Sputtered film technology.

[EWF]

Am thinking ceramics pretty much kicks ass on sputtered metals.

 

Hi Grampa,

 

Many ceramic films are made with sputtered inorganic metals.  It really can get very confusing.

 

As far as one vs. the other - it really depends upon the customer's objective.  You must take into account the totality of the film's construction, rather than focus on a single aspect.

 

In fact, there are plenty of occasions when neither one of these may be necessary to get the job done.

 

-Howard

[Thirtyfive]

Years ago this advent to the film industry was to be the best thing since sliced bread

Hello Dev,

Actually, that was an understatement. If not for sputtering, our industry would still be locked in to 1970's era vapor deposition. The two critical improvements brought about by this method are as follows:

• It has expanded the range of metals and materials that can be incorporated into film. You cannot vapor deposit Nickel, Chromium, Copper or many of the Ceramic Nanomaterials which are found in the most advanced products. Vapor deposition is mostly limited to aluminum
• The precision which sputtering allows is unparalleled. Materials can be deposited onto the target substrate in layers which are just one atom thick at a time. Vapor deposition does not allow for anywhere near that kind of precision, which can lead to banding.

Only those who are satisfied with just Silver Reflective films and traditional dyed/metal hybrids can do without sputtering. But if you are looking to build advanced, spectrally selective films (with high luminous efficacy), you cannot achieve this without the very precise deposition that sputtering affords.

There are other benefits - perhaps Smart & Rob will weigh in here soon.

-Howard

Hi Howard,

Could you please elaborate, from what I was aware, vapour deposited ceramics are supposed to be better not just for performance but more so with auto vapour dep ceramics don't ghost as opposed to sputtered?

Please correct me because it's only what I've been told and if it is wrong (as what looks like from what I'm reading) I'd like to know so

[Counterpart]

Understand guys but high energy ions bombarded into targeted materials picking off and atom at a time still doesn't give you longevity.

 

I've seen lots of VK and old DTI film in a bad state of affairs.

 

Devil

 

Poor durability in earlier generation high-performance sputtered films was mainly due to oxidation (silver and copper were very vulnerable).

 

If you can lay your hands on a sputtered film semi-product (uncoated), your finger prints will appear on the film within a month after contact (depending on your climate). Oxidation-risk now been reduced in model sputtered films. Eg. Recently-produced V-kool will oxidize much slower than V-kool 10-20 years ago.

[Counterpart]

Never really had the best optical clarity. Sputtering is old hat now though compared to newer technologies.

 

Since 2010, I have seen sputtered films in semi-products stage (without adhesive or SR) from US, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China.

 

In their semi-product stage, the optical clarity of them are all good (unless inferior polyesters are used, eg. on cheaper metals such as Nickel-Chrome).

 

Personally, I would conclud that the cause for poor optical clarity is hardly due to the sputtering process.

[Tintguy1980]

 

Never really had the best optical clarity. Sputtering is old hat now though compared to newer technologies.

 

Since 2010, I have seen sputtered films in semi-products stage (without adhesive or SR) from US, Korea, Japan, Taiwan and China.

 

In their semi-product stage, the optical clarity of them are all good (unless inferior polyesters are used, eg. on cheaper metals such as Nickel-Chrome).

 

Personally, I would conclud that the cause for poor optical clarity is hardly due to the sputtering process.

 

 Just rip off a sheet of dry adhesive film and look at the clarity afterwards. 

[EWF]

Hi Howard,

Could you please elaborate, from what I was aware, vapour deposited ceramics are supposed to be better not just for performance but more so with auto vapour dep ceramics don't ghost as opposed to sputtered?

Please correct me because it's only what I've been told and if it is wrong (as what looks like from what I'm reading) I'd like to know so

 

 

 

Hi Thirtyfive,

 

One of the downsides of any sputtered product is the low MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate).  This can only be overcome by using the proper technique, proper squeegee, proper mounting solution and eating your Wheaties (do the have those down under?).  If you fail to evacuate all the water during installation, it can fog/ghost pretty bad.  Under severe circumstances, it may not dry completely out.

 

Vapor deposition has a much higher MVTR and is much more forgiving.  Some ceramic materials can be vapor deposited, while others cannot.  Another technique is to insert them (in liquid suspension) into the laminating adhesive.  This would also be a high MVTR construction.

 

Regards,

 

Howard