Thin films, coatings, and surface treatments cover a wide range of industries and applications from medical device coatings to semiconductor to food packaging. In each of these applications a product is modified by applying a coating to improve the final characteristics of that product. It may be to improve the wear resistance of a cutting tool, scratch resistance of glass, thermal properties on sheet glass, aesthetics on home fixtures, or jewelry, or to deliver the desired reflective/refractive properties in a fiber optic cable. Whether by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), plasma enhanced coating processes, thermal/flame spray coating or some other technique, this is often the final step in the manufacturing process so it is critical that this be done quickly, accurately and consistently for maximum yield and throughput.
Application Examples: