PVD (Scientific analytical instruments, India) is a vaporization coating technique that involves the transfer of material at the atomic level.

The process can be described according to the following sequence of steps.

(1) The material to be deposited is converted into a vapor by physical means (high-temperature vacuum)

(2) The vapor is transported from its source to the substrate and

(3) The vapor undergoes condensation on the substrate to form a thin film. Typically, PVD processes are used to deposit films with thicknesses in the range of a few nano-meters to thousands of nano-meters

Test sample considerations

(1) Sample should be flat

(2) Sample should be moisture free

Note

(1) User is required to bring coating material

(2) User is required to arrange tungsten basket which is used during coating

Limitations of the equipment

(1) Sample can be subjected to some amount of heat i.e. it is not suitable for polymer

(2) Melting temperature of coating material is limited to 1500°C

(3) Size of the sample is limited to 8 cm diameter

(4) Not suitable for coating of powder