For smarter and faster R&D and Production

SC-1 Series

SC-1 Series

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The SC-1 is a ground-breaking and high-performing cluster equipment that combines Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) with Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) in an extremely compact, modular, and fully automated system for high-throughput production of multinanolayered coatings from the ALD and PVD materials library. 

This innovative patent-pending cluster system revolutionizes the traditional cluster equipment, as it eliminates the need for transfer arms and multiple antechambers, which occupy a significant amount of lab space, with high acquisition, operating and maintenance costs.

 ・ Capable of performing both (PE)-ALD and PVD without breaking the vacuum or move the samples between chambers to fabricate hundreds of multinanolayered films, reducing fabrication time.

・ Scalable, modular and flexible system that allows to easily increase or decrease chamber dimensions, adapt new hardware and incorporate multiple in-situ metrology equipment.

The first (PE)-ALD and PVD cluster system in a compact and modular equipment

Why ALD and PVD?

The combination of ALD and PVD without breaking vacuum offer several advantages to fabricate advanced materials with tailored functionalities and properties. One of the primary benefits is the ability to achieve high-quality interfaces between the different layers of the coating material. The introduction of very conformal and pinhole-free films via ALD can stabilise the grain size of the PVD layers and hinder grain growth, which translates to improved mechanical and thermal properties.


Additionally, the material is not exposed to air and therefore there is no risk of contamination or oxidation. Since both ALD and PVD can deposit materials with atomic-level precision, combining the two techniques can allow for the creation of highly complex structures with unique properties that cannot be achieved using other methods.

Combining ALD and PVD without breaking vacuum can be a powerful approach to creating advanced materials with tailored functionalities and properties for a wide range of applications, including those in the semiconductor industry, optical coatings, hard coatings, and medical industry among others. 

Breaking the Grain-Growth

The combination of ALD and PVD layers creates a unique microstructure  by stabilising grain size and hindering grain growth, which translates to improved mechanical and thermal properties.

TEM image showing a 200 multinanolayered coating of 20 nm of PVD Al and 1 nm of ALD Al2O3. 

Technical Specifications

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Hardware

Interchangeable Substrate Holders

・ 4  - 6 in. wafers 

・ High temperature (~900 °C) rotational and z-stages  

・ Temperature Gradient Stages (30 °C to 450 °C)

ALD Precursor Lines 

・ Up to 12 precursors with individual inlets 

・ Ozone option

・ Direct Microwave plasma sources for PE-ALD

Magnetrons

・ Up to 8 magnetrons in different configurations and sizes (2 - 4 inch)

In-Situ Metrology Equipment

・ OES systems

・ ToF-MS

・ In-situ wafer stress measurements

・ And more...

ALD-PVD Materials

・ Al2O3, TiO2, ZnO, Y2O3, ZrO2, HfO2, Cu, Al, Ti, and more...

Electronics and Software

Mass Flow Controllers

・ 4 Analog MFC 

・ 60 Digital MFC

Pneumatic (ALD) valves

・ 24 valves

 Pressure Sensors 

・ 4 Analog

Gate valves

・ 3 gate valves with feedback 

Flow meters

・ 4 Flow meters

Temperature

・ 16 Channel PID regulation with K-Type sensors

・ 4 PT100/PT1000

Interlocks

・ 8 Interlock in

・ 12 Interlock out

Additional Connections

・ 2 Ethernet 

・ 2 RS485 

Software

・ Manual control

・ Recipe Creator

Features

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Materials Factory

With the benefits of both ALD and PVD

Multinanolayered Materials

Hundreds of multinanolayers of multiple material systems from the PVD and ALD materials library can be fabricated. The combination of ALD and PVD layers creates unique microstructures and properties to fit in your desired application.

Combinatorial Approach

The ALD-PVD microstructure can be further tailored with different film thicknesses along the cross-section and with different deposition temperatures throughout your substrate and process using our temperature gradient stage (TGS). 

Fast

Accelerating R&D

Automated

The system is fully automated; all the devices and components are connected to our easy-to use software. Hundreds of multinanolayers with  both ALD and PVD can be fabricated with the push of a button.

Smarter

The temperature gradient stage (TGS) allows to screen a large temperature window to scan precursors, growth rates, microstuructures, chemical compositions, mechanical behaviour and more in a single deposition. 

Modular and Scalable

Customizable and Upgradable

Expandable

The ALD and PVD chambers in the SC-1 can be acquired and operated individually and then be upgraded to a cluster system. The chambers can be scaled to different dimensions to fit specific requirements. New components or in-situ metrology equipment can be added and incorporated to our software and recipe creator.

Compact

By reducing the need of antechambers and mechanical arms, we reduce the complexity and lab space required.

User-friendly

Plug-and-Play functionality for beginner and advanced users.

Recipe Creator

With our easy-to use recipe creator, complex recipes can be made easy in order to fabricate hundreds of multinanolayers with different parameters in both ALD and PVD process during the deposition.

Low-Maintenance

The easy attachable/detachable panels makes this equipment extremely easy to replace, clean and service the parts.

Customised to your requirements

The SC-1 can be customised to meet your material and process requirements.
Contact us for quotations or any other inquiries.