Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Study on Preparation Process of High Purity Copper Sputter Target for Sputtering



The high-purity copper sputtering target is one of the largest metal target products in the electronics industry. The microstructure of the copper sputtering target has an important effect on the quality of the sputtered thin film.

Sputtering is one of the main technologies for preparing thin-film materials. It uses ions generated by an ion source to accelerate the concentration in a vacuum to form a high-speed energy ion beam, which bombards the solid surface and exchanges kinetic energy between ions and solid surface atoms. The bombarded solid material is the raw material for depositing thin films by sputtering, which is called sputtering target. The thin films deposited by target sputtering have the characteristics of high density and good adhesion. With the rapid development of new devices and materials in the microelectronics industry, as well as applications in the high-tech and industrial fields such as electronics, magnetics, optics, and superconducting thin films, the size of the sputtering target market has been expanding. Currently, the world's targets are mainly produced by the United States, Germany, and Japan.

As a substrate for back-sputtering, in order to obtain a uniform film deposition rate, the requirements for sputtering copper targets mainly include uniform composition and microstructure, and fine grain size. High-purity metal is an important raw material for the preparation of targets. The purity of the metal is the key to the preparation of qualified targets and the function of target sputtering films. The higher the purity of the metal is, the better the uniformity of the film after sputtering is. Usually, the purity of the metal used to prepare the target must be 4N and above.

At present, the methods for preparing target materials mainly include casting method and powder metallurgy method. The casting method uses the methods of vacuum induction melting, vacuum electric melting, and vacuum electron bombarding to perform ingot smelting and casting, and finally machining the target material. The casting method can produce targets with low impurity content, high density, and large size, but it is not suitable for producing two or more metals with large differences in melting point and density. The alloy target produced by the ordinary melting method has a large composition. The powder metallurgy method uses cold pressing, vacuum hot pressing and hot isostatic pressing to smelt a certain proportion of the alloy powder raw material, cast it into an ingot, and pulverize it. After high temperature sintering, the target material is finally formed. The powder metallurgy method restrains the alloy target with uniform composition. However, targets made in this way usually have the disadvantages of low density and high impurity content.

For more information, please visit https://www.sputtertargets.net/.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Tantalum Sputtering Target for Titanium Dental Implant Surface Coating


Titanium (Ti) dental implants have an excellent biocompatibility and load-bearing mechanical properties and thus occupy the vast majority of commercial implant markets. However, due to the impaired host defense and antibacterial properties of titanium, even after thorough disinfection, it is susceptible to bacterial infection, which will impair osseointegration and even cause the implant to fall off. Therefore, the practical application of Ti implants requires improved antimicrobial activity.

The tantalum sputtering target is considered a promising metal material for biomedical implants or coatings for dental, orthopedic and arthroplasty because of its superior corrosion resistance, radiopacity, and biology compatibility, osteogenic and antibacterial activity. A Ta-based coating comprising TaO and TaN has an antibacterial effect on oral pathogens in artificial saliva. Magnetron sputtering implants a tantalum sputter target into the Ti implant to form a Ta2O5 coating with a micro/nano layered structure on Ti, which greatly enhances the in vitro osteogenic activity of the Ti implant. 

However, although ruthenium (Ta)-based coatings have proven to have good antibacterial activity, their basic mechanisms and in vivo biological properties have not been known, which is critical for the clinical application of Ta-coated biomaterials as dental implants.

BackGrounds:

Although tantalum (Ta)-based coatings have been proven to have good antibacterial activity, the underlying mechanism and in vivo biological performance remain unclear, which are essential for the clinical application of Ta-coated biomaterials as dental implants.

Purpose: 


The main objective of this study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of Ta-modified titanium (Ti) implants against peri-implantitis-related microbes and the potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods: 


Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis were selected to evaluate the antibacterial activity and potential antibacterial mechanism of Ta modification. The in vivo biocompatibility of Ta-modified implants was also evaluated.

