Nickel-cobalt-vanadium alloy target material is made by melting and processing nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and vanadium (V) in specific proportions in the form of hexagonal or circular plates. It is a major ''source" material in PVD (physical vapor deposition) technology. In a vacuum environment, using one of the many techniques such as magnetron sputtering or arc ion plating, high-energy particles bombard it, causing target material atoms or molecules to be deposited onto the surface of the work substrate (which may be silicon wafers, glass, or metal) in the form of a thin film, thereby coating the substrate with a special functional coating.
Nickel-Cobalt-Vanadium Alloy Sputtering Targets Preparation Process
Raw Material Preparation: Sheets of Electrolytic nickel and cobalt and vanadium blocks of purity ≥99.95% are selected and weighed according to a designed composition (e.g., Ni-20Co-5V), and the risk of contamination is avoided.
Vacuum Melting: VIM (Vacuum Induction Melting) is a typical process for securing an even dissolution of the constituents and a uniform composition of the resulting ingots. For further dimensional uniformity and to decrease segregation, vacuum arc remelting (VAR) can be applied for several remelting cycles.
Hot Forging/Hot Rolling: After homogenization annealing, the ingots undergo several cycles of hot forging and hot drawing, or are hot rolled into material blanks, to refine the microstructure and break down coarse grains.
Heat Treatment: After forging/rolling, the material undergoes an additional processing step where recrystallization annealing is executed to relieve processing stresses and refine the microstructure to a target grain size of ≤ 100 μm.
Precision Machining and Bonding: The material is turned and finished to size by grinding.
Nickel-Cobalt-Vanadium Alloy Sputtering Targets Applications
Functional Protective Coatings: Coatings that are ultra-hard, wear-resistant, and high-temperature resistant can be made with these coatings. The service life and reliability of aircraft engine components, turbine blades, and high-end cutting tools, as well as mold surfaces, are significantly improved by applying these coatings.
Microelectronics and Semiconductor Field: These coatings are used as a diffusion barrier layer or adhesion layer. Within integrated circuit manufacturing, these are utilized in processes of interconnect formation to restrict the diffusion of copper into the silicon or dielectric layers and to hold the copper more strongly to the underlying materials. The principal advantages of these coatings are high stability and low resistivity.
Precision Optics and Display Industry: Coatings that are high-density and highly stable can be made, as well as conductive, electromagnetic shielding thin films.
Data Storage Industry: In hard drive manufacturing, it may be used to prepare certain functional layers of magnetic heads or disks, utilizing its good magnetic properties and wear resistance.
Wear-Resistant and Corrosion-Resistant Components: Ni-Co-V alloy thin films are deposited on the surfaces of precision machinery, critical automotive components, and chemical equipment to improve surface hardness, reduce friction coefficient, and enhance corrosion resistance.
