| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M72111/01 |
| Title: |
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DUAL BIPOLAR MAGNETRON SPUTTERING SYSTEM |
| Principal Investigator: |
Arnell, Professor RD |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Inst for Materials Research |
| Organisation: |
University of Salford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 September 1999 |
Ends: |
31 August 2002 |
Value (£): |
242,673
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Materials Synthesis & Growth |
|
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
Manufacturing |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
|
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
Very thin metal oxide coatings are being used increasingly for a variety of purposes including the manufacture of architectural glass, optical coatings and food packaging materials. They are grown by evaporating the metal, usually by a solid-state process known as magnetron sputtering, in a vacuum vessel containing a small amount of oxygen. The full potential of the coatings is not yet being realised for two principal reasons: the coating growth rate is slow and the coatings contain large numbers of microscopic defects. Both these problems arise from the fact that the coating materials are highly insulating and are prone to spark discharges during deposition. The problems can be overcome by reversing the voltage on the vapour source at a high frequency, so that it is alternately charged and discharged. This project will optimise the process so that it will become possible to deposit highly-insulating, defect-free coatings at commercially attractive rates. In the later stages of the project, the process will be transferred to a prototype production system.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.salford.ac.uk |