Ion Beam Deposition Systems

• 1 Ion Beam Source
  2 Rotating Target Assembly
  3 Dual Ion Beam Sputtering System

  
  Thin film optical devices are formed by several layers of oxides of different materials with different index of refraction. The technique of Dual Ion Beam Sputtering allows the deposition of optical coatings with good and stable mechanical (abrasion resistance, adhesion) and optical (low absorbance, refraction index homogeneity) properties.

  The Dual Ion Beam Sputtering System consists of a high vacuum chamber with two Ion Beam Sources (IBS’s). One of the IBS’s is used to sputter optical materials of different index of refraction (such as SiO , Ta O , TiO ) mounted on a rotating substrate holder; the second IBS is used for substrate precleaning and for oxygen ionization and bombardment of the oxide films during deposition. A control system allows automatic operation of vacuum and deposition cycles with a fine thickness control of each layer.