SVC Education Program
Course Titles and Descriptions
The Short Course Program Roster of courses has been developed by SVC instructors for SVC and the vacuum coating industry.
Course Schedule
Most of these courses are presented at the SVC Annual Technical Conference
The majority of the courses are available for presentation as part of the SVC On-Site Education Program - a program whereby the instructor and course can be brought to your site or geographical location.
Course Classification
The course codes are intended to provide the prospective attendee with some guidance as to whether the emphasis in the course is primarily on vacuum technology (V code), or vacuum coating deposition processes and technology (C code), or other miscellaneous topics (M code).
The course number is intended to indicate the level of course specialization - the lower numbers refer to courses which are basic or introductory in nature, and the higher numbers refer to courses that offer a more specialized treatment of a specific topic.
Each course title is linked to the course description and to the instructor's biographical sketch. The course description is then linked directly to the detailed course syllabus.
Course Titles
The group of courses on Vacuum Technology, Components and Systems (V-201, V-202, and V-203) is designed in modular form where each module can be taken as an individual stand-alone course, or all three courses can be taken at a discounted fee.
V-201 High Vacuum System Operation
V-202 Vacuum System Gas Analysis
V-203 Vacuum Materials and Large System Performance
V-206 Practical Helium Leak Detection Workshop
V-207 Practical Aspects of Vacuum Technology: Operation and Maintenance of Production Vacuum Systems
V-301 Care & Feeding of Mechanical Pumping Systems
V-304 Cryogenic High Vacuum Pumps
Nathaniel Sugerman Memorial Course
C-101 A Primer on Thin Films and Vacuum Technology
C-102 Introduction to Evaporation and Sputtering
C-103 An Introduction to Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Processes
C-104 An Introduction to Optical Coatings
C-203 Sputter Deposition (two day course)
C-204 Basics of Vacuum Web Coating
C-207 Evaporation as a Deposition Process
C-208 Sputter Deposition in Manufacturing
C-209 Material Science Aspects of Plasma Processing
C-210 Introduction to Plasma Processing Technology
C-211 Sputter Deposition onto Flexible Substrates
C-212 Troubleshooting for Thin Film Deposition Processes
C-213 Introduction to Smart Materials
C-301 Optical Coating Design & Monitoring
C-302 Practical Aspects of Optical Coating
C-303 Design and Manufacture of Optical Coatings Using Computer Methods
C-306 Non-Conventional and Atmospheric Plasma Sources in Processing Technology
C-307 Cathodic Arc Plasma Deposition
C-311 Thin Film Growth and Microstructure Evolution
C-312 Process Control for Applications in Large Area Sputtering
C-313 Practical Aspects of Permeation Measurement: From Polymer Films to Ultra-high Barriers
C-314 Plasma Modification of Polymer Materials and Plasma Web Treatment
C-315 Reactive Sputter Deposition
C-316 Introduction to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Processes and Reactors
C-317 The Practice of Reactive Sputtering
C-318 Nucleation and Growth of Nanostructures
C-319 Introduction to Energy Conversion Materials and Technology
C-320 Diamond Like Carbon Coatings – from Basics to Industrial Realization
C-321 Alternative Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCOs) to ITO (half-day) NEW!
C-322 Characterization of Thin Films NEW!
C-323 High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering NEW!
M-101 Basic Principles of Color Measurement
M-102 Introduction to Ellipsometry
SVC Course Descriptions
The course descriptions are linked to a detailed course syllabus and the instructor’s biographical sketch.
Vacuum Technology: Components and Systems (V-201, V-202, V-203)
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This group of courses (V-201, V-202, and V-203) is designed in modular form where each module consists of a lecture, a problem-solving or demonstration session, and a review. All participants are expected to bring a pocket calculator and take part in group problem solving. The courses are not theoretical, but practical. They emphasize the underlying concepts in a physical rather than a mathematical way. Prerequisites are a desire to learn, and enough of a mathematics background to handle simple algebra. Persons registering for three of this specific group of courses at the SVC Technical Conference receive a discounted fee of $1,350 and only one textbook is provided in this case. The Student fee for all three courses is $425.
V-201 High Vacuum System Operation
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This course is intended for those who wish to learn how mechanical pumps and high vacuum pumps form a high vacuum system and how three such systems are operated. At the end of this course, using all available materials, a participant should be able to explain the operation of diffusion, cryo, and turbo pumped systems; understand the differences between a viscous gas and a rarefied gas; and show how these differences govern the operation of the systems.
Course Content
Attendees in this course receive the text, A User’s Guide to Vacuum Technology, 3rd edition, John O’Hanlon (John Wiley & Sons, 2003).
Instructor: John O'Hanlon, University of Arizona
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-202 Vacuum System Gas Analysis
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This course is intended for those who wish to understand how to analyze the performance of a vacuum system. Basic vacuum gauges that measure pressure in the low vacuum and in the high vacuum region will be described. Residual gas analyzers provide a useful method of analyzing the performance of a system and how various components are operating by looking at the partial pressures of individual gases. The class concludes with a discussion of leak detection: when it should be attempted and how to detect leaks with a pressure gauge, an RGA, and a mass spectrometer leak detector.
Course Content
Attendees in this course receive the text, A User’s Guide to Vacuum Technology, 3rd edition, John O’Hanlon (John Wiley & Sons, 2003).
Instructor: John O'Hanlon, University of Arizona
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-203 Vacuum Materials and Large System Performance
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This course is intended for those who wish to learn the basics of vacuum materials and large system performance. Materials used for sealing and constructing high vacuum systems, as well as fluids for pumping and lubricating will be reviewed. The performance of large systems used for coating rigid and flexible substrates forms the backbone of work done by members of the SVC. Here we will describe the performance of systems used for coating rigid substrates (batch coaters) and flexible substrates (roll coaters). We will characterize when, why, and how to cross-over properly from roughing pumping to high vacuum pumping for all types high vacuum system types. We will illustrate the effects of outgassing, permeation and gas loading on system operation.
Course Content
Attendees in this course receive the text, A User’s Guide to Vacuum Technology, 3rd edition, John O’Hanlon (John Wiley & Sons, 2003).
Instructor: John O'Hanlon, University of Arizona
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-206 Practical Helium Leak Detection Workshop
This one-day program is designed for anyone who has a need to find small leaks in components or systems but has a limited background in helium leak detection—this covers operators of production equipment, as well as maintenance and engineering personnel who require a practical, hands-on, helium mass spectrometry leak detection (HMSLD) program.
The objectives of this course are to explain (1) the theory and reasons for using helium leak detection, (2) the principal techniques of leak detection, and (3) the practical operation of finding leaks. This introductory program provides a review of the history and terminology of HMSLD and is followed by a hands-on discussion of the theory of process. A review is provided of different styles of machines plus the components within such a unit. Each technique of leak detection will be discussed, and then attendees will have the opportunity to operate a working leak detector and sort areas of leaks from nonleaks using these techniques. Near the end of the program there will be a complete review of required maintenance procedures and possible field service.
Course Content
Instructor: David B. Webb, Vacua Techniques Company
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-207 Practical Aspects of Vacuum Technology: Operation and Maintenance of Production Vacuum Systems
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This course is designed to teach the basic fundamentals of vacuum technology to technicians, equipment operators, line process operators, and maintenance personnel. This course will address how to use and maintain an existing vacuum effectively, not how to design a system. The introduction will consist of a very basic explanation of what a vacuum is and how it is attained and proceeds to an explanation of the three gas flow regimes (i.e., viscous, transition, and molecular flow). This is followed by a description of the types of pumps used in the viscous flow region (e.g., mechanical displacement pumps, venturi/suction pumps, and sorption pumps). Types of high vacuum pumps are next discussed; these include diffusion pumps, turbopumps, and cryopumps.
The next section deals with the care and maintenance of pumps and vacuum systems, including both compressible “rubber” gasket and metal gasket systems. The unique role that water plays in both pumpdown from atmosphere and in outgassing will be addressed, and techniques to ameliorate its harmful effects will be presented. The effects of other unique “bad actors” will be discussed also. Many useful charts and tables will be presented and explained.
Participants are requested to present any problems or difficulty that they may be experiencing with their vacuum systems for discussion. This makes for very interesting examples, and the problem might actually be solved.
Course Content
Instructor: Robert A. Langley, Oak Ridge Scientific Consultants
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-301 Care & Feeding of Mechanical Pumping Systems (half day)
This course provides the attendee with an overview of the various pumps that are used in the roughing pump regime. These include mechanical pumps (direct drive, rotary piston, vane), Roots blowers, dry pumps, and cryogenic pumps for pumping water vapor. The design of each type of pump will be described. In addition, the recommended use for each pump, proper operation, and maintenance will be discussed. A major part of the course is a detailed discussion on the pumping of water vapor, preventing mechanical pump oil backstreaming, and sizing of the pumping system for particular applications.
Course Content
Instructor: Leon McCrary, Denton Vacuum, LLC (retired)
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
V-304 Cryogenic High Vacuum Pumps
Cryogenic high vacuum pumps are used on a wide variety of vacuum deposition and process equipment (evaporation, sputtering, ion implant), space simulation systems, and on analytical instruments. They produce high pumping speeds for all gases and work over a wide range of pressures. To use these pumps effectively, it is helpful to understand their advantages as well as their limitations. The focus will be on cryopumps using closed-loop helium gas refrigerators, but other types of liquid cryogen and sorption pumps will be discussed.
The course is designed for users and operators of vacuum systems, process engineers, equipment designers, and maintenance staff.
Course Content:
Instructor: Gary S. Ash, Castle Brook Corporation
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
Nathaniel Sugerman Memorial Course
C-101 A Primer on Thin Films and Vacuum Technology
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Nathaniel Sugerman was a founding member, an avid supporter, and mentor of the Society of Vacuum Coaters. This course was created in his memory for newcomers to the vacuum coating industry and for those nontechnical people associated with the industry who wish to gain a basic knowledge of thin film and vacuum technology. The course is intended for people who are complete novices in the field.
This course will provide an overview of vacuum and thin film technology associated with the manufacture of a variety of consumer products. These products are compact discs, food packaging barrier coatings (e.g.; potato chip bags), sunglasses and ophthalmic coatings, optical coatings, and integrated circuits.
The deposition techniques used to manufacture the above-listed products will be described at the introductory level, including sputtering, evaporation, and chemical vapor deposition. In addition, a survey of various methods to clean and prepare substrates will be discussed. The nature of what a vacuum is, how it is achieved, and the techniques required to maintain the necessary vacuum for the above deposition processes will be described in some detail. Vacuum measurement techniques and residual gas analysis will be given a brief overview. Students will be given a private preview of typical key exhibits prior to the opening of the Exhibit Hall.
Course Content
The course fee includes the SVC Education Guides to Vacuum Coating Processing.
Instructor: Leon McCrary, Denton Vacuum, LLC (retired)
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-102 Introduction to Evaporation and Sputtering (half day)
This is an introductory course for people who would like to become familiar with the principles of evaporation and sputtering. The
basic physical and chemical processes that occur at the source and the factors that control the film properties will be described for both techniques. Typical applications will be discussed and used to contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods.
Course Content
Instructor: David Glocker, Isoflux Incorporated
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-103 An Introduction to Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Processes
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Physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes are atomistic deposition processes in which material vaporized from a source is transported in the form of a vapor through a vacuum or low-pressure gaseous environment to the substrate, where it condenses and film growth takes place. PVD processes can be used to deposit films of compound materials by the reaction of depositing material with the ambient gas environment or with a codeposited material. This course will discuss and compare the four basic PVD techniques: vacuum evaporation, sputter deposition, arc vapor deposition, and ion plating. Vacuum evaporation uses thermal vaporization as a source of depositing atoms; sputter deposition uses physical sputtering as the vaporizing source; arc vapor deposition uses a high-current, low-voltage arc for vaporization; and ion plating uses concurrent or periodic energetic particle bombardment to modify the film growth. The parameters used for each technique will be discussed along with their advantages, disadvantages, and applications. This is an entry-level course to acquaint the students with various PVD processes used for “surface engineering.”
Course Content
The course fee includes the text, Handbook of Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Processing, Donald M. Mattox (William Andrew Publishing/Noyes Publications, 1998).
Instructor: S. Ismat Shah, University of Delaware
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-104 An Introduction to Optical Coatings
A one-day introduction to optical coatings and their design, manufacture, and behavior is taught at a fundamental level. A knowledge of basic principles is the key to solving even complex and involved problems. Why are metals better for some coatings than dielectrics? How many layers are needed for high reflectance? How can adhesive tape stick better than an optical coating even though it has a poorer adhesive force? Why do coating properties drift after manufacture? Why is it difficult to find high-index materials for the ultraviolet? Why does coating performance vary with angle of incidence? The material covered in this course should make answers to these and similar questions immediately clear.
The level of the course is suitable for those new to the field, those who want a quick refresher, or those with experience who would like to fit it into an ordered framework. Advanced mathematics is definitely not required.
Course Content
Instructor: H. Angus Macleod, Thin Film Center, Inc.
C-203 Sputter Deposition (two – day course)
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This course covers fundamental mechanisms associated with generation of glow discharges, sputtering, and energetics of target and substrate processes. Operation and system design will be discussed for dc, rf, magnetron (both magnetically balanced and unbalanced), pulsed dc, and ion beam sputtering. The advantages and disadvantages of these different modes of operation will be examined from the point of view of controlling film properties. Emphasis is placed on developing a sufficient understanding of sputter deposition to provide direction in designing new processes. Present and future trends in sputter deposition also will be addressed.
Course Content
Instructor: Joe Greene, Editor-in-Chief of Thin Solid Films, the D. B. Willett Professor of Materials Science and Physics, University of Illinois, and Past Director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory.
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-204 Basics of Vacuum Web Coating
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This course is intended for roll coater machine operators, maintenance personnel, technicians, engineers, scientists, supervisors, and others who would benefit from an introduction to issues related to roll-to-roll vacuum coating onto polymer substrates. This course will emphasize practical aspects of the topics, and the treatment will be descriptive with little mathematics used. The course focuses strongly on coatings made by resistance evaporation but touches on e-beam and induction evaporation and sputter coating. If your primary interest is sputtering onto webs, please see our other offering, “Sputter Deposition onto Flexible Substrates” (C-211).
Course Content
This course provides the participant with an introduction to:
Instructor: Donald J. McClure, Acuity Consulting and Training
C-207 Evaporation as a Deposition Process
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Evaporation is a technology used widely to produce thin films in vacuum. The course describes the basics of evaporation and its utilization in various technological processes. The course provides the conceptional basis for a wide range of evaporation techniques. It is designed to meet the needs of both a newcomer to the field and the experienced professional. Experienced scientists and engineers will have an opportunity to broaden their view of this field and deepen their understanding of evaporation processes.
Course Content
Instructor: Abe Belkind, Abe Belkind & Associates
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-208 Sputter Deposition in Manufacturing
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This course emphasizes issues of practical importance to those using sputtering as a manufacturing process. It is intended for engineers, scientists, and technicians who would like an understanding of the factors that influence product throughput, coating quality, and process robustness and reliability. The primary focus will be on the use of planar magnetrons of various shapes, but other sources will be covered as well. The relationships between the sputtering conditions and important film properties—such as microstructure, composition, stress, adhesion and the resulting mechanical, electrical, and optical characteristics—will be discussed. New developments that are finding their way into practical applications also will be highlighted. No prior formal training in sputtering is required to appreciate the course content.
