Ronald R. Willey, *Kyle Fortenberry, Courtney Green
¹Willey Optical, Consultants, Charlevoix, MI; ²PFG Precision Optics, Ocean Springs, MS
The Saintech ST-55 and ST-3000 ion/plasma sources have been compared in the direct current mode with a Veeco MK-II+ source. The Saintech sources have normally been operated in a rectified AC mode, so that it has not been practical to compare these with the common DC ion-sources such as the MK-II. The ST-55 in its AC mode had been compared at the SVC meeting in 2017 with a EH400 and EH1000 Kaufman & Robinson ion sources and a Veeco MK-II+ ion source. The Kaufman & Robinson DC power supply was used for all three of the sources tested in this latest round. The use of higher than minimum neutralizer current was also employed in these tests as it was in the 2017 tests per the suggestions of Zhurin. This practice reduced the chamber pressure and drive voltage beneficially in all operational cases which should greatly improve the deposition processes.