Magnificoat

With "Magnificoat", the technology of magnetron sputter coating systems was successfully optimized. A key challenge in the project was to manufacture complex filter systems and produce a high number of layers with maximum accuracy and repeatability. Among other things, a process for producing a new coating system using the magnetron sputtering method was developed and registered for patent.   

Evatec is global leader in thin film technology and designs and manufactures production systems for industry, used primarily by customers in the semiconductor and photonics industries. The development of the market for highly complex filters offers the eastern Swiss company a unique opportunity to tap into new markets and customers. 

Optical filters for the next generation of consumer electronics applications place new complex demands on the process and system. The number of individual layers can be very large - in some cases over 100 layers per filter. At the same time, demand is growing rapidly and production must be possible for the mass consumer market in 24/7 operation with high throughput and high yield at low cost. In order to enable its customers to achieve this balancing act, Evatec has teamed up with RhySearch and the OST- Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences. 

In a three year project funded by INNOSUISSE with  title "Magnificoat", the existing magnetron sputter coating technology of the Evatec "Clusterline 200 BPME" system was further developed to achieve the above-mentioned objectives.   

Monitoring software "MagnisSIMo" as a contribution to the digitization of the RhySearch offer 

In-situ monitoring of the coating process using the optical monitoring system is of crucial importance for the coating of complex filters. Development engineer Daniel Schachtler and Manuel Bärtschi, who is writing his dissertation at RhySearch as part of the project, developed the "MagnisSIMo" simulation software for this purpose. It makes it possible to test any coating design with any optical monitoring strategy even before the actual coating is applied. It mirrors the monitoring system as a digital twin and allows the inclusion of process scatter such as signal noise or rate fluctuations.

The ability of "MagnisSIMo" to simulate the propagation of defects in the subsequent layers is outstanding compared to existing software solutions. This provides Evatec with an excellent tool for pre-production analysis, ensuring accurate coating results with minimal sensitivity to production errors. "For RhySearch, this was also an important contribution to digitalization in the field of optical coating," says Daniel Schachtler. 

Innovation from the Magnificoat project leads to patent application for novel coatings 

Another notable result of the project was the successful development of a process for creating a new type of coating using the magnetron sputtering method. A patent for this groundbreaking technology was filed in 2022 and granted in 2024. The novel layers, called quantized nanolaminates (QNL), offer a wide range of properties and were previously only produced using less suitable processes. As part of Magnificoat, the postulated quantum effects were demonstrated for the first time in magnetron-sputtered layers, leading to a promising discovery.   

Technology Advantage for Industry Partner Evatec 

Following the successful completion of the project, Evatec can now offer its customers a coating system technology that combines outstanding coating properties with the advantages of the Clusterline 200 BPME in terms of productivity and automation. "This means that our customers can not only produce highly complex filters with high throughput and high yield, but also filters for other applications with similarly demanding specifications, such as narrow bandpass filters with an extremely wide block range. This technological advantage puts Evatec in an excellent starting position and is an important unique selling point," says Silvia Schwyn Thöny, Project Manager at Evatec. 

Follow-up project "Quintessence" 

The patented developments and successful software implementation have the potential to revolutionize the coating industry and open up new possibilities for high-precision coating applications. In the follow-up project "Quintessence", RhySearch and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) are therefore working with Evatec to bring QNL technology to production maturity.