacuum evaporation and film deposition, although his process did not involve the evaporation of molten materials.
By understanding these key points, a lab equipment purchaser can make informed decisions about the selection and use of evaporation materials in vacuum evaporation processes, ensuring the best results for their specific applications.
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