Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications to receive Veeco’s SPECTOR ion beam sputtering system with enhanced Sirius Optical Monitoring System

Epitaxial deposition and process equipment maker Veeco Instruments Inc of Plainview, NY, USA has shipped its SPECTOR Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) system and Sirius Optical Monitor System (OMS) to Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), in Berlin, Germany. The institute will use Veeco’s IBS technology to develop and produce laser facet coatings and other micro-optical devices.

“The development of sophisticated micro-optical devices requires exceptional sputtering technology,” says Ms Greta Ropers, head of backend and packaging group for Fraunhofer. “Veeco’s SPECTOR system, coupled with the Sirius OMS, ensures we are developing and producing world-class devices with the highest throughput and process repeatability on an automated, proven platform,” she comments.

Veeco says that, according to customers, the SPECTOR platform generates high-quality optical thin films with improved levels of productivity and throughput. Unlike evaporative coatings, ion-beam-sputtered thin films are deposited at high energies, giving exceptional thickness control and low defect densities for laser coating applications. The firm adds that its Sirius OMS significantly enhances the SPECTOR platform capability by coupling cutting-edge broadband monitoring control with the inherent stability of ion-beam-deposited films.

“Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications is a recognized worldwide leader in developing next-generation laser facet coatings and micro-optical devices,” comments Adrian Devasahayam Ph.D., VP & general manager of Veeco’s Advanced Deposition and Etch (AD&E) business. “The SPECTOR system sets the standard for precision optical coating thin films by providing unparalleled quality and flexibility that will no doubt accelerate their development goals.”

Funding for the project was granted by Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik, a cross-location research factory for microelectronics and nanoelectronics consisting of 11 institutes within the Fraunhofer Group along with IHP GmbH - Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics and the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik.

The system was sold in cooperation with Veeco’s European channel partner veonis Technologies GmbH.

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