The first off-the-shelf vertical cluster equipment combining ALD and PVD deposition techniques in a compact, modular, and fully automated system.

The flagship deposition system combines an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) chamber at the top and a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) chamber at the bottom. The chambers are divided by a gate valve that is closed when performing ALD and opens to run a PVD process without the need to move the substrate or ever breaking vacuum. This patent‑pending innovative vertical chamber arrangement forgoes the need for transfer arms and antechambers, avoiding the pitfalls that make the traditional cluster equipment bulky, slow, expensive, and prone to handling failures. The system is designed to be completely modular and upgradeable. The ALD and PVD chambers can be installed as stand-alone chambers or used together as a cluster deposition system. The ALD can also be used as a load‑lock, enabling fast substrate exchange and maintaining base vacuum. The SC‑1 can be further modified and customized to fit your requirements. 

The SC‑1 can fabricate n number of multinanolayers of multiple material systems from the PVD and ALD/CVD materials library with our easy‑to‑use hardware and software. Take control of your components with our Machine Control software, and create fully automated processes with our Recipe Creator tool. Standard recipes are ready to use for easy operation, and one can easily create new and/or modify recipes at any point.  

Add new gas lines, valves, and mass flow controllers; customize flanges and feedthroughs; exchange substrate holders; incorporate microwave plasma sources for PE-ALD and reactive sputtering, or add in situ metrology equipment. The SC‑1 series is extremely flexible to incorporate new hardware and be integrated into our software for manual control and recipe creation. Control your process and research with an innovative, flexible, and user-friendly system. 

Materials Factory with the benefits of ALD and PVD Multinanolayered Materials: Hundreds of nanolayers from various material systems from the PVD and ALD materials library can be synthesized. The combination of ALD and PVD layers creates a unique microstructure with tailored 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 with different deposition temperatures across the substrate using our Temperature Gradient Stage (TGS). Modularity to customize and upgrade Expandable: The ALD and PVD chambers can be acquired and operated individually and then be upgraded to a cluster system. New devices or in situ metrology equipment can be added and incorporated to the hardware and software. Compact: By reducing the need of antechambers and mechanical arms, we reduce the complexity and footprint required in the lab. Fast to accelerate R & D Automated: The system is fully automated; all the devices and components are connected to our easy to use software. Hundreds of ALD and PVD multinanolayers can be fabricated with the push of a button. Smart R & D: The TGS allows to screen a temperature window to scan precursors, growth rates, crystal structure, chemical composition, mechanical behavior and more in a single deposition. User‑friendly to beginner and advanced users Recipe Creator: With our easy to use Recipe Creator, complex recipes can be made easy with different parameters in both ALD and PVD process during the deposition. Incorporate your devices or homemade systems and control it with our software. Low Maintenance: The easy attachable/detachable panels makes this equipment extremely easy to replace, clean and service the parts. 

Hardware 

Substrate Sizes 

• 4 in. wafers 
• 6 in. wafers 
• Different substrate holders available 

Substrate Temperature 

• Up to 400 °C (homogenous)
• A gradient of 30 °C to 450 °C with the Temperature Gradient Stage (TGS) 

ALD Precursor Lines 

• Up to 12 precursors with individual inlets
• Standard bottles and bubblers 

Magnetrons 

• Up to 4 magnetrons with 2 in. targets or 8 magnetrons with 1 in. target 
• Custom angles • HiPIMS compatible 

Add-ons 

• Microwave plasma sources (PE‑ALD)
• In situ wafer stress measurements 
• Customized ports and flanges ALD-PVD 

Materials 

• Al2O3, TiO2, TiN, ZnO, Y2O3, ZrO2, HfO2, Cu, Al, Ti, Mg, Nb, and more... 

Software Mass Flow Controllers 

• 4 Analog MFC 
• Up to 60 Digital MFC 

Pneumatic Valves (ALD) 

• 24 valves 

Gate Valves 

• 3 gate valves with feedback 

Vacuum Gauges 

• 4 Analog Sensors 24V 

Flow Meters 

• 4 Flow meters 24V 

Temperature Control Unit 

• 16 Channel PID regulation with K-Type sensors Motor 

Control Unit 

• 6 motors 24V - 1.5A 

Additional Connections 

• 2 Ethernet 
• 4 RS485 

Manual Control & Recipe Creator

•  Integration and control of all devices