Coating deposition
The
department has five systems for deposition of hard PVD coatings, among them
three in the Hard coatings center and two in the department labs in Ljubljana.
They are used to deposit thin films, both on test samples for research
activities as well as on tools for our industrial partners.
The system uses the principle of magnetron sputtering from four sources in DC power supply mode. The system is computer-controlled with a protocol printout for each batch. Industrially we deposit the TiAlN coating, while experimentally also CrAlN, aCN and nitride coatings based on Ti, TiAl and CrAl.
The system uses the principle of magnetron sputtering from four sources and enables the operation in three regimes: DC, pulsed DC and HiPIMS. Non-conductive coatings (e.g. Al2O3) and low-temperature coatings (CrN and TiN) can also be deposited. This system is used for all advanced test depositions of nanolayer and nanocomposite coatings, and gradient-composition coatings. The system is computer-controlled with a protocol printout for each batch. The coatings deposited in industrial series include AlTiN, TiAlSiN, CrN and aCN. However, we can prepare any nitride coatings based on Ti, Al, Cr, V, TiAl, AlTi and TiSi.
Evaporation apparatus Balzers BAI 730This apparatus applies the technique of evaporation from a crucible using an electron beam. It enables an ecomonical deposition of simple nitride coatings on tools. Industrial deposition in this machine is limited to TiN and CrN.
The system has been thoroughly rebuilt, and includes a sputtering source (a planar magnetron) and an evaporation source (an electron beam). It is used for experimental work exclusively.
The apparatus applies the technique of triode sputtering. It is very flexible and enables the deposition of various coatings, therefore it is primarily used for research, neverthelss deposition on small tools is possible too. We can deposit nitrides, carbides and oxides of various metals, as well as metallic thin films.