Technology update - Directed vapour deposition

Directed vapour deposition (DVD) is a novel physical vapour deposition (PVD ) technology recently developed at the University of Virginia in cooperatio n with the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology. DV D combines sophisticated low vacuum electron beam (e-beam) evaporation with vapour transport in a flowing gas stream. Use of the gas stream enhances m aterial utilisation efficiency and deposition rate. Use of the stream also allows different elements to be evaporated from closely neighbouring source s. When evaporated simultaneously, the elements can form precise alloys, an d when evaporated sequentially, they can form multilayers. Within DVD the g as and vapour stream can be plasma activated and attracted to an electrical ly biased coating surface. The technique's innovative combination of e-beam evaporation, carrier gas transport, plasma activation, and biasing opens u p new possibilities for the creation of desirable film structures and compo sitions. The DVD concept and selected results are described in this paper.