Latest screw vacuum technology lends exceptional reliability to ALD coating
At its plant in Balzers, Liechtenstein, Inficon AG produces measuring instruments and sensors for pressure measurement, as well as components for the high-vacuum range. These contain parts that are coated using the ALD process (atomic layer deposition). The vacuum supply for all ALD coating systems is provided exclusively by COBRA DS screw vacuum pumps from Busch. In terms of reliability and service life, Inficon has had the best experience with these vacuum pumps.
(firmenpresse) - Inficon has been using the ALD process for coating its components for many years. They have collected a great deal of experience, mainly in the coating of complex 3D components. Inficon began coating components for customers in 2015. OEM customers from the semiconductor industry are the main customers commissioning Inficon to coat their components, which are then used in their coating chambers and come into contact with different gases. The ALD coating of the components, which are mostly made of aluminum, gives them a high corrosion resistance to the process gases used and the gases used to clean the vacuum chambers. However, customers from the vacuum technology sector and other industries also use ALD coating by Inficon.
The ALD process is essentially similar to using chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In CVD, two chemical preliminary stages react in the gas phase and are deposited as a product on a substrate. For ALD, this process is divided into different process steps. One advantage of ALD is that the layer thickness is precisely adhered to at all points of a component according to definition. Repeating the coating process allows for several layers to be built up on top of each other. Inficon usually works with layer thicknesses of 250 to 500 nanometers. The coating can consist of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide and laminates with thicknesses of a few nanometers. In addition to the massive increase in corrosion resistance, an ALD coating has the additional advantage of being extremely dense, pure and of low surface roughness.
The ALD coating process takes place under vacuum. There is a continuous vacuum of 0.1 millibar in the vacuum chamber. The multi-stage vacuum pumps originally supplied with the coating systems had service lives of less than one year and were therefore not convincing. They also required a lot of nitrogen for flushing. Due to their multi-stage design, the gas flow through these vacuum pumps must be diverted several times, which increases the risk of deposits and makes the flushing process more complex. These multi-stage vacuum pumps were also very loud.
When the new clean room with ALD coating systems was commissioned, Project Manager Philip Spring and CTO Urs Wpreceded by intensive consultations with Busch''s vacuum experts and two one-day workshops for all Inficon employees involved in the project. One workshop took place directly at Inficon in Balzers. Busch then invited to Ateliers Busch S.A. in Chevenez in the Swiss canton of Jura for a second workshop. Those responsible at Inficon were mainly impressed by the 50 percent lower nitrogen consumption for flushing the vacuum pump and the significantly lower noise level of the COBRA screw vacuum pump compared to a multi-stage vacuum pump.
In addition, the vacuum experts at Busch guaranteed those responsible at Inficon a service life of twelve months despite the complex process. This is despite the fact that in daily practice, in addition to conveying various process gases, the penetration of abrasive aluminum oxide and other particles, as well as chlorine and fluorine gases, cannot be completely avoided.
After several months of continuous operation of the first COBRA DS, an inspection was carried out. There were no signs of wear or deposits in the vacuum pump, leading Urs Wvacuum pump. The COBRA DS owes its high particle tolerance to its specially developed screw profile. The one-piece screw rotors have no undercuts, gaps or deflections in the gas flow that would facilitate dust deposits. Thanks to the latest screw vacuum technology, less nitrogen is required as purge gas. Compared to a multi-stage vacuum pump with a purge gas consumption of 96 slm, a COBRA DS with only 50 slm requires almost half the nitrogen. Maintenance of the COBRA DS is limited to checking the oil level in the gear unit and removing the particles conveyed from the exhaust pipe.
Meanwhile, four ALD coating systems at Inficon in Balzers are each equipped with a COBRA DS 2000 G. Several COBRA DS of the same size were also purchased for ALD coating systems in the Inficon production plants in Taiwan and the USA and are now in operation. Since start-up, all vacuum pumps have been running non-stop around the clock. Eighteen months [June 2019] after start-up of the first COBRA DS, CTO Urs W
"The one-year service life promised by Busch was significantly exceeded. This shows that we made the right decision from a technical point of view. And the excellent cooperation between our project team and the vacuum experts at Busch was phenomenal. I have never experienced anything like this in my professional life." He also adds: "The vacuum pumps were installed and have been running day and night ever since. We don''t even notice them."
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Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems is one of the world’s largest producers of vacuum pumps, vacuum systems, blowers and compressors.
Its extensive product portfolio comprises solutions for vacuum and overpressure applications in all industries, including the chemical, semiconductor, medical technology, plastics, and food sectors. It also covers the design and construction of customized vacuum systems, as well as a global service network.
The Busch group is a family-owned company and is still managed by the Busch family. Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems has 3,000 employees in more than 60 companies in over 40 countries worldwide. Busch is headquartered in Maulburg, in southwest Germany. This is the location of Busch SE headquarters, as well as the German production facility and German sales company. In addition to Maulburg, Busch also has its own production plants in Switzerland, the UK, Czech Republic, Korea and the USA.
Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems was founded by Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch and his wife Ayhan Busch in 1963. Dr.-Ing. Karl Busch developed the “Huckepack”, which was the first vacuum pump that could be used for vacuum packaging of foodstuffs. The follow-up product, the compact “R 5” rotary vane vacuum pump, revolutionized food packaging. A further milestone represented the development of the “COBRA” screw vacuum pump. In 1971 the international expansion of the Busch group started with the founding of a sales company in the UK. The first production plant outside Germany was established in the USA in 1979.
Jasmin Markanic
Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems
Global Marketing / Marketing Services
Coordinator Global Press & Media Relations
Schauinslandstraße 1
DE 79689 Maulburg
Phone: +49 7622 681 3376
Jasmin.Markanic(at)busch.de
www.buschvacuum.com
Datum: 12.09.2019 - 02:54 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 1552309
Anzahl Zeichen: 7112
contact information:
Contact person: Jasmin Markanic
Town:
Maulburg
Phone: +4976226813376
Kategorie:
Research & Development
Typ of Press Release: Success
type of sending: send
Date of sending: 12.09.2019
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