Course Content
Instructor: David Glocker, Isoflux Incorporated
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-209 Material Science Aspects of Plasma Processing (half-day)
Numerous plasma processes are used to either produce or modify inorganic and organic thin film coatings. Among the more commonly used approaches are physical and reactive sputtering, plasma chemical vapor deposition, ion plating, and surface modification. Within these process categories there exist several plasma modes operating in different power, frequency, and gas throughput regimes and in a variety of plasma apparatus configurations. It is the intent of this course to introduce the student to the basic plasma features that all the above-mentioned process variations have in common, and only then bring out the ways in which they differ in kind or degree. Special attention will be given to the importance and methods of control of key unique plasma species and their energetic state, their subsequent impact on the coating growth processes, and ultimate film composition and microstructure, as well as the consequences on a variety of functional properties.
Course Content:
Instructor: Eric Kay, Consultant, IBM Emeritus
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-210 Introduction to Plasma Processing Technology (half day)
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The goal of the course is to show the link and provide understanding of relations between coating application, coating (or modified surface) properties, selection criteria on process characteristics, selection criteria on plasma parameters, and method design. It is possible to predict how the process parameters will be reflected in the coating and in the opposite direction, requirements on the coating properties can imply how the process should be designed.
Course Content
Instructors: Hana Baránková and Ladislav Bárdos, Uppsala University, Sweden, and BB Plasma HB, Sweden.
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-211 Sputter Deposition onto Flexible Substrates
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This course is intended for engineers, scientists, and others who are interested in sputter deposition onto polymer substrates in a roll-to-roll format. This course will emphasize practical aspects of the topics, and the treatment will be descriptive with little mathematics used. Some of the material presented overlaps with material presented in our other offering, “Basics of Vacuum Web Coating” (C-204). Feel free to contact the instructor if you feel uncertain about which course is most appropriate for your needs. There will be time dedicated to problem solving; bring your questions and problems and leave with new solutions and/or new directions.
Course Content
This course provides the participant with an introduction to:
Additionally, the notes provide extensive information and references to sputtering (written at several levels) and a comprehensive bibliography on sputter web coating.
Instructor: Donald J. McClure, Acuity Consulting and Training
C-212 Troubleshooting for Thin Film Deposition Processes
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Vacuum deposited thin films are used for optical coatings, electrically-conductive coatings, semiconductor wafer fabrication, and a wide variety of other uses. They may be deposited on glass, plastic, semiconductors, and other materials. Usually, a vacuum deposition process produces durable, adherant films of good quality. But what do you do when things go wrong? Not all films can be deposited on all substrate materials. Sometimes films peel off or crack. Other times they are cloudy, absorbing, scattering, or have other unacceptable properties.
This course will teach you about techniques and tools that can be used to identify the source of the problems, correct the process, and get back into production. It will also help in learning how to develop new processes and products. The course is designed for process engineers and technicians, quality control personnel, thin film designers, and maintenance staff.
Course Content
Instructor: Gary S. Ash, Castle Brook Corporation
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-213 Introduction to Smart Materials (half-day)
This course will focus on the basic principles and mechanisms of smart materials and structures, and provide a spring board for further study. Smart materials and systems are now being used in virtually all areas of technology, and in many high and low-tech applications and products, and have thousands of applications in today’s world. In the context of this course "smart material" is a general term for a broad category of multifunctional materials having a specific property (optical, mechanical, electronic, etc.) that can sense the environment and be controllably modified. They are used to color and control the transmission of windows, precisely position moving parts in machinery and aircraft, sense motion and changes in locations of structures, change the shape of structures (including aircraft wings and nose cones), monitor corrosion and stress in materials and structures, and control many biological functions. Appliances as simple as toasters use smart materials to control the darkness of toast. Many of these materials and structures emulate biological systems that can adapt to changes in their environment, and development of these materials involves combining several technological disciplines, including materials science, chemistry, solid state physics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and robotics. The course will also address how smart materials rely on molecular and atomic engineering of materials in such a way that the functionality of the material in an integral part of the microstructure itself.
Course content
Instructor: Peter M. Martin, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
Practical Aspects of Optical Coatings
This group of courses (C-301, C-302, and C-303) is intended for engineers and technicians who are relatively new to the field of optical coatings—and are interested in how to make them, what to make them out of, and optical designs and design techniques.
Attendees may register for course C-301, C-302, and C-303, or any one of these individual courses that fits their schedule because each day is designed as a stand-alone course.
C-301 Optical Coating Design and Monitoring
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This course covers optical coating design principles and techniques from both classical approaches and other different viewpoints. Methods for the design and execution of monitoring strategies to produce desired coating results are described. The sensitivities, possibilities, and limitations of most control techniques are described.
Course Content
Instructor: Ronald R. Willey, Willey Optical, Consultants
The course fee includes two textbooks: Practical Design of Optical Thin Films, Ronald R. Willey, 2007; and Practical Monitoring and Control of Optical Thin Films, Ronald R. Willey, 2007 (both published by Willey Optical Consultants).
Instructor: Ronald R. Willey, Willey Optical, Consultants
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-302 Practical Aspects of Optical Coatings
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This course covers methods for depositing optical thin film materials and the parameters to control to achieve desired properties. Various deposition source types will be presented with strong emphasis on physical vapor deposition (sputtering and evaporation). Both qualitative and quantitative methods for characterizing thin films will be presented.
