Glossary

Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a versatile family of thin film deposition processes used to produce high-purity, high-performance coatings on a wide variety of substrates, including metals, ceramics, and polymers. It is fundamentally a physical process where material transitions from a condensed, solid phase into a vapor phase, and then is transported and allowed to condense back into a thin, solid film on a cooler substrate surface, all while operating within a high-vacuum environment. This method is distinct from chemical vapor deposition (CVD) because it relies on physical means, such as heat or bombardment, to generate the vapor rather than chemical reactions.

The overall PVD process typically involves four steps: first, Ablation/Vaporization, where the solid source material (the "target") is vaporized, often through techniques like Sputter Deposition (where ions from a plasma knock atoms off the target) or Thermal Evaporation (where the target is heated until it vaporizes). Second, the vaporized material is Transported across the vacuum chamber to the substrate. Third, in an optional but common step, the vapor may undergo a Reaction with an ambient gas (like nitrogen) to form a compound coating such as titanium nitride (TiN). Finally, the vaporized atoms Condense onto the substrate, forming the desired thin film.

PVD coatings offer significant advantages, including superior hardness, wear resistance, high corrosion resistance, and excellent adhesion to the substrate. Most coatings are highly durable and are generally considered more environmentally friendly than traditional plating methods. This makes PVD a popular choice for high-performance applications across various industries, such as coating cutting tools to extend their life, enhancing aerospace and automotive components, and creating specialized films for semiconductor devices, optics, and decorative finishes.