In-situ moWe have been carrying out a systematic study of nucleation and growth of silver thin film prepared by magnetron sputtering in the Department of Analysis of Functional Materials of the Institute of Physics ASCR for several years. We have applied combination of several in-situ techniques, ie. spectral ellipsometry and electrical conductivity measurements to analyse properties of the growing film, optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and mass spectrometry (Hiden EQP 500) to investigate magnetron plasma properties. The experimental setup is shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Multiferroics, materials comprising two or more ferroic properties, such as ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity or ferroelasticity in the same phase, are very promising systems for future applications in computing or sensing. These materials would allow the design of new digital storage devices thereby combining the advantages of long lived magnetic storage with easy accessibility and robustness of electronic storage technology. Still, materials combing both properties useful for applications are scarce.

Advantages of highly ionized pulse plasma magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) of silver for improved E. coli inactivation This study addresses the DC-magnetron sputtering (DCMS) of Ag-films on polyester and compares the results found for the E. coli inactivation with the inactivation obtained when applying highly ionized pulse plasma power magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS).

Overcoming the geometrical limitations of conventional sputtering by controlling the ion-to-neutral ratio during high power pulsed magnetron sputtering Thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering on substrates not facing the sputtering target often exhibit pronounced column tilt in the direction of incoming flux (see Fig.1(a)).

Ion Layer Gas Reaction ‘ILGAR’ is a non vacuum, thin film deposition technique characterized by economic material consumption, low cost equipment and easy control of the chemical composition and physical properties. In addition to developing the deposition techniques and extending the materials pallet that can be deposited and that include, among others, In2S3, ZnO and ZnS, we are active in developing prototypes for the up scaling and in-line production of materials by the ILGAR technique.

Vacuum-based surface engineering and coating processes require plasma sources generating a high charge carrier density in order to achieve enhanced sputter and activation effects. Fraunhofer FEP is providing a hollow-cathode based plasma source, which produces homogeneous large-volume plasmas of up to 1 m3 with maximum plasma densities of more than 1012 cm-3 at chamber pressures between 0.1 and 10 Pa. The cathode tube is flown through by the working gas such as argon with flow rates between 8 and 100 sccm. A diffuse arc discharge with currents up to 200 A between the inner cathode tube surface and the surrounding annular anode is ignited and amplified by an axial magnetic field with field strengths up to 100 mT.

The importance of electronegative species in technological plasmas is currently of great interest, both from a theoretical and experimental point of view, with much of the recent work concentrating on reactive ion etching discharges.

EQP Systems. High Sensitivity Mass and Energy Analysers for Monitoring, Control and Characterisation of Ions, Neutrals and Radicals in Plasma.

ESPION series electrostatic plasma probes Advanced Langmuir Probes for Plasma Diagnostics

HPR60 Molecular Beam Sampling Mass Spectrometer Brochure.