Plasma Matters

plasma ball rays in the dark

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What is plasma and why is it important in enabling thin film innovation? Plasma is the 4th state of matter after solid, liquid, and gas. Plasma contains a significant portion of charged particles, both ions and electrons. The presence of these charged particles makes plasma distinct from the other fundamental states of matter. Plasma is… Read More

The Denton Difference: 4wave Acquisition Bolsters Denton Vacuum as Global Nanotechnology Leader

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Forward Thinking There is a need for innovative nano-engineering solutions in the rapidly growing markets of cloud computing, data storage, telecommunications optics, high-power electronics, and sensors for the IoT. Denton’s breadth of technologies and market focus enable advancements ranging from applications in semiconductor failure analysis to production solutions for IR detectors, semiconductor lasers and precision… Read More

Considerations for Deposition of Multi-Layer IR Bandpass Filters

Graph depicting the relationship between transmission and wavelength in IR bandpass filters

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What are Infrared (IR) Bandpass Filters An optical bandpass filter (BPF) is a device that passes wavelengths within a certain range and blocks wavelengths outside that range. One prominent type is infrared (IR) bandpass filters which are used in a wide range of applications including thermal imaging (night vision), emission monitoring for power plants and… Read More

3 Techniques for Ion Beam Etching

Ion Beam Etch (IBE), Reactive Ion Beam Etch (RIBE), and Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etch (CAIBE)

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In ion beam etching, a type of dry etching, an ion source is used to remove material from a substrate. This process can be used to create device components and nanostructures, such as in integrated circuits and other semiconductor applications. To enable high yield and meet performance requirements, your application may require different etch technologies…. Read More

What is Ion Beam Etching?

Diagram showing the step-by-step process for creating gold contacts using ion beam etch.

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Ion beam etching (IBE) is a thin film technique that utilizes an ion source to carry out material removal processes on a substrate. IBE is a type of ion beam sputtering and, whether it’s used for pre-clean or patterned etching, it helps ensure excellent adhesion and precise formation of 3D structures. Benefits of Ion Beam… Read More

Denton Receives Patent for RF Ion Source

The Endeavor ion source, powered on during thin film deposition

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Denton Vacuum was recently assigned patent number 10,573,495 B2 by the U.S. Patent Office for the Endeavor circular ion source. The Endeavor is a filament-free, self-neutralizing ion source that uses a single extraction grid. The Endeavor source is uniquely designed to improve thin film properties and create stress-free, high-density thin films for better performance. With… Read More

Improving Image Sensor Filter Performance Through Thin Film Deposition

a seascape sunset captured by a camera

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Optical and IR filters are both key components in imaging devices. They are designed to focus on and filter out specific wavelengths of light in order to create images, both for digital cameras and thermal imaging devices. An image sensor filter is a type of imaging filter that helps transmit and interpret color information, and… Read More

What is Pre-Cleaning in Thin Film Deposition?

man pre cleaning for thin film deposition

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For certain thin film coatings and applications, the substrate needs to be pre-cleaned inside the vacuum chamber in order to achieve desired properties and fulfill performance requirements. There are several methods that can be used to carry out this process, which have their own specific benefits depending on what you’re trying to achieve with pre-cleaning…. Read More

Requirements for Ion Sources in Thin Film Deposition

ion-source-drawing-thin-film=deposition

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Ion sources can be used in a number of deposition methods, including ion assisted deposition and ion beam sputtering. Your deposition method of choice may depend on a number of production and cost factors, but your ion source will have its own requirements based on your desired specs and application needs. How Ion Sources Help… Read More

Using Ion Sources in Thin Film Deposition

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To create more precise thin films, manufacturers often include an ion source to their thin film deposition system configuration. By using an ion source, manufacturers can produce an ion species that has specific properties during deposition. The source controls the energy, trajectory and reactivity of the ions it produces, helping to create a thin film… Read More