Overview of Coating Deposition Techniques

The current age of science and technology is influenced tremendously by thinfilm (TF) coatings due to their countless benefits in solid-state devices. The coating deposition techniques have become a pillar for state-of-the-art fabrication techniques in diversified areas, for instance, optical memories (CDs and DVDs), sensing elements, fiber lasers, LED displays, optical filters, medical implants, environmental equipment, and energy-storing devices. The critical issues for any established or proposed utilization of TFs in science and technology depend upon the various factors like the technique employed for coating, cost, time scale, and durability. There are various techniques for coating deposition through the physical or chemical pathways. The science of TF deposition has grown quickly in such an impressive way that now it has opened a new branch of technology named coatings and surface engineering. There is a very huge number of coating techniques and they are extensively different from each other. However, no exceptional way exists to categorize such techniques. Thus, the same procedure may be considered into one or more categories based on this perspective. Every method possesses its specific benefits and drawbacks. The selection of a particular method of coating deposition depends upon the numerous factors and the selection criteria (e.g., the definite application and accessible resources). This chapter enlightens about some innovative coating techniques and their corresponding principles. This chapter deals with various deposition techniques such as evaporation under vacuum (e.g., thermal/flash evaporation), the evaporation by a beam of electrons or a laser source, magnetron sputtering [either DC (direct current) or RF (radio frequency–based sputtering], and coating deposition via chemical routes. The aspects of various components, approaches, and apparatus that are essential to organize or upgrade the coating deposition for different kinds of materials have been also discussed.