Update:  2024

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Patent Granted

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The Large Area Plasma Source:

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Update 2024

Patent granted for the new large area HiTUS coating technology:

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Photo of our 400mm x 120mm linear target after many hours usage in the newly patented large area HiTUS Plasma technology. As can be seen there is no apparent race track and the target is uniformly starting to polish.

This new technology is capable of coating greater than 1.5m in width, can be fitted to linear or roll to roll coaters and has the same excellent and unique benefits of our existing HiTUS technology.

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This is a modified old coating system that has been adapted to take the new large area Plasma technology. It comprises (from left to right) a substrate preparation stage, load lock, heater stage, large area HiTUS Plasma source and a final recovery stage. The 600mm x 420mm substrate plate can be passed under the target as many times as required to achieve the specified thickness of material whilst maintaining good uniformity in all directions.

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Update: Dec 2021

The new large area remote sputtering source has been running for almost a year and has required no maintenance since starting trials. This is now being developed into a commercially available large area source. The advantages are high deposition rates, very stable reactive coatings and very low maintenance requirements (none in over 12 months).

 

Update: Sept 2020

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We have completed early stage trials on our prototype version of our large area PLS (named the DPS). So far indications are that this is a highly stable large area source that can achieve the same unique coating advantages available on our small area HiTUS systems. 

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The DPS is able to coat onto flexible plastics without causing damage, remains stable with reactive process and achieves a higher deposition rate compared to existing Plasma technology.

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The technology although in the early stages would have many uses for large scale industrial coating requirements.

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Please contact us if you would like to know more.

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We are currently expanding our systems designs to accommodate the latest PQL production compatible plasma sources developed for large area and high volume plate or web coating and processing.

 

We can design for research scale (low volume) systems for large area (upto about 30x30cm) individual substrates and undertake system build if desired.

 

We can also design and in most cases build prototype production capable systems with load-lock and automated multiple chamber coating and transfer for plate or substrate carriers up to 50cm width.

 

We will work with established web and plate production coating systems manufacturers for larger sizes or where the in-production support capability they offer is essential – or if our customers have specific supplier preference.

 

We are also happy to advise and design for upgrading existing, proven large area coating systems to PQL remote plasma configuration, providing the technology’s benefits at minimum commercial risk.