PVD Products has received a large purchase order to build a unique reel-to-reel tool dedicated to IBAD MgO deposition for High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) coated-conductor applications. The system will include the ability to map out the ion beam profile from linear RF ion sources to provide optimized uniformity on the substrate surface. The system will also include in-situ diagnostics such as scanning RHEED to monitor the film quality within the deposition zone along the length of the tape. This system expands PVD Products coated conductor product line which currently includes reel-to-reel Pulsed Laser Deposition and magnetron sputtering systems used for deposition of HTS materials as well as a wide variety of buffer layers including ceria and protective over-layers such as silver. This new IBAD system is scheduled to be delivered in 2011.

PVD Products delivers its third reel-to-reel coated conductor machine to a major Japanese superconducting research lab. This new PLD system includes an extended length heater providing for much faster tape speeds during the film growth process. This third system is earmarked for the deposition of buffer layers such as cerium oxide at rates of 100 m/hour. The system includes PVD's multi-track capability with a multi-zone heater. It also includes PVD's unique XYΘ target manipulator that handles three six-inch diameter targets. The XYΘ manipulator provides for a constant plume direction for extremely long periods of time. Also the system uses PVD's large coated-conductor Intelligent Window (link to IW here), and full multi plume capability. Both PVD's Intelligent Window and XYΘ target manipulator make it possible to grow 1 km lengths of tape without having to stop deposition and break vacuum to clean optics or resurface targets. The system is mated Coherent STEEL excimer laser to provide high growth rates. The system, once integrated will provide buffer layers on 1-cm wide tapes with a length of 1 km in five hours time. This third sale to Japan indicates the customer's strong confidence in PVD's capabilities to provide a unique high quality product that meets the customer's ever increasing needs.

PVD Products has received a large order for a UHV PLD/MBE 2500 deposition system from a customer based in China. The PLD/MBE 2500 includes six 2-inch diameter targets on a dual axis rotary feedthrough with water cooled stage, high temperature heater mounted on motorized Z-stage for variable target-to-substrate distance, along with PVD's unique Intelligent Window. This UHV system will incorporate five effusion cells on the back wall of the chamber besides the standard PLD/MBE components. The system also includes a Staib high pressure RHEED package, RF substrate bias, and PVD's dual wafer loadlock. The system demonstrates the unique nature of PVD's PLD/MBE 2000 series that allows the integration of a wide variety of deposition tools such as PLD and effusion cells, atom, ion, or sputter sources all within one package.

PVD Products is now offering a line of DC to DC and RF/DC switch boxes for existing sputter systems. The DC switch can take the power from one DC power supply and send it to one of up to six different magnetron sputtering sources via computer control. The RF/DC switch box will allow the customer to quickly switch from RF sputtering to DC sputtering (or vice-versa) via computer control.

PVD Products has successfully completed the installation of a unique MAPLE/IRRPLD system at Jefferson Lab, Newport News, Virginia. This system will utilize the unique properties of the JLab's Free Electron Laser to deposit a variety of polymer films. The system includes three rotating frozen MAPLE Targets as well as three solid targets along with a 4-inch substrate heater and loadlock. Both Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation and Infrared Resonant Pulsed Laser Depositon can be conducted in the same system.

PVD Products books another order for a Reel-to-Reel multi-lane/multi plume PLD system for deposition of ceramic buffer layers onto metal tapes. This system is designed with multi-lane/multi plume capability, an extended length substrate heater to preheat the tape traveling at high speeds, and is fully computer controlled. This system is designed to deposit buffer layer material at 100 m/hour.

PVD Products has booked an order for a second turn-key combinatorial sputter deposition system. This system is designed for 100 mm diameter wafers and uses smaller 1" targets. This system is scheduled to ship in May 2011.

PVD Products has installed a turn-key combinatorial sputter deposition system for 300 mm diameter wafers in a major semiconductor fab. This system includes four PVD Products Titan in-situ tiltable magnetron sputter sources mounted on motorized Z-stages. Each source is connected to both an RF and DC power supply through a programmable RF/DC switch. The 300 mm wafer is transferred to a wafer holder mounted to a vacuum compatible X-Y stage with 1 micron positioning resolution. Co-sputtering from up to four sources through a metal mask creates a well defined pad on the wafer. Using the X-Y stage to step location and using the sources at different power levels and/or varying target to substrate distances allows the deposition of a wide range of varying material compositions in a computer controlled fashion. This system is also mated to a central robot wafer handler.

PVD Products had installed a unique turn-key PLD system for 300 mm wafers in a large semiconductor fab. This system is married to a central robot and wafer handler. Besides using one of PVD's unique X-Y-Θ type target manipulator this PLD this system also included a multipocket electron beam evaporation unit and high temperature heater.

PVD Products has installed a turn-key coated conductor sputtering system for the deposition of cerium oxide buffer layers and protective silver metal layers onto 1 cm wide metal tapes. The system utilizes PVD Products multi-lane tape transport system with a 6" x 3" rectangular magnetron source for large area deposition. Included with the system is a substrate heater used for cerium oxide buffer layers and a substrate cooling stage for deposition of silver protective layers.The system is completely computer controlled. The system can deposit 1 micron of Ag at a tape speed of 15 m/hour.