INFICON SID-142 Thin Film Deposition Controller - Manual (Page 26)

Chapter 3 SQS-142 Software
3-1
3.0 Introduction
The SQS-142 Deposition Control Software works with Sigma Instrument’s SQM-142
QCM 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 evaporation
source for deposition. Once the pre-conditioning period expires, 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 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.
The SQS-142 software installs on any PC running Windows 95/98. An SQM-142
measurement card must also be installed in an ISA slot of the PC. The SQM-142
interfaces both to external quartz sensors and to an external evaporation power supply,
in order to provide a complete deposition control system.
The SQS-142 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.