Contributing Factors in Cathode Placement for Confocal Sputtering

Sputtering has proven to be a useful method to apply thin films. The need to sputter thin films for research and limited production applications has led to a useful approach of cathode placement. Confocal placement of multiple cathodes around a single substrate provides the system user the benefits of maximum cathode efficiency, reproducible uniform films, and the possibility of multiple material depositions and co-deposition of multiple materials all within a single vacuum chamber.