Johnstown, PA March 02, 2023

A Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) materials scientist recently published a book on deposition and application of thin films, which will be beneficial to engineers, scientists, and technical personnel who are looking for an introduction to these technologies. 

Rob Mason, a CTC Principal Materials Scientist and Program Manager, authored the short book, Introduction to Thin Film Deposition Techniques: Key Topics in Materials Science and Engineering. It is published through ASM International.

The book concept came from ASM’s Technical Books Committee, for which Mason was the chair in 2021 and 2022. During this time, the concept to develop a series of short e-books called “Key Topics in Materials Science and Engineering” was put forth by Dr. Yip-Wah Chung, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, and Dr. Zayna Connor, subject matter expert for castings, materials science, and metallurgy for ZMC Consulting, Inc. The objective of this series is to present important topics in the general area of materials science and engineering. Mason volunteered to write the book on thin films, based on his specific experience with these technologies in the manufacture of printed circuit boards, semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems, and other electronic components.

The book provides an overview of the processes and equipment used to apply thin films. It covers the basic concepts of physical and chemical vapor deposition processes and the nuances of technologies such as sputtering, thermal evaporation, cathodic arc deposition, ion plating, and vapor-phase epitaxy. It explains where, how, and why different processes are employed depending on the materials involved, the intended function of the coating, and the desired microstructure and properties of the surface layer. It also includes a brief question-and-answer review of the information covered.

Mason received valuable input on the draft from Michael Tims, CTC Advisor Engineer and Coatings Point of Contact; and Elizabeth Mason, Master’s degree candidate, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

The book can be purchased from ASM through this link:

https://dl.asminternational.org/technical-books/edited-volume/185/Introduction-to-Thin-Film-Deposition-Techniques

For more information, contact Rob Mason, Principal Materials and Process Scientist / Program Manager, at masonr@ctc.com or 814-269-6480.