“Plasma-based Magnetron Sputtering Processes for Surface Science & Engineering” seminar by Prof. Stéphanos Konstantinidis of Laboratory of Plasma-Surface Interaction Chemistry at the
University of Mons (Belgium) and Research Director at FNRS
April 23, 2025
Aula Consiglio, Department of Physics
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Celoria 16, Milan
Magnetron Sputtering (MS) is a low-pressure plasma-based process enabling the depositing of functional thin films. This technique, widely used in Industry, allows for film deposition on various surfaces, including large substrates such as architectural glazing. Thin films are implemented in a large variety of fields including optics, mechanics, electronics, biology and medicine, etc.
The presentation will focus on the key parameters that control plasma characteristics and, in turn, the condensation of sputtered atoms and film growth. These aspects are critical for controlling the physico-chemical properties of the deposited thin films. Magnetron Sputtering actually offers great flexibility in manipulating the chemical composition of films, ranging from pure metals to alloys, oxides, nitrides, or carbide compounds. Depending on the working parameters, the films can be amorphous or (poly)crystalline, porous or dense.
However, the relationship between process parameters, plasma properties, and film characteristics is not always straightforward or predictable. This complexity requires in-depth studies to better understand the relationship between the process, the plasma, and the final properties of the films. In the frame of this seminar, I will highlight what is the basic principle of magnetron sputtering and what can be achieved thanks to this family of process for surface science and engineering. We will also discuss advanced processes such as Glancing Angle Deposition (GLAD), allowing precise control of the film morphology at the nanoscale, and Sputtering onto Liquids (SoL) which enables the production of colloidal suspension.
Contacts: Dr. Francesca Borghi – francesca.borghi@unimi.it