Vacuum coating

Vacuum coating, also known as thin-film deposition, is a process where thin layers of material are deposited under vacuum on the surface of a substrate. From metal to wood, plastic, and leather. Coatings help protect against wear, friction, heat, and other harsh conditions.

COBRA and R5 vacuum pumps, in combination with PUMA/PANDA vacuum boosters, meet the requirements of vacuum coating processes. We provide individual vacuum pumps as well as complete vacuum systems. Several factors should be considered when selecting the appropriate vacuum solution for your process.

To find out which vacuum pumps fit your needs best, use our product finder to compare our matching products or get in touch with our Busch experts.

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There are three main types of coating.

Physical vapor deposition (PVD)

A liquid or solid source material is vaporized inside a vacuum chamber and deposited onto the surface of a substrate. The substrate is carefully positioned and rotated to ensure that the correct areas are coated. This results in a high-quality impregnated coating that won’t chip or crack over time. Faucets, jewellery and microelectronics are just a few examples of products that can have a PVD coating.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD)

CVD processes use a gaseous vapor source. A volatile precursor is introduced into a vacuum chamber and heated to a specific reaction temperature. As the temperature increases, the precursor gas reacts or decomposes into the substrate, bonding directly onto the material surface. CVD coating is used in the semiconductor industry by solar panel manufacturers to create ultra-thin films that are responsible for the performance of modern solar cells. The coating process is also often applied to machine tools and integrated circuits in devices such as telephones and televisions.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD)

ALD allows for precise and uniform deposition of ultra-thin layers on a variety of substrates. A special set of timed chemical reactions is used to create a film with atomic-level accuracy. This results in coatings that exhibit excellent uniformity and purity. It is one of the most comprehensive types of coating. ALD coatings are used for various applications, from encapsulating surgical devices and implants with titanium oxide to metal coatings for fine mechanics and watch parts.

Both PVD and CVD are vacuum deposition methods. The main difference between them is that the coating material is solid or liquid in PVD processes and in a gaseous form in CVD processes. ALD is a specialized form of CVD that focuses on depositing materials one atomic layer at a time.

Vacuum coating systems enable the deposition of thin layers of a desired coating material onto a substrate in a vacuum environment. This provides a high degree of purity and adhesiveness of the coating. Vacuum is used to enable the evaporation of source materials, avoid oxidation, and provide the optimum environment free of any contamination for coating deposition. In chemical coating processes, vacuum is also required to control reactivity.

Vacuum chambers play a crucial role in coating processes. They create the optimal low-pressure environment to enable the deposition of thin-films and other coatings onto a substrate. By removing oxygen and nitrogen from the chamber, the coating material can be introduced, vaporized, and impregnated onto the surface of a substrate in a controlled manner. Vacuum chambers also prevent contamination from outside sources, such as dust and other debris. This ensures high quality and consistency of the finished product.

The necessary vacuum level varies depending on the source material and the quality of the coating layer. Each method has different requirements. To find out which vacuum level fits your needs best, get in touch with our Busch experts.

There are several advantages to vacuum-based coating methods, including:

A disadvantage, depending on the source material, is that the deposition rate can be slow.