INFICON SID-242 Thin Film Deposition Controller - Manual (Page 31)

Chapter 3 SQS-242 Software
3-1
3.0 Introduction
The SQS-242 Deposition Control Software works with Sigma Instrument’s SQM-242
Card to provide an inexpensive, yet powerful, PC based Thin Film Deposition Controller
that can:

Measure up to eight quartz crystal sensors simultaneously

Control up to four deposition source supplies simultaneously

Codeposit up to four films with preconditioning, multiple rate ramps, and
feed/idle phases

Graph deposition rate, rate deviation, or power output

Store process, film and material parameters in Microsoft Access ® database

Use inexpensive PLCs for flexible and reliable external process controls
A typical deposition cycle for a thin film is shown below. The cycle can be broken into
three distinct phases: pre-conditioning (ramp/soak), deposition, and post-conditioning
(feed/idle). During pre-conditioning, power is supplied to prepare the source material for
deposition. When pre-conditioning ends, material deposition begins. During deposition,
the PID loop adjusts the evaporation source power as required to achieve the desired
deposition rate. When the desired thickness is reached, the evaporation source is set
to feed or idle power. At this point the process may be complete, or deposition of
another film layer may begin. If desired, up to four separate films can be codeposited
within a single layer. There is no limit to the total number of layers.
The SQS-242 software allows you to build the recipes and perform the operating
functions required to control all aspects of multi-layer thin film deposition. Process
recipes are stored in Microsoft Access format. There is no practical limit to the number
of processes, films, or materials that can be stored in the database.