Dermot Monaghan*, Jessica Stoner, Tony Hart, Robert Brown, Joseph Brindley, Patrick McCarthy, Lara Maroto-Diaz, Gencoa Ltd, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Plasma based vacuum process are well known to be environmentally friendly when compared to other conversion processes, in that they don’t create chemical waste or harmful emissions. However, there are other factors that can be improved. For example: energy consumption to manufacture the equipment and transport of materials and resources around the globe.
Gencoa is a plasma component supplier based in the UK and export 95% of their goods to global markets. Recent supply disruptions and increases in commodity and transport prices have driven cost increases, that ultimately has an impact on the competitiveness of vacuum plasma technology in general. Additionally, trade conflicts have restricted the availability of rare earths that are a key component within the magnetic components required to contain and control a vacuum plasma.
This talk will demonstrate how Gencoa have changed the design of both rectangular sputter and linear ion sources to combat the problems encountered with material costs and supply. This has reduced the use of scarce and expensive materials, reduced the weight and size of the products, whilst at the same time improving some aspects of performance.