Monitoring and Control of Vacuum Deposition and Surface Treatment Processes

Gencoa Limited have developed a prototype sensor that functions by generating a small plasma within the vacuum and splitting the emitted light into its spectrum via a CCD spectrometer. By analysing this spectrum it is possible to identify species present within the vacuum. This approach, whilst not as sensitive as an RGA, operates over a wide pressure range without the need for differential pumping. This project will aim to demonstrate the feasibility of using this sensing method to identify relevant contaminant, effluent and process gas species for vacuum deposition and surface treatment processes. If the project proves successful, then it would significantly reduce the barrier to entry for monitoring the vacuum environment for a large number of process operators who do not have this capability due to the cost, complexity and operating range of what is currently available on the market. Through better monitoring of the vacuum, this project will aim to demonstrate there is the potential to reduce process scrappage and process time and increase process quality and yield