Instruments & Software

Niobium Software

The custom software supplied with the HEX range enables full recipe control and allows multiple users to create complex deposition runs in a matter of minutes. The functions available include;

Shutter operation
Gas flow control
Valve control
Custom programme creation for specific deposition runs
Thickness measurement and rate monitoring
Sample rotation
Logging
Load lock pump down and venting
Chamber pressure control
Pump control
Sample heating
Power control for all sputtering and thermal sources

Automation Options

In keeping with the modular design of the HEX range, all of the models in the series of thin film deposition systems can be configured to your precise requirements, in addition to the physical geometry of the chamber and sources this also includes levels of manual or automatic control.

The automisation of the system can range from simply adding automated shutters to improve the accuracy of the thickness measurement and rate control, to installing a fully automated deposition solution with custom designed software for the creation of full deposition runs at the press of a button.

Each pocket in the source is equipped with a flux monitoring plate, which captures the small fraction of ions in the evaporant beam and which is proportional to the overall evaporation rate. This measurement is highly sensitive and allows sub-monolayer films to be grown accurately while also coping with higher rates. The TAU-4 source uses one monitoring plate for each of its 4 independent pockets allowing independent rate monitoring, even when co-evaporating.

The sources accept either rods of conducting target materials or crucibles which will can hold either metallic or insulating materials (for advice on the correct choice, please contact Korvus).

QCM – Deposition Thickness & Rate Monitors

Quartz Crystal Monitoring measures a mass variation per unit area by measuring the change in frequency of a quartz crystal resonator. The resonance is disturbed by the addition or removal of a small mass due to oxide growth/decay or film deposition at the surface of the acoustic resonator.

The HEX QCM enables the monitoring of deposition rate and thickness for all of the sources in the components range and is available in both manual and fully automated versions.

Accessories- Shutters and Source Holders

All Korvus Technology deposition sources and instruments can be held securely by a source holder.

This allows routine maintenance, target switching, crucible replacement and much more to be carried out efficiently and easily by all users.

High Vacuum Load Locks

The HEX series HEX-L also has the option of incorporating a high vacuum load lock. This can be pumped down in under 10 minutes and allows samples to be introduced without breaking the vacuum of the systems main chamber.

Sample, Viewport and Instrument Shutters

All of the deposition components and sample stage options for the HEX series come with shutters in order to control the deposition of materials. They can be either manually operated or there is also the option of adding fully automated shutters to the system, enabling full system control from a laptop, using our custom software Niobium.

Some of the thin film system options are listed below, but please contact us if you have any specific requirements and we will be happy to design a configuration to suit your requirements.

System Panels

The HEX series has a wide range of side panel options for the customisation of a deposition chamber such as;

Viewport panels – to assist in the monitoring of the deposition process
Blank (chamber wall) panels
Gas line panels – for introducing gas into the chamber for reactive thin film deposition or post deposition annealing.
Instrument panels – for the attachment of the HEX range or deposition instruments.
Bespoke top and bottom panels – enabling custom sample stage and pumping options.