Thin Film Deposition
Thin film deposition of metallic, insulating, conductive and dielectric materials plays an important role in a large number of manufacturing, production and research applications. Resistance heating, heating and electron beam heating are the processes most widely used. Techniques employed to perform these processes differ in degree of sophistication and quality of film produced. A resistance heated evaporation source is relatively simple and inexpensive, but the material capacity is very small. 
Electron beam evaporation is the most versatile means of vacuum evaporation and deposition. This technique allows the production of thin film coatings from pure elements, including most metals, as well as numerous alloys and compounds. Electron beam evaporation offers several advantages over competing processes including precise control of low or high deposition rates, excellent material utilization, co-deposition and sequential deposition systems and a uniform low temperature deposition. Electron beam offers higher evaporation rates, freedom from contamination, precise rate control at very low deposition levels, precise film composition and cooler substrate temperatures. The materials used for evaporation are available in near limitless shapes and forms, the most common being pellets, slugs and disks. Since the introduction of electron beam evaporation in the 1950s, the development of higher performance films and complex coating processes has been delayed by the lack of modern electron beam equipment and technology. MDC’s e-Vap® product line has taken this challenge head-on and provides electron beam evaporation sources and control electronics that incorporate leading edge technologies unmatched in the industry. 

Thin Film Applications
Thin film applications requiring electron beam evaporation are continually increasing. Applications are found in the medical, metallurgical, telecommunication, micro-electronic, optical coating nanotechnology and semiconductor industries. Electron beam evaporation sources are employed in the production of a multitude of low and hitech products including: sunglasses, camera lenses, optical filters, infrared detectors, superconductors, automotive decorative trim, costume jewelry, corrosion resistant surfaces and many others. Electron beam deposition is ideal for research and production applications due to its widespread material availability, efficient material utilization and unmatched film purity and uniformity.

e-Vap® Product Line
The e-Vap® product line is as vast as the applications requiring electron beam evaporation. Each and every e-Vap® source is designed to meet or surpass the stringent requirements put forth by the vacuum coating world. As a leader and innovator in this field, MDC holds various patents in electron-beam evaporation technology. Two notable patents include U.S. patent numbers 5,418,348 and 5,473,627. The first is for MDC’s unique electron source design, which incorporates higher material capacity with a dramatically smaller source footprint. The second, for an ingenious coolant delivery system incorporated into MDC’s UHV multipocket rotary sources. e-Vap® electron beam sources are available in six basic sizes, called Frames, which can accommodate small research as well as large production coating requirements with crucible capacities from 2cc to 400cc. The sources are offered individually or as complete turn-key, flange-mounted systems with all necessary service connections, including fluid and electrical feedthroughs. These state-of-the-art evaporation sources are powered and controlled with equally advanced solid state switching power supplies, beam sweepers and control electronics. The highest rated power supply is capable of a 15,000 Watt output at negative 10,000 Volts, fits on a standard 19" rack, is only 10-1/4" tall and weighs 100 pounds. Flange-mounted units are factory assembled and tested including all feedthroughs. A range of standard options include a watercooled collimator roof, a stepper motor indexer and a programmable XY sweep controller.

Miniature Evaporation Systems
Miniature evaporation systems include the e-Vap® 100, a precision wire fed electron beam source designed specifically for depositing monolayer thin films in ultrahigh vacuum environments. It can deposit refractory metals at an atomic level. e-Vap® 3000 is a 2cc capacity, miniature electron beam evaporation system with a 3kW power supply. This is a versatile deposition tool used for thin film coating processes in high and ultrahigh vacuum environments. The e-Vap® 3000 system evaporates virtually all rare earth refractory and dielectric materials. It provides researchers a simple, relatively low-cost means of depositing high purity thin film coatings. The Mighty Source is a multi pocket miniature source that comes with 4 pockets of 2cc volume, is a ultra-compact source designed for multi layer film deposition on a research scale. The Mighty source has all of the features of a production Modular Source combined with a smaller Beam Sweeper and Power Supply for Lab / R&D / University applications.

Thermal Evaporation
Thermal evaporation uses a resistance heater to evaporate the source material. The Re-Vap 900 system is an economical system that fits onto a 2.75 Del Seal Flange. Filament, boat or crucible sources can be used with the Re-Vap 900. The Re-Vap 3000 is a high power system that will work with most commercially available boats, filaments, and crucibles. The high output current of the Re-Vap 3000  makes this versatile production ready thermal evaporation system. Multiple Solid State Power Sources of the Re-Vap 3000 can be hooked together virtually any output current needed for thermal evaporation.

Evaporation Materials
MDC e-Vap® sources are rugged, reliable and easy to maintain. Electron beam evaporation is an extremely versatile means of depositing uniform high-purity thin films. Capable of reaching elevated temperatures in excess of 3500°C, evaporation of virtually any material can be accomplished.