Bismuth (Bi) Sputtering Targets
Purity: 99.999% Size: 4” Thickness: 0.250”
Sputtering is a highly reliable method for depositing thin films from a wide variety of materials onto diverse substrate shapes. The process is repeatable and scalable, 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, providing experts precise control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
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Thin Film Deposition: Transfers material from the target onto substrates such as silicon wafers.
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Semiconductor Etching: Ideal for processes requiring high etching anisotropy where selectivity is not a concern.
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Material Analysis: Enables techniques like Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) to determine composition and detect trace impurities.
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Space Applications: Contributes to space weathering, altering the 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. While it has low thermal and electrical conductivity, it has several 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 useful as filters or windows for radiation while allowing neutrons to pass.
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Thermoelectric & Magnetoresistance Devices: Its thermal conductivity and magnetoresistance properties are exploited in advanced devices.
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Thin Film Semiconductors: Bi films can transform into semiconductors at thicknesses around 30 nm. These films are depositable via RF/DC sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, or thermal evaporation.
Film properties are highly dependent on deposition conditions, including substrate temperature, target potential, ion beam energy, and energy release rate during deposition. In DC sputtering, applying positive pulses between the substrate and target can enhance film density and mechanical performance.
