PVD Coating And Its Commonly Used Targets

PVD stands for Physical Vapour Deposition. PVD coating refers to a thin film deposition technique whereby solid materials are sputtered or evaporated in a vacuum environment and deposited as pure materials or alloy components to form a coating on a substrate.

Because the method transfers the coating material as individual atoms or at the molecular level, it provides a very pure and high performance coating, which for many applications is better than the other methods used. At the heart of every microchip, semiconductor device, durable protective film, optical lens, solar panel and many medical devices, PVD coatings provide key performance attributes to the end product. Whether the coating needs to be very thin, pure, durable or clean, PVD provides the solution.

What makes PVD coatings highly durable, corrosion resistant and scratch resistant?

Being able to apply coatings at the atomic level using PVD allows control over the structure, density and stoichiometry of the film. Using certain materials and processes, we can develop specific properties of physical vapour deposition films such as hardness, lubricity, adhesion etc.

These coatings can reduce friction and provide a barrier against damage. The range of applications for these coatings continues to expand. Aerospace, automotive, defence, manufacturing and other areas where durability is essential.

These physical vapour deposition coatings are also highly resistant to discolouration and corrosion and can be used for decorative finishes in a wide range of colours that do not fade. PVD gold or platinum plating produces a brilliant surface that gives the watch a high resistance to scratches and scuffing, which can lead to less resilient process wear.

Titanium nitride and similar coatings provide beautiful finishes that are also very resistant to corrosion and wear. This makes it widely used in household items such as door handles, pipe fixtures and marine fixtures as well as machining tools, knives and drills. It produces coatings with excellent hardness, durability and wear resistance.

What are the common PVD coating targets?

The coating material to be sputtered or evaporated is known as the 'target' or 'source material' and there are hundreds of materials commonly used in PVD. Depending on what the end product is, the materials range from metals, alloys, ceramics, various compounds and anything from the periodic table of elements.

Some processes require unique coatings such as carbides, nitrides, silicides and borides for specific applications. Each of these has special qualities tailored to specific performance requirements. For example, graphite and titanium are commonly used for high performance aerospace and automotive components where friction and temperature are critical success factors.

To achieve a uniform film coating thickness of typically a few atoms or molecules, the part to be coated is usually rotated at a uniform speed or placed on a conveyor belt which passes through a chamber of deposited material and can be coated with single or multiple layers in the same deposition cycle.          

The PVD coating process is used in a wide range of applications, from today's most advanced and cutting edge semiconductor industry, to integrated circuits, to solar panels and many more, and in all of these industries it is most important that PVD coatings can be applied without toxic residues or side effects.