Project Abstract
Pulsed-Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition (PP-CVD) technology was developed by Project Leader Dr. Susan Krumdieck to improve thin film deposition uniformity, process control and system costs, and is recognised as a novel processing technique for thin film materials such as electronics and surface modifying layers. The objective of this research is to develop numerical modelling capability for optimising the design of the PP-CVD system for the advanced manufacturing market, using the expertise of an international team. The research will use a leading edge numerical code developed by our collaborators in Taiwan to model deposition conditions and reactor geometries. Key steps toward achieving the output include i) development of existing Direct Simulation Monte Carlo software for simulation of the unsteady, non-continuum supersonic jet flows and reactor mass transport, ii) validation of the code against experimental data and ii) through simulation, search for the optimum design for prototype reactors. The outcome will be the optimal design for PP-CVD reactor systems. With this design package and modelling capability, we will work with our manufacturing partner, Buckley Systems Ltd (BSL), to develop the first generation PP-CVD tool for high-tech manufacturing of high quality thin film coatings for a target application.
