Fraunhofer HHI selects Veeco’s sputter system

12 Feb 2019

Institute for optical telecoms research orders ion beam sputtering system to create laser facet coatings and micro-optical devices.

HHI will use Veeco’s IBS technology to create laser facet coatings.

Veeco Instruments has announced that it has shipped its Spector Ion Beam Sputtering (IBS) system and Sirius Optical Monitor System to the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications (HHI).

The institute, based in Berlin, Germany, says it will use this 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,” commented Greta Ropers, head of backend and packaging group for Fraunhofer.

“Veeco’s Spector system, coupled with the Sirius OMS, will ensure that we are developing and producing world-class devices with the highest throughput and process repeatability on an automated, established platform.”

Optical thin films

The Spector platform generates high quality optical thin films with improved levels of productivity and throughput, according to customers. 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 Sirius OMS enhances the Spector platform capability by coupling broadband monitoring control with the stability of ion beam-deposited films.

“The Fraunhofer HHI worldwide leader in developing next generation laser facet coatings and micro-optical devices,” said Dr. Adrian Devasahayam, vice president and general manager of Veeco’s Advanced Deposition and Etch (AD&E) business. “The Spector system provides unparalleled quality and flexibility for precision optical coating thin films, and will accelerate their development goals.”

Funding for this project was granted by the Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik, a cross-location research factory for microelectronics and nanoelectronics, compromising eleven institutes within the Fraunhofer Group along with the 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.