scia Coat 500

What is the scia Coat 500?

The scia Coat 500 is designed for homogeneous coating of large substrates, ideal for precision optics. It uses ion beam sputtering (IBS) via a linear ion beam source directed onto a rectangular sputter target, with controlled movement of a linear axis system providing good film homogeneity. IES is an equipment partner for scia Systems, supplying, installing, and supporting the scia Coat 500 for customers across the UK.

How does it ensure repeatable coating quality?

Recipe-controlled deposition processes ensure repeatable quality for multilayer stacks, using a quartz crystal oscillator and/or optical thickness monitor. A customisable shaper system (up to four shapers) compensates for material- or parameter-dependent inhomogeneity effects, enabling the deposition of precisely defined gradient films.

What applications is it used for?

Typical applications include multilayer films for X-ray mirrors and synchrotron mirrors, as well as optical filter coatings, where consistent layer thickness across large substrates is critical to performance.

What additional process control does it offer?

Optional substrate heating up to 250°C helps optimise film stress during deposition, and the controlled linear axis movement supports both gradient coating and surface error correction.

Where can I buy or get support for the scia Coat 500 in the UK?

As an equipment partner for scia Systems, IES provides UK-based sales, installation, and engineering support for the scia Coat 500 and the wider scia Systems ion beam technology portfolio.

Key features:

• Excellent uniformity due to linear movement
• Up to 6 water-cooled target materials on a rotational holder for in-situ change
• Recipe controlled multilayer deposition with quartz crystal oscillator and/or optical thickness monitor (OTM)
• Controlled movement of linear axis system for gradient coating or surface error correction
• Optional substrate heating up to 250 °C to optimize film stress

Technical Data:

• Substrate size - (up to) 500 mm x 300 mm, 300 mm dia. for rotation
• Substrate holder - Linear movement from 0.1 mm/min up to 900 mm/min, 
  rotation up to 300 rpm
  Ion beam sources Two 380 mm linear microwave ECR sources (LIN380-e)
• Neutralizer - Filament driven plasma bridge neutralizer (N-DC)
• Target holder - Target drum with up to 6 tiltable and water-cooled 
  targets (each max. 400 mm x 200 mm)
• Typical deposition rate - Si: 10 nm/min
• Uniformity variation - ≤ 0.5 % over 200 mm dia. (σ/mean)
  ≤ 2.0 % over 500 mm x 300 mm (σ/mean)
• Base pressure - < 5 x 10-8 mbar
• System dimension:
  (W x D x H)
  3.30 m x 2.40 m x 2.10 m
  (without electrical rack and pumps)
• Configurations - Single chamber, optional single substrate load lock for 
  substrates up to 200 mm dia.
• Software interfaces - SECS II / GEM, OPC

Applications 

• Precision optics & photonics: The Coat 500 is designed for large-substrate and large-area coating, especially optical mirrors and high-precision optics.
  
  
• X-ray / synchrotron optics: Multilayer coatings (e.g., Bragg mirror stacks) for X-ray mirrors, synchrotron beamlines, and other analytical optics. 
  
  
• Large-area optical filters & bandpass mirrors: For large substrates (up to ~500 mm × 300 mm) used in optics, lasers, and maybe display or sensor systems. 
  
  
• High‐value multilayer thin film manufacturing: Where defect-free, dense, smooth films are required — e.g., dielectric/metal stacks for specialized coatings.