Denton Vacuum
Discovery 18
The Denton Discovery 18 is a sputter deposition system for metals, alloys, and insulating thin films. The Discovery 18 includes a 6-inch diameter stage and provides substrate rotation. The Discovery 18 is pumped by cryo and turbo pumps to 1 x 10^-7 Torr.[1]
Plate 01Discovery 18 DC
Utah NanofabWatch on YouTube
Wafer size
6-inch diameter stage
Power
2 RF power supplies[1]
Vacuum
Cryo and turbo pumped[1]
Performance
+/- 10%[1]
Gas delivery
200 sccm (no APC valve)[1]
What it is
General reference — not yet source-verifiedSputter deposition systems are used to deposit thin films of metals, dielectrics, and other materials onto substrates in a vacuum environment. The Discovery 18 belongs to this class of physical vapor deposition equipment, commonly found in research and production cleanrooms for semiconductor, MEMS, and optical device fabrication.
How it works
General reference — not yet source-verifiedSputter deposition works by creating a plasma of inert gas, typically argon, in a vacuum chamber. Ions from the plasma are accelerated toward a target material, dislodging atoms that then travel to and condense on the substrate, forming a thin film. The process can be driven by DC for conductive targets or RF for insulating targets.
Where it fits in the process flow
General reference — not yet source-verifiedIn a typical microfabrication process flow, sputter deposition is performed after photolithography when a patterned metal or dielectric layer is required. The deposited film can be subsequently patterned by lift-off or by etching. The Discovery 18 is used for depositing thin films of metals, alloys, and insulating materials as part of interconnect metallization, contact layers, and device passivation.
Applications
General reference — not yet source-verifiedApplications for sputter-deposited films include ohmic contacts, Schottky barriers, diffusion barriers, transparent conductive electrodes, magnetic films, and optical coatings. The flexibility to deposit both conductors and insulators makes the tool suitable for a variety of device and research uses.
- Sputter deposition of metals
- Sputter deposition of alloys
- Sputter deposition of insulating thin films
What do the numbers mean?
Power & electrical5
Vacuum & pumping12
- Chamber viewpoints
- (1) 4.0" Diameter High Vacuum Valve Horizontal, 5.75" Diameter Bellows Sealed[2]
Wafer handling6
Gas & chemistry1
Optics & imaging3
Performance1
Control & software1
Dimensions & facilities1
Configuration & options17
- Deposition technique
- Sputter deposition of metals, alloys, and insulating thin films (user configurable)[1]
What replaced it?
Alternatives
Tools documented as functional equivalents — same process step and wafer size, from a different manufacturer. Each equivalence cites its source.
- MKS 660— Same function class: Deposition, 6-inch diameter stageCompare in depthsource[1]
Related models
- siblingDenton Vacuum 635— Listed on the same equipment page under deposition alongside Denton 635.source[3]
- siblingDenton Vacuum 635LL— Listed alongside the 635LL in the sputtering section as another Denton sputtering tool.source[4]
What does it need to run?
Site utility requirements, footprint, and infrastructure needed to install and operate this tool. Sourced from public records.
- RF power supplies2 RF power supplies[1]
- DC power supplySwitchable DC power supply[1]
- Pump systemCryo and turbo pumped[1]
- Base pressure1 x 10^7 Torr[1]
- Argon pressure range3-15 mT controllable with 200 sccm MFC controller[1]
- RF power supplies2[1]
- DC power supplySwitchable[1]
- Pumping systemCryo and turbo pumped[1]
- Argon pressure range3-15 mT[1]
- MFC controller200 sccm (no APC valve)[1]
- Power supplies2 RF power supplies; switchable DC power supply[1]
- Base pressureCryo and turbo pumped to 1 x 10^-7 Torr[1]
- Argon pressure range3-15 mT controllable with 200 sccm MFC controller (no APC valve)[1]
- High vacuum pump140 l/s Turbomolecular Pump[2]
- Mechanical pump11 cfm[2]
- High vacuum gaugeDigital Cold Cathode Auto-Ranging[2]
- Control typePLC Control of Auto Pump Sequence[2]
- Chamber viewpoints(1) 4.0" Diameter High Vacuum Valve Horizontal, 5.75" Diameter Bellows Sealed[2]
Where are the manuals?
Publicly hosted documents referencing this tool, linked at their original location. Hosted by the linked institutions — availability may change.
- Denton Discovery 18 SOPSOPutah.edu
Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.
Not publicly documented
Field notes
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Frequently asked questions
What types of materials can be deposited with this system?
The system can deposit metals, alloys, and insulating thin films, including Ag, Al, Au, C, Co, Cr, Cu, Ge, Ir, Fe, Ni, Pd, Pt, Si, Ta, Ti, V, W, and various oxides and ceramics.[1]
What is the maximum substrate size and uniformity?
The stage is six inches in diameter with substrate rotation, providing plus or minus 10% uniformity.[1]
Not publicly documented
The following facts about the Discovery 18 are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.
No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the Discovery 18 are on record.
Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement
No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the Discovery 18 are on record.
Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool
The control-system platform and OS era of the Discovery 18 are not on record.
Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records
No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the Discovery 18 are on record.
Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician
The process node or technology generation of the Discovery 18 is not on record.
Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report
No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.
Sources & citations
Sources (4)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
- [1]nanofab.utah.edu — nanofab.utah.edunanofab.utah.edu
- [2]web.archive.org — dentonvacuum.com (Nov 15, 1997)web.archive.org
- [3]nanofab.utah.edunanofab.utah.edu
- [4]nanofab.utah.edunanofab.utah.edu
Last updated Sep 27, 2026.
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