⚡ Rapid Metal Coatings
Gold (Au) / Titanium (Ti)
Standard adhesion stack: 50nm Ti + 100nm Au.
Available on Silicon, Glass, or Sapphire.
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Substrates We Coat
- Silicon Wafers: Prime, Test, and Mechanical grades.
- Glass Wafers: Fused Silica, Borofloat 33, Soda Lime.
- Sapphire: C-plane, R-plane, and A-plane.
- Ceramics: Alumina (Al2O3) and Aluminum Nitride (AlN).
- SOI Wafers: Silicon-on-Insulator substrates.
- Customer Supplied: We can coat your own wafers.
Thin Film Deposition Capabilities
UniversityWafer provides both R&D and production-scale coating services using advanced Sputtering (Perkin/Elmer 4410, MRC 903) and Electron Beam (E-Gun) Evaporation systems.
1. Sputtered Films Inventory
Sputtering is ideal for alloys, dielectrics, and achieving excellent adhesion.
| Category | Materials Available |
|---|---|
| Conductive Metals | Aluminum (Al), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu) |
| Adhesion Layers | Titanium (Ti), Chrome (Cr), Ti-W (90/10) |
| Refractory Metals | Molybdenum (Mo), Tungsten (W), Tantalum (Ta), Niobium (Nb) |
| Magnetic Metals | Nickel (Ni), Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co) |
| Dielectrics (Oxides) | SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) |
| Nitrides | Silicon Nitride (SiN), TiN, TaN |
2. E-Beam Evaporated Films
Evaporation allows for high-purity deposition and lift-off processing.
| Category | Materials Available |
|---|---|
| Noble Metals | Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd), Gold (Au) |
| Soft Metals | Indium (In), Tin (Sn) |
| Oxides | Hafnium Oxide (HfO2), Yttrium Oxide (Y2O3), Indium Oxide (In2O3) |
| Fluorides | MgF2, CaF2, BaF2 (for optical coatings) |
Application Spotlights & Case Studies
🔋 Case Study: Carbon Coatings for Conductivity
Challenge: A researcher needed a conductive, amorphous Carbon thin film (1-2µm) on 4-inch SOI wafers. The goal was to create an electrically conducting film that was not shiny.
Solution: We utilized a specialized sputtering process to deposit Carbon. While 1-2µm is difficult due to stress, we successfully deposited ~8,000Å (0.8µm) with a refractive index of n=1.25 (indicating a Diamond/Graphite mix). The measured film stress was 913 MPa (compressive).
💎 Case Study: Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC)
Application: Hard coatings for wear resistance.
We supplied 100mm Silicon wafers coated with single-crystal Diamond films (CVD epi). The client requested thicknesses of 0.25µm and 0.50µm on Si(111) substrates, which are preferred for subsequent etching of pyramidal holes.
⚡ Case Study: Electrochemical Impedance
Application: Bio-sensing electrodes.
Researchers studying amyloid B-Oligomers utilized our Gold-Coated Silicon Wafers as stable electrodes for Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The inert nature of gold on silicon provides a perfect platform for sensitive biological measurements.
Understanding the Process
Sputtering
Sputtering involves ejecting material from a "target" source onto the wafer using high-energy plasma. It offers excellent step coverage and adhesion, making it ideal for coating complex topographies or MEMS devices.
E-Beam Evaporation
An electron beam melts the source material in a vacuum, causing it to evaporate and condense on the wafer above. This method is preferred for "lift-off" processes and depositing high-melting-point metals like Tungsten or Platinum.