Course Content
Instructor: Dale E. Morton, Denton Vacuum, LLC (retired)
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-303 Design and Manufacture of Optical Coatings using Computer Methods
In the first part of this course the performance of classical optical coatings, such as antireflection coatings, reflectors, cutoff filters, bandpass filters, polarizers, and beam splitters is reviewed. Next, various coatings for other, less conventional, but high-volume applications are described. These include coatings for architectural and automotive uses, energy-related applications, use in communications and display devices, computer applications, use as decorative coatings, inhibiting the counterfeiting of documents and currency, and various nonprimary optical functions. In the last part of the course, various numerical methods are outlined that can be used for the design and during the actual manufacture of multilayer coatings for the above-listed applications. Refinement techniques are discussed that can be used to enhance the performance of reasonable starting designs, as well as various synthesis methods that do not require a starting design. These latter techniques include the comprehensive search, gradual evolution, minus filter, the flip-flop, needle, and the inverse Fourier transform methods. All are illustrated by examples. Hints are given on what to look for when choosing a commercial thin film design program.
Instructor: George Dobrowolski, NRC of Canada (retired)
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-304 ITO and Other Transparent Conductive Coatings: Fundamentals, Deposition, Properties, and Applications
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This course is intended for scientists, engineers, technicians, and others, interested in understanding the deposition and properties of transparent conductive coatings (TCCs). The major topic of the course is indium tin oxide, ITO. Deposition by dc magnetron sputtering is emphasized although all common deposition processes are described. Specific examples of the ITO properties achieved with evaporation, reactive and ceramic target sputtering deposition processes are shown. Post-deposition processing also is discussed. A methodology is described for developing an ITO (or any TCC) deposition process in your own equipment. Typical ITO properties are compared with those achieved by metals and metal nitrides TCC (alternative TCO to ITO are not discussed – see C-321). The selection and design of a TCC to meet the requirements of a particular application are presented. Some knowledge of basic thin film coatings and interference optics is assumed, although key basics will be reviewed. The course will briefly cover the basic physics and fundamentals of conductivity. A prior introductory solid state physics course would be helpful but is not required. Time will be available for questions concerning your process problems.
Course Content
Instructor: Clark Bright, 3M Corporation
C-306 Non-Conventional and Atmospheric Plasma Sources in Processing Technology
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This course is a new edition of a well-established annual course started in 1997. It is intended for anyone using or planning to use plasma processing technology, including cold atmospheric plasma sources and applications. Extensive applications of plasma processing are accompanied by an intense development of different new plasma sources and methods (e.g., afterglow and downstream plasmas, pulsed plasmas, inductively coupled plasmas and helicons, dc and rf hollow cathode plasmas, atmospheric plasmas, etc.). The course covers both the explanation of basic physical and technical principles of conventional and non-conventional systems and typical examples of their applications. This is very important not only for adopting new plasma technologies and easier orientation in a new market, but also for better understanding of conventional commercialized systems.
Course Content
Instructors: Ladislav Bárdos and Hana Baránková, Uppsala University and BB Plasma HB, Sweden
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-307 Cathodic Arc Plasma Deposition
This course is intended for engineers, technicians, and others interested in understanding deposition equipment, the deposition process, and film properties of cathodic arc deposition. The course covers the basic physics and fundamental science of cathodic vacuum arc discharges, proper equipment design, and the particulars of arc coatings applications. Cathodic arc plasma parameters and their consequences for film properties are discussed. Cathodic arc deposition equipment is described and compared to other coatings equipment such as sputter and evaporation systems. The properties of cathodic arc-deposited coatings are reviewed and compared to coatings obtained by other deposition methods. Industrial aspects are discussed with emphasis on industrial applications and production processing. New fields of application and emerging cathodic arc applications are mentioned. Time will be available for questions concerning the applicability of cathodic arc films to specific problems such as the design and operation of cathodic arc deposition systems.
Course Content
Instructors: Andre Anders, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Gary Vergason, Vergason Technology, Inc.
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
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This course is intended for design engineers, materials scientists, and coatings developers who have a need to specify and develop coatings for tribological applications (i.e., those in which wear must be reduced or prevented and/or friction minimized). The coatings also may need to have corrosion-resistant properties to operate in arduous conditions. The course begins with a description of the mechanics of wear and discusses the problems of selecting coatings for optimal tribological performance. An overview of the main processes for producing tribological coatings is given, emphasizing vacuum deposition methods. Tribological test methods also are over-viewed, including tests for adhesion and mechanical properties. Coatings developed for enhanced tribological properties are described, and information is provided on some applications for these coatings.
Course Content
Instructors: Allan Matthews, University of Sheffield, UK and Bill Sproul, Reactive Sputtering, Inc.
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-311 Thin Film Growth and Microstructure Evolution
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This course is intended for engineers, technicians, and others involved with the vapor deposition of thin films by sputtering, evaporation, MBE, CVD, GS-MBE, etc., and who need to obtain a better understanding of the effects of operating parameters on the properties of metal, semiconductor, and dielectric films and alloys. The course is concentrated on the development of a detailed atomic-scale understanding of the primary experimental variables and surface reaction paths controlling nucleation/growth kinetics and microstructural evolution during vapor-phase deposition of thin films. The goal is to develop an appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages of competing growth techniques and to learn how to design better and more efficient film growth processes to achieve required properties.
