Development of a compact coating device that turns any vacuum device into a getter pump and elucidation of its pumping mechanism

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K04891
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 29020:Thin film/surface and interfacial physical properties-related
• Research Institution: High Energy Accelerator Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Tanimoto Yasunori 大学共同利用機関法人高エネルギー加速器研究機構, 加速器研究施設, 教授 (60311130)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 超高真空 / 非蒸発型ゲッターコーティング / マグネトロンスパッタ / 合金ターゲット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aims at applying the Non-evaporation Getter (NEG) coating technology recently developed for particle accelerator vacuum systems to all types of UHV equipment. In this KAKENHI granted period, we have conducted research and development of a compact NEG coating system employing a TiZrV alloy and SmCo permanent magnet, both of which are different from the conventional method, and have demonstrated that sufficient vacuum performance (ultrahigh vacuum in the 10^-9 Pa range) can be obtained for practical use. We have also established a method to produce TiZrV alloys with high quality (high purity and high density) and low cost (high yield), which has been a bottleneck for their widespread use. Furthermore, we optimized the magnetic circuit by plasma analysis in order to make it applicable to more various vacuum devices, and designed it for further miniaturization.

Free Research Field

真空工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究において，高い真空排気性能を有するNEGコーティングが従来の大型成膜装置とは異なるICF114フランジマウント型の小型成膜装置でも実現できることを実証した。基本成膜方式としてマグネトロンスパッタ法を踏襲することで，小型化に不可欠な合金ターゲットと永久磁石を用いる成膜装置でも同様な結晶構造をもつNEGコーティングが成膜できていることがSEMやXRDによって観察された。このことは，NEG膜の微細結晶構造が吸着分子の膜内拡散に有効であるという学説を支持する。
また，小型NEG成膜装置は電子顕微鏡や半導体製造装置など多様な真空装置にも応用可能であり，科学や産業の発展にも寄与することが期待される。