Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) Sputtering Targets
Purity: 99.9%, Size: 1”, Thickness: 0.250”
Sputtering is a proven technology capable of depositing thin films from a wide variety of materials onto substrates of diverse shapes and sizes.
The sputtering process is repeatable and can be scaled up from small research and development projects. The process using sputter targets can be adapted for production batches involving medium to large substrate areas. Chemical reactions may occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate depending on the process parameters. Although sputter deposition involves many variables and is therefore complex, it provides experts significant control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
Sputtering targets are used for film deposition. Deposition performed with sputter targets is a method of creating thin films by sputtering, which involves eroding material from a “target” source and depositing it onto a “substrate,” such as a silicon wafer.
Semiconductor sputtering targets are used to etch the target, particularly when a high degree of etching anisotropy is required and selectivity is not a major concern.
Sputter targets are also used for analytical purposes by gradually removing target material. One example is secondary ion spectroscopy (SIMS), where the target sample is sputtered at a constant rate. As sputtering proceeds, the concentration and identity of ejected atoms are measured using mass spectrometry. With the assistance of the sputtering target, the composition of the material can be determined, and even extremely low levels of impurities can be detected.
Sputtering also has applications in space. It is one of the processes involved in space weathering, which alters the physical and chemical properties of airless bodies such as asteroids and the Moon.