Thin-film technology is pervasive in many advanced fields of modern technology including microelectronics, optics, magnetics, hard and corrosion-resistant coatings, micromechanics, etc. Progress in each of these areas depends upon the ability to selectively and controllably deposit thin films (thickness ranging from tens of Ångstroms to micrometers) with specified physical properties. This, in turn, requires control—often at the atomic level—of film microstructure and microchemistry.
Essential fundamental aspects, as well as the technology of thin-film nucleation and growth from the vapor phase (evaporation, MBE, sputtering, and CVD) are discussed in detail and highlighted with “real” examples. The course begins with an introduction on substrate surfaces: structure, reconstruction, and adsorption/desorption kinetics. Nucleation processes are treated in detail using insights obtained from both in situ (RHEED, LEED, STM, AES, EELS, etc.) and post-deposition (TEM and AFM) analyses. The primary modes of nucleation include two-dimensional (step flow, layer-by-layer, and two-dimensional multilayer), three-dimensional, and Stranski-Krastanov. The fundamental limits of epitaxy will be discussed.
Experimental results and simulations will be used to illustrate processes controlling three-dimensional nucleation kinetics, island coalescence, clustering, secondary nucleation, column formation, preferred orientation, and microstructure evolution. The effects of low-energy ion-irradiation during deposition, as used in sputtering and plasma-CVD, will be discussed with examples.
Course Content
The course provides an understanding of:
Instructor: Joe Greene, Editor-in-Chief of Thin Solid Films, the D. B. Willett Professor of Materials Science and Physics, University of Illinois, and Past Director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory.
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-312 Process Control for Applications in Large Area Sputtering (half day)
This short course is recommended for R&D staff members, engineers, and technicians who develop and operate reactive magnetron sputtering processes with both planar and rotatable cathodes. This technique is important for deposition of oxides, nitrides, and other compound films. The industrial application of such processes in production lines is mainly related to large area glass and web coatings. The requirements for high productivity demand fast feedback control loops to overcome hysteresis effects. Besides long-term stable deposition rates, the process control features also have to consider the film uniformity and stoichiometry to ensure customized film properties.
Course Content
Instructor: Johannes Strümpfel, VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH, Germany
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-313 Practical Aspects of Permeation Measurement: From Polymer Films to Ultra-high Barriers (half-day)
More and more applications based on web-coating require detailed permeation characteristics. Examples are flexible electronics (displays, solar cells, batteries etc.) and vacuum insulating panels. This course is designed for those who wish to learn about methods to measure the rate of permeation of gases and vapors through films. The course will provide an understanding of basic permeation processes through polymers and barrier layers, and basic principles and apparatus used to measure the permeability of polymers and barrier films. We will introduce chemical sensors used in permeation measurements and discuss recent developments based on nanotechnology.
Course Content
Instructors: Holger Nörenberg, Technolox Ltd., United Kingdom and Bernard Henry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
C-314 Plasma Modification of Polymer Materials and Plasma Web Treatment
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Plasma treatments are used in the web coating and roll conversion industries to tailor polymer surfaces while preserving their bulk properties. This course is intended for engineers, scientists, and technicians who would like to gain a better understanding of the influence of plasma process factors on treatment performance, as well as the practical issues related to process robustness, process speed, and ease of scale-up. While much of the course deals with treatment of polymer webs, the key concepts presented are applicable to polymer surfaces in general and plasma treatment of materials in general.
The course will include:
Instructor: Jeremy M. Grace, Eastman Kodak
Instructor: Jeremy M. Grace, Eastman Kodak
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
C-315 Reactive Sputter Deposition
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This course covers the fundamental mechanisms and technology of high rate reactive sputter deposition of conducting and insulating thin films. Following a brief introduction to reactive sputtering, including discussion of basic issues, target choices, and system configurations, we examine the effects of reactive gas addition on target surface and glow discharge processes which control film growth rates. Deposition approaches used in reactive sputtering – dc, rf, magnetron, pulsed dc, and ion beam – are discussed and compared. Process control strategies (e.g.: flow, partial pressure, and target voltage, and multi-loop control) and their implementation are described in detail using numerous examples. The advantages and disadvantages of these different modes of operation are examined from the point of view of controlling film properties. Emphasis is placed on developing a sufficient understanding of reactive sputter deposition to provide direction in designing new processes. The effects of energetic particle irradiation (positive and negative ions and fast neutrals) on film properties are also discussed. Present and future trends in reactive sputter deposition are addressed.
Course Content
Instructor: Joe Greene, Editor-in-Chief of Thin Solid Films, the D. B. Willett Professor of Materials Science and Physics, University of Illinois, and Past Director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory.
