KYOCERA Hardcoating Technologies
KYOCERA Hardcoating Technologies
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a high-performance vacuum coating process used to apply thin, durable coatings to various substrates. The process begins with a solid target material, such as titanium or aluminum-titanium alloy, which is evaporated and then deposited onto the surface of the workpiece.
There are two primary PVD methods: Cathodic Arc Deposition and Magnetron Sputtering. The key difference between them lies in how the target material is evaporated.
Both PVD methods take place under high vacuum conditions and at elevated temperatures, typically around 500°C, and can use reactive gases to form nitrides, carbides, or oxides.
In the cathodic arc PVD process, an electric arc is used to evaporate the target material. This arc creates a high ionization ratio, meaning that most of the vaporized target atoms carry a positive charge.
This charge enables the use of a negative bias potential on the substrate, which controls the energy with which the ions strike the surface. Adjusting this bias can influence the density, adhesion, and stress state of the final coating.
However, the cathodic arc process also melts some of the target material instead of fully vaporizing it. These melted droplets become macroparticles that solidify on the coated surface. The presence of macroparticles may make the coating rougher and introduce pores if the particles later detach.
In the magnetron sputtering PVD process, the target material is evaporated at the atomic level by bombarding its surface with charged plasma ions. A noble gas, typically argon, is used because it does not chemically react with the target material.
Unlike cathodic arc, sputtering produces no liquid droplets, eliminating the risk of macroparticles and resulting in a smoother coating surface. Magnetron sputtering also supports the use of segmented or non-conductive targets, offering greater flexibility in coating material selection.
One tradeoff is that relatively few atoms in the sputtering process become ionized, which limits control over coating growth via substrate bias adjustments. Additionally, the deposition rate in magnetron sputtering is typically slower than in cathodic arc deposition.
UNITED STATES
KYOCERA Hardcoating Technologies
220 Marc Drive
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44223
USA
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KYOCERA Hardcoating Technologies – Europe
11 Ashville Way, Wokingham,
Berkshire RG41 2PL
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