IBS 2000: Large area ion beam sputtering coating machine

The IBS2000-project aims to develop a coating machine to coat optics with up to 2m in diameter. IBS is chosen as coating process due to the high optical quality and precision, low losses, and high mechanical and environmental stability. Common limitations regarding the size of the coated optics are overcome due to a novel approach, where both, the substrate and the target material source are movable. The sputter assembly located below the substrate will move linearly, while the substrate rotates on a stationary axis around its center. Simulations are done to validate the mechanical concept with a virtual coater concept. First, the material distribution in the substrate plane is calculated and afterwards combined with the movement of the target carrier and the substrate rotation, which gives a first indication of the 2D distribution. The results will be applied to homogenize the projected coating distribution on the final 2m optics.