Bismuth (Bi) Sputtering Targets
Purity: 99.999% Size: 3” Thickness: 0.250”
Sputtering is a reliable method for depositing thin films from various materials onto diverse substrate shapes. The process is scalable and repeatable, suitable for both small research projects and medium-to-large production batches. Depending on process parameters, chemical reactions can occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate, 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 requiring high 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: Contributes to space weathering, altering physical and chemical properties of airless bodies like asteroids and the Moon.
About Bismuth (Bi)
Bismuth is a brittle metal with a silvery-pink color, stable in air and water. Despite its low thermal and electrical conductivity, it has diverse specialized uses:
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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: Used in thermoelectric conversion, magnetoresistance devices, and reference electrodes for heavy metal detection.
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Thin Film Semiconductors: Bismuth 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 such as 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.
