Getter sputtering system for high-throughput fabrication of composition spreads

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Thin Film Deposition
• Catalysis

Background:

• High-throughput synthesis of composition spreads is crucial for accelerated materials discovery.
• Traditional sputtering systems often face limitations due to long pump-down times between target changes, hindering efficiency.
• Minimizing contamination during deposition is essential for accurate characterization and reliable performance of thin films.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel sputtering system designed for efficient deposition of composition spreads.
• To demonstrate a method for minimizing contamination during deposition using getter sputtering.
• To evaluate the system's effectiveness and showcase its application in catalysis research.

Main Methods:

• The system utilizes four magnetron sputter guns within a cryoshroud for getter sputtering.
• Custom substrate heaters facilitate rapid heating and cooling cycles.
• Composition spreads were deposited, and their catalytic activity was evaluated.

Main Results:

• The getter sputtering technique effectively minimizes contamination by oxygen and reactive background gases.
• Rapid heating and cooling enabled by custom substrate heaters reduce overall deposition cycle times.
• Example results demonstrate the catalytic activity of a pseudoternary composition spread.

Conclusions:

• The described sputtering system offers an efficient approach for depositing composition spreads in an ultra-high vacuum environment.
• The integration of getter sputtering and rapid thermal control enhances deposition quality and throughput.
• This system provides a valuable tool for accelerating materials discovery, particularly in the field of catalysis.