Technical Bulletin

Gas Distributor Materials

    Fil-Tech offers a variety of gas distributors for your processes.  The following is a discussion of factors to consider regarding your selection:

Graphite:

-When using argon, graphite will have the lowest sputter rate and therefore the longest lifetime.

- When using oxygen, graphite has the shortest lifetime and will turn to CO and CO2 and evaporate.

-Graphite is overall the best for inert gas.

Stainless Steel:

    -When using oxygen, stainless steel has the lowest sputter rate and therefore the longest lifetime.

    -Stainless steel is an economical choice.

    -Stainless steel works with inert gas

    -Stainless steel has possible issues with iron oxide contamination on films.

Titanium:

    -Used when coating with titanium oxide or other titanium films.

    -Works with gas mixtures (ie: argon and oxygen).

Tantalum:

    -Works well when making tantalum pentoxide (Ta205).

-Costly.