PVDFlakken

PVDFlakken is a term used in the field of thin-film deposition to describe a pulsed-velocity controlled variant of physical vapor deposition (PVD). It is characterized by synchronized pulsing of the deposition energy with a moving substrate or shuttling of the substrate and/or target to modulate the arrival flux and impingement angle of adatoms. The approach aims to tailor microstructure and stress in coatings by combining pulsed deposition with controlled translation of the substrate.

Process and equipment: A typical PVDFlakken setup operates under high vacuum, with a deposition source such as a sputtering target or evaporation source. Deposition energy is delivered in pulses, which may be laser, arc, or pulsed magnetron sputtering. The substrate stage is moved or rotated according to a predefined trajectory during deposition, and shutters or pulsed power sequences are synchronized to create designed thickness gradients or multilayer architectures.

Materials and structures: The technique has been reported for a range of materials including nitrides (TiN, CrN), carbides (TiC), oxides (Al2O3), and metallic films, as well as multilayer stacks. The combination of pulsed energy and substrate motion can yield nanocrystalline or columnar microstructures with reduced residual stress and enhanced adhesion.

Applications and status: Potential applications include wear-resistant coatings for cutting tools, protective optical coatings, and electronic or MEMS components. As a relatively specialized and evolving technique, PVDFlakken remains primarily in research and pilot-scale development, with ongoing work addressing process repeatability, scalability, and integration with existing PVD systems.