Fourvac Technologies Successfully Develops Ion Assisted Electron Beam Deposition System

Fourvac Technologies proudly assembled a state-of-the-art Ion Assisted Electron Beam Deposition (IAD/IBAD) System, reinforcing our capabilities in delivering advanced thin-film vacuum deposition solutions for high-precision applications.

Ion Assisted Deposition is an advanced Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technique in which a growing thin film is simultaneously bombarded with energetic ions during deposition. This process significantly improves coating adhesion, enhances film density, controls microstructure, and delivers superior stoichiometric precision making it ideal for high-performance optical, semiconductor, and research applications.

Advanced Deposition & Vacuum Architecture

The system utilizes Electron Beam Evaporation with a 6-pocket Ferrotec EVM8 e-beam gun featuring beam sweep capability for precise material evaporation. Film thickness is monitored and controlled using an INFICON Quartz Crystal Thickness Monitor, enabling automated deposition parameters such as pre-heating, soak time, ramp control, and shutter sequencing.

To achieve ultra-high vacuum performance, the chamber is pumped using a Pfeiffer ATH2303M Turbo Molecular Pump (2000 l/s) backed by a Pfeiffer ACP40 Dry MultiRoots Pump, enabling the system to achieve an impressive base pressure of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mbar.

Precision Process Capabilities

  • Rotating substrate holder for 4” wafers
  • Substrate heating up to 600°C
  • In-situ wafer flipping for backside deposition
  • KRI EH400 Broad Beam Ion Source for Argon/Oxygen ion bombardment
  • Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) for in-situ radical analysis
  • Full PLC based automation with PC control and safety interlocks

Proven Performance Through FAT Validation

  • Base pressure of 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ mbar in clean dry chamber
  • Recovery pressure of 2.6 × 10⁻⁷ mbar within 1.5 hours
  • Stable vacuum and deposition cycles without material splatting
  • Successful deposition of SiO₂ and Titanium thin films
  • Film thickness range: 5–1500 nm
  • Thickness uniformity: ±2% across wafer

Driving Innovation in Thin Film Technology

This successful development reflects Fourvac Technologies growing expertise in designing and manufacturing advanced vacuum deposition systems tailored for research, semiconductor, and specialized industrial applications.