CASE STUDY: Sputtered Film Optical Test Fixture
Industry: Semiconductor
The Situation
The sputtered film requirements for automotive windshields have become much more stringent due to new safety and emission regulations. This has required a need to measure the transmission and reflectivity of anti-reflection coatings applied to curved glass in production.
The Challenge
The rapid development timeline, along with the need for integration to the sputtering equipment at a remote location, were significant challenges for this program. The unit required very close collaboration with our OEM customer and their end-user to ensure proper integration.
The Solution
The fixture was designed and manufactured entirely in Fremont by Owens Design to measure the sputtered film coatings on glass substrates after they exited the sputtering chamber. It was capable of handling three 5' x 3' curved glass panels at a time.
The robotic manipulation necessary to make multiple high speed optical measurements across the full surface of the curved glass required a six axis arm to position an integrating sphere at the point of interest while a five axis arm positioned a calibrated light source on the opposite side of the glass. The arms use brushless, closed-loop servos with belt and leadscrew drives and can make five point measurements in less than 60 seconds. The measurements are made under automated control with a PLC system controller and remote mounted color touchscreen.
Additional Information
Case Studies
Sputtered Film Optical Test Fixture 
