1. What is sputtering deposition?

Sputter deposition is a method of depositing thin films by sputtering material from a “target”. Sputtering is a term used to describe the mechanism in which atoms are ejected from the surface of a material when that surface is stuck by sufficiency energetic ions generated by low-pressure gas plasma, usually an argon plasma. The sputtering takes place at a much lower temperature than evaporation. Sputtered atoms ejected into the gas phase in vapor form are not in their thermodynamic equilibrium state and tend to condense on all surfaces in the vacuum chamber including the substrate.

2. Why are thin films important?

There are many useful applications for thin films. We desire to produce properties in a material that are often conflicting in nature if we use one homogeneous material. Semiconductor devices, for example, are fabricated on a thin layer deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The integrated electronic circuits depend on the confinement of electrical charges, which relies on the interfaces between different materials with different electronic properties. There are also many occasions when the properties demanded an engineering application involve features that are different for the surface than that are for the bulk. Depositing metal films and patterning them on the surface are relatively easy to secure electrical connection between semiconductor devices.

3.How does a sputtering system work?

Generally, in sputtering systems ions are generated and directed at a target, then ions sputter targets atoms. The ejected atoms are transported to the substrate and atoms condense and form a thin film. Below image shows the simple schematic of a sputtering system.

6th National Congress and Workshops on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NCWNN6)

The 6^th National Congress and Workshops on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NCWNN6) with the support of the Iran Nanotechnology Society (INS) will be held on February 21-22, 2024, at Persian Gulf University, Bushehr province, Iran.

The 6^th National Congress and Workshops on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology is being held at Persian Gulf University following the past successful series of NCWNN held at Tarbiat Modares University, Kharazmi University, Kerman Graduate University of Technology, Yazd University, and Amirkabir University of Technology focusing on topics such as nanoscience, nanomaterials, and nanostructures synthesis and applications in energy and medical sciences, nanoscale simulations, and nanotechnology commercialization.

The following topics will be discussed in the congress:

Nanoscience
- Nanophysics
- Nanochemistry
- Nanomaterials
- Nanomedicine
Nanomaterials/Nanostructures/Synthesis and Applications
- Magnetic nanostructures/ Semiconductors/ Sensors
- Nanofluidics
- Graphene and nanocarbon structures
- Modern characterization techniques
Nanotechnology/ Energy and Environment
- Batteries, Fuel cells, Hydrogen saving
- Supercapacitors and photovoltaics
- Nanoadsorbers
- Catalysts and petrochemistry
Nanotechnology/ engineering and medicine
- Nanomaterials in tissue engineering
- Nanocomposites
- Nano biosensors
- Nanomaterials in pharmaceutics
- Nanomaterials in cancer treatment
Nanoscale simulations
Nanotechnology/ Commercialization, economy and market