C-316 Introduction to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) Processes and Reactors
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a recent variation on the older technology referred to as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). In CVD, a mixture of chemically reactive gases flows over a heated substrate causing a thin solid film to grow on the surface. The substrate has to be hot enough to allow the surface reaction to proceed rapidly. However, since the gases approaching the heated surface will be heated by gas phase conduction, gas phase reactions can make it difficult to control film chemistry and uniformity. These problems become particularly acute when very thin films of carefully controlled composition are required over large area substrates. The present course is an introductory course, which will review the newer process of ALD. In this technique, the presentation of the two reactants to the heated surface are separated into two steps. In step one, the substrate is exposed to a first reactant. During this exposure a monolayer of the first reactant adsorbs onto the substrate, and remains there. In the next step, any excess of this first reactant remaining in the chamber is removed. Then a second reactant is introduced into the chamber, and it reacts with the monolayer of the first reactant. This then forms one layer (generally less than one complete monolayer) of the solid film being sought. After this, any remaining second reactant and reaction products are removed from the chamber. This process is repeated as many times as necessary to grow a film of the desired thickness. Clearly with this new process, gas phase reactions are irrelevant, so that one is free to choose the most reactive reactants available and film deposition temperatures can be lower. Unfortunately, the one disadvantage is that the film deposition rate is low. For those applications where very thin films are of interest, this becomes less of a limitation.
Course Content
Instructor: Arthur Sherman, Sherman & Associates, Inc.
C-317 The Practice of Reactive Sputtering
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This course is intended for engineers, technicians, materials scientists, and coating developers, who have a desire and need to understand how the reactive sputter deposition process really works. The goal of the course is to give the student a thorough understanding of all of the factors that affect the reactive sputtering process in order that the student can apply this knowledge to improve their reactive deposition process and achieve both high deposition rates and excellent film properties.
This course covers the basics of reactive sputtering followed by a comparison of the use of flow control versus partial pressure control of the reactive gas. The latter allows operation in the transition region between the metallic and poisoned states of the target, and films can be deposited at much higher rates with excellent properties using partial pressure control compared to flow control of the reactive gas. Along with using partial pressure control, it is important to use the right type of power to assure that there is no arcing during the deposition. Which type of power to use and along with which partial pressure sensor are reviewed. Large area coating presents special challenges for the control of the reactive gas, and the need for multiple gas inlets along the length of a long cathode and sensing in each gas inlet zone are discussed. The requirements for a partial pressure control system along with commercially available controllers are presented. Multiple gas reactive sputtering and reactive high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) are emerging areas that are advancing the state of the art for reactive sputtering. How they work and what factors are important for controlling these two processes are discussed.
Course Content
Instructor: Bill Sproul, Reactive Sputtering, Inc.
C-318 Nucleation and Growth of Nanostructures
(The materials science of small things: self-assembly and self-organization in inorganic systems)
Course Objectives
Course Description
The study of nanotechnology is pervasive across widespread areas including microelectronics, optics, magnetics, hard and corrosion resistant coatings, mechanics, etc. Progress in each of these fields depends upon the ability to selectively and controllably deposit nanoscale structures with specified physical properties. This, in turn, requires control – often at the atomic level – of nanostructure, nanochemistry, and cluster nano-organization.
Decreasing the size of solid clusters can result in dramatic property changes due to both “classical” effects associated with changes in average bond coordination and, as cluster sizes become of the order of the spatial extent of electron wavefunctions, quantum mechanical effects. The course will start with examples including reduced melting points, higher vapor pressures, increased optical bandgaps, decreased magnetic hysteresis, and enhanced mechanical hardness. Essential fundamental aspects, as well as the technology, of nanostructure formation and growth from the vapor phase will be discussed and highlighted with “real” examples using insights obtained from both in-situ and post-deposition analyses.
Nanostructure case studies include:
Course Content
The course provides an understanding of:
Instructor: Joe Greene, Editor-in-Chief of Thin Solid Films, the D. B. Willett Professor of Materials Science and Physics, University of Illinois, and Past Director of the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory.
C-319 Introduction to Energy Conversion Materials and Technology
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With the high price of fossil fuels, there is a renewed emphasis on energy conservation and development of alternative energy resources and systems. As a result, there is renewed emphasis on low cost energy conversion materials. Many of these systems were initially developed for space power sources. Fuel cells (including PEM, solid oxide and thin film) convert hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels to electrical power and are being developed as an alternate power source for automobile engines. Thermoelectric power generation systems are being developed to recover energy from industrial and vehicle waste heat sources. Semiconductor photovoltaics have been around with us for a long time and harvests light from the sun and thermophotovoltaics converts photons from heat sources to useable energy. Organic photovoltaics are just starting to achieve respectable efficiencies and can be made over large areas. Thermionics converts electrons from a hot body into electricity. Nuclear reactions (beta decay) are used as the heat source for thermoelectric power generation. Thin film batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Most of these energy conversion systems are utilized by the space program but have experienced recent significant improvements in performance. They are extremely useful in powering remote sensors and surveillance systems.
This course will review several energy conversion technologies and how thin film materials are helping to advance these technologies. These new materials are helping to improve conversion efficiencies. Recent development in organic materials will also be presented.
Course Content
Instructor: Peter M. Martin, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (retired)
This course is recommended for engineers and R&D staff members, who are involved in specifying new designs and surface treatments for components and tools. The application of Diamond Like Carbon, often in combination with pre-treatments like plasma nitriding and polishing, allows much improved wear resistance (abrasive, adhesive, fatigue) and to reduction of friction forces. Under the umbrella name of DLC, various classes of coatings have been developed, where each class of coatings has its own deposition technology and coating characteristics.