Results: 


The results showed that Ta-modified surface performed excellent antimicrobial activity against Fusobacterium nucleatum and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Micro galvanic might be formed between the incorporated Ta and the Ti base, which could consume the protons and result in decreased ATP synthesis and increased ROS generation. The gene expression of bacterial virulence factors associated with cellular attachment, invasion and viability as the target of ROS was downregulated. Importantly, in vivo biological studies showed that Ta modification significantly promoted the osseointegration of implants by stimulating the expression of bone-forming proteins.

Conclusion: 


This study may provide some insights into clinical applications of Ta-coated Ti implants, especially in possibly infected situations.


For more information, please visit https://www.sputtertargets.net/

Thursday, October 10, 2019

How to Recycle Pure Gold from Gold Sputtering Target?

Gold sputtering targets are widely used in decorative coatings such as jewelry and watches. Gold is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements and is solid under standard conditions, which means gold is a very stable metal. As one of the precious metals, gold itself is extremely valuable. In order to save the coating cost, gold target recycling is an important part of gold coating.

Sputtering targets, especially planar sputtering targets, have a low utilization rate, so there are many unused portions after sputtering is completed. Therefore, target recycling is necessary for the precious pepper targets. As the picture below shows, there is more to a gold sputtering target than just the target material. Even when most of the target material has been removed after the target has been used repeatedly, you still have quantities of other metals in the two surfaces below.



The bonding material–Depending on how the target is made, even if the life of the target has passed, many valuable metals can be found in the layer. The thin layer typically comprises silver - as a silver solder, as a component or other form of a silver-containing epoxy resin. Of course, silver is not the most precious of precious metals, but if you have a lot of used sputtering targets, you may get a lot of money from silver recycling.

The backing plate –They are usually made of aluminum, copper, stainless steel or even molybdenum. However, in some cases they may also contain precious metals such as palladium or cadmium. During the sputtering process, a small amount of gold may also be plated on the exposed areas of the backsheet - and of course you don't want to throw it away.

If you have used sputter targets that have not been discarded - especially if they are gold targets - please contact us to assess their value. We also provide target reclaim services. Please visit https://www.sputtertargets.net/ for more information.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Five Sputtering Deposition Power Supplies


Sputter deposition is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method of thin film deposition by sputtering. This involves spraying material from a "sputter target" as a source onto a "substrate" such as a silicon wafer.
There are mainly five sputtering powder suppliers, as listed below.

Direct Current (DC) Sputtering Power

DC Power is generally used with electrically conductive sputtering materials. It is easy to control and a low-cost option.

Radio Frequency (RF) Sputtering Power

RF Power can be used with all materials, but generally finds most use in depositing films from dielectric target materials. The deposition rate (driven by the relative duty cycle), when compared to DC, is generally quite low and the electron flux (due to the mobility difference of electrons and ions in a plasma) on the substrate is much higher and may cause significant heating. Due to the major cost considerations of RF power supplies, RF deposition is generally limited to smaller substrate sizes.

Pulsed DC Sputtering Power

Pulsed DC (variable frequency) has found broad application in reactive sputtering applications where a positive voltage spike, induced at some frequency on the power waveform can be used to clean the target face and eliminate the buildup of a thick dielectric layer which can be prone to arcing. Frequency ranges from 40 to 200 KHz are typically used. This approach is commonly referred to as unipolar pulsed sputtering. Another option known as bipolar pulsed sputtering uses two pulses, 180 degrees out of phase, that is applied to two adjacent magnetrons in which each magnetron alternates as both a cathode and anode, mitigating the effects of dielectric build-up and greatly reducing the disappearing anode effect. This technique has also found wide industrial use.

Mid-Frequency AC Sputtering Power

MF Sputtering is typically used to deposit non-conductive materials. Two cathodes in a dual configuration are used and the AC current is switched between each cathode allowing the target surface to be cleaned with each reverse of the cycle. This reduces arcing by charge build-up and eliminates the need for anode cleaning which provides long term process stability. MF sputtering is widely used in many inline production systems today.

