Computer Controlled System for the Magnetron Sputtering Deposition of the Metallic Multilayers

Deposition of the metallic multilayers is a partof the scientific program on the chemical reaction leading tointermetallic compound formation. This reaction is known as selfpropagation high temperature synthesis (SHS). The key problemin this investigation is to produce the metallic multilayer systemwith good repeatability of thin films thicknesses. Thin shouldbe thin, parallel and with low volume of intermixing regionbetween components. Computer control system for the pulsed(mid frequency MF) magnetron sputtering equipment dedicatedfor metallic multilayers deposition is presented in this paper. Therotation velocity of the sample holder and the gas inlet throughmembrane valves are the main parameters controlled by thesystem. Parameters of the magnetron gun power supply, sampletemperature and technological gas pressure are registered. Theprocess cards which define all process parameters are collectedfor each dedicated process type. All cards are collected in aprocess cards library which permits for full automatization ofall operations. Software was written in a graphical LabVIEWenvironment