CERAC Pre-Melted Titanium Dioxide Offers Significant Cost-Saving Advantages

The results of a study commissioned by CERAC comparing titanium dioxide granules and cones manufactured by CERAC to comparable competitor products (EMD Chemicals and Umicore) were recently released. The study clearly outlines the cost-saving advantages offered by CERAC Pre-melted Evaporants.

In the study, multiple depositions of each material made under evaporation conditions as identical as possible were evaluated for their:

• Evaporation behavior
• Spectral properties
• Index homogeneity
• Temporal stability
• Index reproducibility
• Mechanical durability
  

The head-to-head comparison showed that the CERAC titanium dioxide (TiO2) Fused Cone was easiest to use and evaporated at a smooth rate. No spitting or outgassing was experienced, and it required the least amount of additional O2 compared to the other materials in the study. The plug was ready for deposition after less than 30 minutes of heating.

The conclusion is that the new CERAC pre-melted form of TiO2 material performs as well as particulate forms, but provides the major advantage of saving pre-processing time — < 30 minutes vs. 3 hours — in the coating chamber, thus reducing non-productive chamber time. This can translate to savings ranging from $200-$600 per coating run.

A Wide Range of Pre-Melted Materials Available
In addition to TiO2, CERAC offers Al2O3, HfO2, ZrO2 and Ta2O5 as standard Pre-melted products. All materials are available as cones, rods, discs and pieces, manufactured for all e-beam coating platforms or customized to fit any individual pocket or crucible.