Korvus Technology PVD Systems

Korvus Technology is a UK manufacturer of modular physical vapour deposition systems based in High Wycombe, part of Judges Scientific since 2020: HEX, HEX-L, HEX-XL, HEX Mini, HEX Cluster and deposition sources.

HEX benchtop PVD system

The HEX is a compact system for a bench or a rack, standing just under 1.5 m. It takes a stage up to 100 mm, up to 3 deposition sources and a 12 L chamber (24 L stacked) with base pressure below 5×10⁻⁷ mbar. Turbopumping and Niobium software are included; the chamber is aluminium or steel.

Sample stage up to 100 mm
Up to 3 deposition sources
Chamber 12 L, 24 L stacked
Base pressure <5×10⁻⁷ mbar

HEX-L system with load-lock

The HEX-L sits on a mobile frame: sample stage up to 150 mm, up to 6 deposition sources, a 50 L chamber (100 L stacked) and a throw distance up to 24 cm (60 cm stacked). A load-lock with a pneumatic gate valve is available, as are high-power e-beams, nanoparticle sources and remote plasma sources.

Sample stage up to 150 mm
Up to 6 deposition sources
Chamber 50 L, 100 L stacked
Load-lock option

HEX-XL system for larger samples

The HEX-XL is the top system of the series on a wider frame: a standard 8 in sample stage expandable to 300 mm, up to 6 deposition sources and an 86 L chamber (172 L stacked). It takes 3D samples, small-batch coatings, larger panels, a load-lock and third-party sources.

Sample stage up to 300 mm
Up to 6 deposition sources
Chamber 86 L, 172 L stacked
3D samples and small batches

HEX Mini-S and Mini-T desktop coaters

HEX Mini is a compact entry-level single-source unit for samples up to 50 mm with a 3 L chamber and base pressure below 5×10⁻⁶ mbar. Mini-S has a DC sputter source with a 208 W supply, Mini-T a 720 W TES thermal evaporator with optional thickness monitoring, used for SEM/TEM sample preparation.

Samples up to 50 mm
Chamber 3 L
Mini-S: 208 W DC sputter
Mini-T: 720 W evaporator

HEX Cluster multi-chamber systems

A cluster starts with one HEX-L chamber, and further chambers are added later with in-vacuum sample transfer. A linear transfer cluster links up to 3 chambers in manual or automatic mode, a robotic transfer cluster up to 6. The central chamber holds a UHV Design robot and a plasma cleaner.

Linear transfer: up to 3 chambers
Robotic transfer: up to 6
Integrated plasma cleaner
In-vacuum sample transfer

FISSION magnetron sputter sources

FISSION sources switch between DC and RF sputtering without special tools or long downtime. With SmCo magnets they run on DC, RF, pulsed DC and HiPIMS power supplies and sputter metals, magnetic materials, insulators and semiconductors. Cooling is connected through quick-release fittings.

SmCo magnets
DC, RF, pulsed DC, HiPIMS
RF supply 300 W, 13.56 MHz
Reactive sputtering

TAU and TAU UHV e-beam evaporators

TAU is a mini e-beam source without beam-bending magnets and with 4 pockets: metals are evaporated sequentially or simultaneously from rods up to 4 mm or 1 cc crucibles. Power is 250 W (500 W optional), water cooling from 0.5 l/min. TAU UHV mounts on a CF63 flange and bakes out at 250 °C.

4 pockets
Power 250 W
Rods up to 4 mm
TAU UHV on CF63 flange

TES and ORCA thermal evaporation sources

TES is a thermal boat source with 1-5 cc boats for 50-2200 °C; boats and filaments are replaced quickly and a thermocouple is optional. ORCA evaporates organics and lithium at 50-600 °C with a 15 cc crucible (5 cc optional), an embedded K-type thermocouple, a PID controller and water cooling.

TES: 50-2200 °C
Boats 1-5 cc
ORCA: 50-600 °C
K-type thermocouple

Selecting a Korvus HEX system by sample and sources

A system is chosen by sample size and the number of deposition sources. The HEX sits on a bench: sample stage up to 100 mm, up to 3 sources, a 12 L chamber. The HEX-L on a mobile frame takes samples up to 150 mm, up to 6 sources and a load-lock; the HEX-XL offers a stage up to 300 mm and 3D samples.

For SEM/TEM sample preparation there is the single-source HEX Mini.

HEX systems can be stacked for a longer throw distance, switched between sputter up and sputter down, and extended with sources without an engineer visit. HEX and HEX-L chambers are made of aluminium or steel.

Deposition methods and multi-chamber lines

FISSION magnetrons run on DC, RF, pulsed DC and HiPIMS supplies; the TAU e-beam source evaporates metals from rods and crucibles, TES from boats, ORCA evaporates organics at 50-600 °C. The HEX-L and HEX-XL integrate HiTUS remote plasma sources (Plasma Quest) and Nanostream nanoparticle sources (Theris Nanotechnology).

HEX Cluster links HEX-L chambers with in-vacuum sample transfer: linear transfer up to 3 chambers, robotic transfer up to 6. Such lines serve perovskite solar cells, batteries and OLEDs.

Korvus Technology and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of Korvus Technology and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.