Thin film coatings from the nano- to micrometer scale

SwissNeutronics prepares coatings for science and industry. The deposition process is highly developed to obtain layers with extremely smooth surfaces and homogeneous thickness on large areas. The thin films are coated on substrates with special refined surfaces. Dedicated metrology is applied for the characterisation of coatings and substrates in R&D and production.

Thin film coatings

  • Thin film coatings, in particular multilayer coatings in the range of nano- to micrometer
  • Metallic coatings: Ag, Al, Au, Cr, Fe, FeCoV, Ni, NiCr, NiV, Ta, Ti, TiB2,TiGd, V, Zr;
    other metals are available on demand
  • Metal oxides and nitrides with a defined stoichiometry by employing reactive sputtering
  • Non-metallic coatings: C, Si
  • Small (few mm²) to large (1100 × 600 mm²) areas
  • Precise and homogeneous layer thickness
  • On various substrate materials like glass, ceramics, metals, silicon, etc

Substrate refinement

  • Super-polishing of substrate surface with a roughness <0.2 nm (RMS)
  • Formatting of substrates using 5-axis CNC grinding/milling

Various substrate materials

Material Thickness Format
Standard float glass 0.5 – 10 mm 320 × 500 mm²
Borofloat®33 0.7 – 15 mm 320 × 500 mm²
DESAG 263T 0.2 – 0.5 mm 300 × 420 mm²
N-BK7 2.5 – 30 mm 320 × 500 mm²
Silicon wafer 0.1 – 1 mm Ø 300 mm *
Aluminum 6 – 30 mm 320 × 500 mm²
Copper 6 – 30 mm 320 × 500 mm²

*dependent on thickness

Other materials, thicknesses or formats may be available on demand.

Characterization of substrates and coatings

Neutron reflectometry

  • Layer thickness
  • Interface roughness
  • Layer-resolved magnetization
  • Access to buried layers

X-ray reflectometry and diffraction

  • Layer thickness
  • Interface roughness
  • Texture
  • Access to buried layers
  • Powder diffraction

Atomic force microscopy

  • Surface roughness
  • Topography

X-ray fluorescence spectrometer

  • Chemical composition
  • Layer thickness

White light interferometry

  • Surface roughness
  • Planarity (figure error)

Long-range profilometry

  • Planarity (figure error)

Stylus profilometry

  • Internal stress of coatings
  • Layer thickness

DC magnetometry

  • Bulk magnetization

Equipment

Coating facilities

  • 2 inline DC magnetron sputter facilities (types Z900, Z600)
Types
Z900
Z600
Coating area 1100 mm × 600 mm 540 mm × 420 mm
Number of magnetrons 4 3
Homogeneity of layer thickness  ±1% ±1%
Typical layer thickness 1 nm to 10 μm 1 nm to 10 μm
Reactive sputtering N2 and O2; H2 on demand N2 and O2; H2 on demand

Equipment for substrate refinement

  • 2 polishing machines for surface finish (super-polishing)
    – typical format large system: 320 × 500 mm²
    – typical format small system: Ø 300 mm
  • 3 CNC milling/grinding machines
    – maximum length: 600 mm
    – typical formats: 320 × 500 mm²
    – accuracy: 0.005 mm

Instrumentation for characterization of substrates and coatings

  • Neutron reflectometer (NARZISS @ SINQ)
  • X-ray powder diffractometer (Siemens D500 & D5000)
  • Atomic force microscope (Nanosurf Easyscan)
  • XRF (Fischerscope)
  • White light interferometer (Zygo)
  • Long-range profilometer
  • Stylus profilometer (Dektak Surface Profiler)
  • Magnetometer (Quantum Design PPMS)