High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS)

High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering is a emerging process which uses a high current pulse to greatly increase the ionization of the sputtering material. These ionized atoms have much higher energies than sputtered atoms in conventional magnetron sputtering and have been found to yield very dense and stable films.
For more information, please visit https://www.sputtertargets.net/.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

What is the Multiple Effect Distillation?

The Multiple Effect Distillation (MED) utilizes the principle that water has different boiling temperatures at different pressures.

In the multi-effect evaporation system, the first effect of heating the steam into the evaporation system, the secondary steam generated by the first effect enters the second effect as the second effect heating steam. In this way, the last effective secondary steam is introduced into a condenser, which is condensed by external cooling water, and the effect of energy saving is achieved by multiple utilization of steam. 



System Features

(1) steam drive;

(2) The electricity consumption per ton of water evaporation can be as low as 1.7 kWh;

(3) The more the effect, the less the steam consumption, the GOR (the ratio of the water production ratio to the amount of evaporated water and the amount of steam consumed) can be as high as 5-10. For general wastewater treatment or industrial applications, the effectiveness is 2 -5 effect;

(4) It can be in the form of a horizontal tube or a riser, each having its own strength, depending on the characteristics of the original water;

(5) Fully automatic online cleaning, easy to clean and maintain;

(6) Fully automatic control, high degree of automation, easy operation, and unattended operation;

(7) Different materials can be selected, including high-grade stainless steel series and titanium to effectively prevent corrosion of materials;

(8) The vapor-liquid separation area is large and the separation height is high, which can guarantee the quality of distilled water;

(9) The circulating water head is lower and the power consumption is less;

(10) The amount of hot water in the hot well is small, and the change of the liquid level provides a stable control point;

(11) The system has a small footprint;

(12) Less maintenance and maintenance, and the service life is more than 20 years.

For more information, please visit https://www.sputtertargets.net/.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

10 Reasons Why you Must Own Gold and Silver

Investments can take different forms such as stocks, property, or even money. However, you also need an investment that can hold value, store value, appreciate, and at the same time be resistant to market fluctuations to cushion you during economic fluctuations.

Appreciation in value

Gold and silver interestingly increase in value when other assets are depreciating. A look at the historic value of gold and silver show that these metals have continued to increase in price over the years and the trend is expected to continue.

Store of value

Gold and silver have a better storage of value than money. First, they are not subject to fluctuations in the economy over time or what economists call time value of money. They maintain their purchasing power in spite of the prevailing business cycles such as inflation.

Liquidity

Having gold and silver is as good as having money in your own hands as you can sell it anytime in return for cash. Investments such stocks and equities depend on the willingness of a third party to purchase them or the contractual terms of the investment.

Viable investment

In any day, the intrinsic value of metals commands a good price in the market. Currency, shares, and equity can drop by even 80 percent depending on the performance of the company and market conditions. This makes precious metal viable investment. 

Stability

The value and profitability of other forms of investment and currencies depend on the economic climate, political stability. In spite of the economic conditions, gold and silver continue to gain value.

Open market

Most investments are only tradable within the boundaries of the parent economy unless the financial markets are internationalized. However, gold and silver acts as a commodity that can be imported or exported in whichever market that fetch high prices.

High prices

The supply for precious metals is very limited. According to the law of demand, very high demand, or low supply leads to higher prices. These metals always increase in value due to this restricted supply.

Globally accepted currency

Gold and silver can be accepted anywhere in the world without any form of conversion. Actually, economists were considering having gold as the standard currency instead of the dollar due to acceptability and stability.

High demand, more value

Precious metals come with a special sentimental value, yet the supply is restricted. This increases the economic value of the metals.

Cushion from interest rates

When interest rates fall, investors in money and capital markets incur numerous losses. To avoid this effect, invest in precious metals to cushion you from losses since their markets go against the interest rates. 

Information from SAM Sputter Targets. You can click the link to see the related products of gold sputtering target and silver sputtering target.