No abstract

The design, development, and performance of a low-cost deposition system for thin film multilayers are presented. The aim for the construction of the apparatus was to prepare multilayer films of variable composition with a single layer thickness ranging from a few to hundreds of angstroms. To ensure a high flexibility of the film stoichiometries up to five different elements can be deposited independently onto the substrate via electron beam sources or Knudsen cells. The design of the transfer system has been kept very simple although it has a secure load-unload system to provide reliable transport from the antechamber to the deposition chamber and vice versa. The films can be deposited simultaneously onto four substrate platelets. The deposition process is controlled by a computer and all process-parameters are monitored. The shutters of the evaporation cells are activated by a computer providing reproducible deposition processes.