The industrial applications are presently mainly in components for e.g. automotive, aerospace, general machine building.
Course Content
Instructors: Thomas Schuelke, Fraunhofer USA, Klaus Bewilogua, Fraunhofer-Institute, Braunschweig, Germany, and Gerry van der Kolk, Ionbond Netherlands b.v., Venlo, The Netherlands
C-321 Alternative Transparent Conductive Oxides (TCOs) to ITO (half-day) NEW!
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This course is intended for scientists, engineers, technicians, and others, interested in understanding the options and issues in selecting an alternative TCO to indium tin oxide, ITO, the most common TCO. Alternative TCOs will be discussed for cost sensitivity applications, performance driven applications and the many cases in which a compromise between cost and performance must be made. Typical ITO properties are summarized and compared with those achieved by emerging TCO coatings. A methodology is developed for selecting and engineering the alternative TCO coating to meet the requirements of a particular application.
It is recommended that SVC course, C-304 “ITO and Other Transparent Conductive Coatings: Fundamentals, Deposition, Properties and Applications” be taken prior to this course. Some knowledge of introductory solid state physics, the fundamentals of conductivity, thin film optical interference coatings and common vacuum deposition methods is assumed.
Course Content
Instructor: Clark Bright, 3M Company
C-322 Characterization of Thin Films NEW!
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This course examines the broad range of techniques available to characterize thin film materials. We examine the range of properties of interest and how thin film properties may differ from bulk properties. Generic differences between counting and spectroscopic techniques are presented. Available “probes” are identified.
The main emphasis of the course is an overview of a wide range of characterization techniques. We examine imaging techniques such as Optical microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Scanning probe microscopies (STM, AFM …). We also explore techniques, which provide information about structural properties including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Stylus profilometry, Quartz crystal monitors (QCM) and density measurements.
The course examines techniques, which explore chemical properties such as Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), Energy Dispersive Analysis of X-rays (EDAX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS, ESCA), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Rutherford Backscattering (RBS). AES is used as a prototype to examine quantitative analysis of spectroscopic data. Characterization techniques for optical properties such as ellipsometry and optical scattering are also considered. Many of these chemical and optical techniques can also provide information about structural properties.
Techniques for determining electrical and magnetic properties are also discussed. These include resistance / four point probe, Hall effect, magneto-optical Kerr effect and ferromagnetic resonance. The emphasis here is on materials characterization as opposed to device characterization.
The course concludes with an examination of techniques used to explore mechanical properties such as stress-curvature measurements, friction testing, micro/nano indentation and adhesion tests.
Course Content
Overview of wide range of characterization techniques for thin films including:
Instructor: Tom Christensen, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
C-323 High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering NEW!
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This course is intended for engineers, technicians, students, and others interested in high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS). With HIPIMS we mean a pulsed sputtering process where the power density on the sputtering target is greatly enhanced (about two orders of magnitude) over the average power density. Hence, the word “impulse” is adopted to signify a low duty cycle of operation.
Some basic understanding or experience with plasmas and materials is desirable but not required. The course starts with a brief introduction to basic plasma and sheath physics. The operation of dc magnetrons is explained to provide the foundation for the understanding of the time-dependent processes in pulsed systems, and especially those of HIPIMS discharges.
High power density leads to significant ionization of the sputtered material, enabling effective surface modification via ion etching and ion assistance to film growth. The interface to the substrate can be engineered and the film texture can be influenced using the HIPIMS plasma in combination with an appropriate bias.
Course Content
Instructors: Andre Anders, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Arutiun Ehiasarian, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Color is measured in many ways, both visually and instrumentally. This course is a primer on color and color measurement for designers, engineers, and technicians who need to understand basics of color and color measurement. Discussion will include how color arises, the tristimulus and opponent color methods that have evolved to quantify color, effects that change color, setting color tolerances, and devices used for visual and instrumental color measurement and evaluation. Thin film and non-thin film color measurement and considerations will be compared. At the end of the course, you will have a working knowledge of the most commonly us ed color measurement systems, factors that affect color perception, and an understanding of color measuring instruments and geometries.
Course Content
The course fee includes the text, Billmeyer and Saltzman’s Principles of Color Technology, 3rd Edition, Roy S. Burns (John Wiley & Sons, 2000).
Instructor: Greg Caskey, LVR
This course is available for presentation through the SVC On-Site Education Program.
M-102 Introduction to Ellipsometry
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Ellipsometry is becoming an important characterization technique for optical coatings. This course will build an understanding of ellipsometry fundamentals. We start with a basic description of polarized light, optical properties of materials, and the interaction between light and thin films. Different optical metrology tools will be compared with ellipsometry. A special focus will be placed on the merits of spectroscopic, variable angle, and in-situ ellipsometry. The applications of ellipsometry include measurement of single and multi-layer film thickness, complex refractive index, birefringence, porosity, conductivity, and composition. A wide range of ellipsometry applications will be surveyed, with emphasis toward optical coatings.
The level of this course is suitable for those new to the field of optical characterization but also contains worth-while information for current ellipsometry users. It will help anyone interested in exploring the potential of ellipsometry measurements.
Course Content
Instructor: James N. Hilfiker, J.A. Woollam Co. Inc.