Plasma activated chemical vapor deposition PACVD

Industrial PACVD coating plant at Fraunhofer IST.
© Fraunhofer IST, Rainer Meier, BFF Wittmar
Industrial PACVD coating plant at Fraunhofer IST.

Layer deposition from the gas phase – PACVD at the Fraunhofer IST

In a plasma discharge, gases and vapors are excited, dissociated and ionized. The resulting particles form the desired coatings on the components and tools. Diverse possibilities for the influencing of the property-determining parameters enable the deposition of widely differing functional coatings - in a process that is simultaneously both economical and easily manageable. Plasma activated chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) is a technology which has been intensively applied at the Fraunhofer IST for decades.

Optimized surface functionalities for the most diverse applications

PACVD coating technology can be beneficially applied in many fields. Applications in mobility, production, process engineering, pharmaceuticals, food processing and numerous other areas benefit from the diverse property profiles of the produced coatings. They fulfill tasks from wear protection and friction reduction, through the configuration of optimum adhesion and stipulated electrical properties, and on to optical and decorative requirements. At the Fraunhofer IST, we conduct research into these tasks – from the fundamental aspects all the way through to industrial suitability and serviceability. 

PACVD coating facilities

View of the technical center at the Fraunhofer IST.
© Fraunhofer IST
View of the technical center at the Fraunhofer IST.

The Fraunhofer IST has a number of PACVD coating facilities at its disposal. A multitude of component sizes, shapes and materials can be provided with a widely varying range of coating systems. Both experimental coatings on a laboratory scale and sample coatings for specific applications and industrial use can be produced.

Specifications / technical data

  • Substrate materials: metals (steels, non-ferrous metals), ceramics, plastics, glass
  • Coatings for wear protection, friction reduction, easy-to-clean, anti-fouling, defined electrical conductivity, decoration, etc.
  • Process temperatures up to max. 300 °C
  • Coating area up to 500 x 1000 mm

Our focus and expertise in the field of plasma activated chemical vapor deposition

 

Wear-resistant anti-adhesive coatings