Sputter Deposition System Dual-Axis Substrate Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sputter deposition systems for SPR applications only allow rotation of substrates around one axis, leading to asymmetric deposition and shadows between multiple substrates, resulting in inhomogeneous coatings and reduced sensor quality.
Innovation Solution
A sputter deposition system with a rotatable substrate holder that allows double rotation of substrates around their own axis and the rotation axis of the holder, combined with a tilted friction clamping principle and a bearing assembly, ensuring homogeneous film deposition on multiple substrates, including the top side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If substrates are rotated around only one axis in conventional sputter deposition systems, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the coating uniformity deteriorates due to asymmetric deposition and shadow effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first, transforming the single-axis rotation system into a dual-axis rotation system. This dimensional change allows substrates to rotate around their own axis while simultaneously rotating around the holder axis, eliminating shadow effects and achieving uniform coating on all surfaces including top and bottom sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic rotation where substrates are continuously rotated around two axes during the sputtering process. This dynamic movement ensures that all surfaces of the substrates are exposed to the sputtered material uniformly, preventing asymmetric deposition and achieving homogeneous coating thickness across the entire substrate surface.
2Productivity
If multiple substrates are loaded into the sputter chamber to increase productivity, then the throughput is improved, but the coating uniformity deteriorates due to shadow effects between adjacent substrates
Solution Approach 1:
By adding the second rotation axis that rotates substrates around their own axis, the system eliminates shadow effects between multiple substrates. This dual-axis rotation ensures that even when multiple substrates are loaded, each substrate receives uniform exposure to sputtered material from all directions, maintaining coating uniformity while enabling high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrates are pre-positioned on the rotatable holder in a specific arrangement before the sputtering process begins. The dual-axis rotation system then ensures that during deposition, each substrate's surfaces are sequentially exposed to the plasma, preventing shadow effects from adjacent substrates and ensuring uniform coating across all loaded substrates.
3Ease of operation
If substrates are held at a tilted angle using friction clamping to facilitate loading and removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the clamping mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The friction clamping mechanism utilizes asymmetric positioning where substrates are held at a tilted angle rather than vertically. This asymmetric orientation, combined with friction clamping, allows substrates to be easily inserted and removed by simple pushing or pulling motions, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining secure holding during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
The friction clamping mechanism relies on the substrate's own weight and the tilted angle to maintain holding during rotation. The friction force between the clamping element and substrate, combined with the gravitational component from the tilted position, automatically secures the substrate without requiring additional active locking mechanisms, simplifying the overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves homogeneous film deposition on multiple substrates, including cylindrical and optical fiber substrates, with improved coating uniformity and increased throughput, enhancing the quality and reproducibility of SPR sensor signals.
Implementation Method 1
Sputter deposition is a physical vapor deposition technique that allows for the coating of a substrate by means of sputtered ions, which are generated from a target. The ions are deposited on the substrate after being ejected from said target after bombardment with energetic particles of a plasma or gas.
Implementation Method 2
the rotatable substrate holder is configured to hold the one or more substrates and to allow rotation of said one or more substrates around their own axis and around the rotation axis of the rotatable substrate holder
Implementation Method 3
said one or more substrates are being held in position inside the rotatable substrate holder by means of a tilted friction clamping principle
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a sputter deposition system that comprises a rotatable substrate holder for holding one or more substrates and configured to allow rotation of the one or more substrates around their own axis and around the rotation axis of the rotatable substrate holder. The present invention provides for the coating of one or more substrates at the top end of the said one or more substrates and provides a homogeneous deposition of the substrate or substrates. Further, hereby disclosed is a method for depositing a coating on one or more substrates by means of the sputter deposition system described herein.