Doped Ceramic Thin Films: A New Approach to In-Line Depositions

Presented by John Felts, Nano Scale Surface Systems, Inc.

With the advent of “Nano” technology, there has been considerable focus on structures and designs, but little attention to how the required “novel” materials can (or will) be made in production environments. One class of materials that will be necessary for implementation of nano devices are nano composites which incorporate at least two structural and/or chemical groups, offering novel properties. A patented deposition source technology based on a hollow cathode can deposit Nanomatrix™ thin films at high rates as a point or linear source on polymer substrates. Oxide and nitride structures can be doped with metallic or polymeric groups offering the properties of both components. For example, a stable low index silicon dioxide matrix with dispersed metal particles can be conductive. Another example disperses a fluoropolymer into a silicon dioxide offering the lubricity of Teflon® with the mechanical and thermal properties of SiO2. FTIR data and deposition rate information will be presented along with a commercially available product utilizing this technology.