Bismuth (Bi) Sputtering Targets
Purity: 99.999% Size: 4” Thickness: 0.125”
Sputtering is a reliable technique for depositing thin films from various materials onto different substrate shapes. The process is scalable and repeatable, suitable for small research projects as well as medium-to-large production batches. Chemical reactions can occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate depending on process parameters, giving experts precise control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
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Thin Film Deposition: Erodes material from the target onto substrates like silicon wafers.
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Semiconductor Etching: Ideal for processes needing high etching anisotropy where selectivity is not critical.
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Material Analysis: Supports techniques like Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) to measure composition and detect trace impurities.
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Space Applications: Plays a role in space weathering, altering the physical and chemical properties of airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon.
About Bismuth (Bi)
Bismuth is a brittle, silvery-pink metal, stable in air and water. While it has low thermal and electrical conductivity, it is valuable in specialized applications:
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Alloys & Fuses: Used in low-melting fusible alloys, solders, and thermal fuses.
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Radiation Applications: High gamma-ray absorption makes it effective as filters or windows while allowing neutrons to pass.
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Thermoelectric & Magnetoresistance Devices: Utilized in thermoelectric conversion, magnetoresistance devices, and reference electrodes for heavy metal detection.
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Thin Film Semiconductors: Bi films can transform into semiconductors at ~30 nm thickness, depositable via RF/DC sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, or thermal evaporation.
The properties of Bi coatings depend on deposition conditions, including substrate temperature, target potential, ion beam energy, and energy release rate. Applying positive pulses between the substrate and target during DC sputtering improves film density and mechanical properties.
