Using HIPIMS Power to supply high-quality, highly adhesive dense films

What is HIPIMS?

HIPIMS stands for High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering. It is an advanced vacuum coating technology, falling under the category of PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition).

The key characteristic of this technology is the use of extremely short-duration pulses (tens of microseconds) of high power, allowing the power density on the target material to reach very high levels (in the order of kW/cm²). This results in:

• Extremely high plasma density: Several orders of magnitude higher than conventional magnetron sputtering.

• Very high target material ionization rate: A large percentage of the sputtered particles (atoms) are ionized into ions (can exceed 70%).

• Low-temperature processing capability: Due to the dense ion flux, it can deposit dense, crystalline thin films even at lower substrate temperatures.

Main Applications of HIPIMS

The greatest advantage of HIPIMS is its ability to deposit high-quality, highly adherent, and dense thin films, making it crucial in several fields:

• Enhancing Film Adhesion (Pre-treatment):

  Before the actual coating process, the high-energy metal ion plasma generated by HIPIMS is used to bombard the substrate surface. This effectively cleanses and etches the surface, significantly enhancing the bond strength between the film and the substrate.
   
• ​Dense and smooth coatings:
  
  High ionization rates result in deposited particles with high energy and strong migration capabilities, effectively filling the micropores on the substrate surface to form an extremely dense, pore-free thin film structure.

Simultaneously, this technology effectively reduces macroscopic particles on the coating surface, achieving a very smooth surface. This is crucial for many functional thin films (such as barrier films and flexible electrodes).

To improve the adhesion of sputtered films, Topnano has equipped some of its roll-to-roll magnetron sputtering machines with HIPIMS power supplies.  It solves the efficiency, quality, and cost challenges in the mass production of high-quality films on flexible substrates.

Practical Applications

This combined technology has demonstrated its potential in several high-end fields:

Flexible Electronics: It can be used to manufacture high-performance conductive films and barrier films for products such as flexible displays, flexible solar cells, and flexible sensors.

High-End Packaging and Protection: In the food and pharmaceutical packaging industry, it can deposit ultra-thin and dense barrier films to effectively isolate water and oxygen, extending shelf life. It is also suitable for other flexible materials requiring corrosion resistance.

Functional Coatings: For example, depositing high-hardness, low-friction coefficient diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings on flexible substrates, or high-quality optical films for optical components.

In summary, HIPIMS combines the smoothness of traditional magnetron sputtering with the high ionization rate and strong adhesion of arc ion plating, making it considered a major technological breakthrough in PVD coating over recent decades.