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Introduction to Sputter Coating incorporating K500X, K550X, K575X, K650X, K675X & SC3000

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Gaseous Conduction
3. Glow Discharge
4. Sputter Coating
5. Operating Characteristics
6. Specification

INTRODUCTION

When a target is bombarded with fast heavy particles, erosion of the target material occurs, this is termed sputtering. The arrangements of the systems are such that some of the sputtered atoms will condense on the surface of the specimen to be coated. The above process occurring in the conditions of a gaseous glow discharge between an anode and cathode is termed sputtering and can be enhanced by the choice of a suitable gas and target material, which together with other developments of the technique, allows the deposition of a suitable coating to increase the electrical conductivity of a specimen, probably the single most common requirement for Scanning Electron Microscopy.

The development of Sputter Coater systems embodies significant empirical design, however, an understanding in classical terms of glow discharge characteristics enhance such designs, and may assist in the comparison of differing systems.

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