On the other hand, PVD processes typically operate at lower temperatures and do not involve chemical reactions. The material is vaporized by methods such as evaporation, sputtering, or MBE and then condensed onto the substrate to form a thin film. The lower temperature of PVD processes makes them more suitable for substrate materials that cannot withstand high temperatures, such as plastics and certain ceramics. However, the lower temperature can also lead to the formation of less dense and less well-adhered thin films compared to CVD.

This list is by no means complete, but we’d be remiss in not tagging a few members of the tool steel family. These include D2, A2, H13, S7, and other tough, heat-treatable, and wear-resistant metals used to make everything from plastic injection molds to stamping dies to high-speed steel (HSS) cutting tools.

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Vessels for high temperature applications, where materials are kept at extremely high temperatures to evaporate, allowing thin films to be deposited on substrates.

RF-PECVD is an acronym for "Radio Frequency Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition." It deposits DLC (Diamond-like carbon film) on germanium and silicon substrates. It is utilized in the 3-12um infrared wavelength range.

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Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a process used to produce thin films of materials by the condensation of a vaporized form of the material onto a substrate. PVD involves the vaporization of a solid material, which can be done by several methods such as evaporation, sputtering, or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).

CVDvsPVD inserts

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It’s this last group, HSS, that we’re here to discuss today, along with that most widely used of all cutting tools, the drill bit. Despite their broad popularity, relatively low cost, and excellent mechanical properties, you’ll soon see why HSS and its cobalt counterparts aren’t always the best cutting tool materials for your drilling application. Read on.

PVD is often used to deposit a wide range of materials, including metals, semiconductors, and insulators. It is known for producing high-quality, uniform thin films with excellent structural and electrical properties.

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A similar argument can be made for everything from high-end kitchen appliances to CNC machine tools, and if your shop has one of the latter, don’t short-change its potential by using low-cost drills and other cutting tools. Not only does carbide provide cutting speeds at least four to eight times that of cobalt, but far higher feedrates as well. And because carbide drills also support a feature unavailable with their cobalt cousins—coolant through-the-tool—there’s no need to peck. When coupled with high-pressure coolant (HPC), solid carbide blows the doors off traditional drills.

Compared to regular M2 tool steel, M35 and M42 are indeed super. Where "regular" M2 HSS comes in at a hardness of around 62 HRC, M35 starts at 65 HRC and M42 measures 67 or so. That doesn't seem like much difference, but together with cobalt's greater heat resistance, it supports higher cutting speeds—depending on the brand and whether the drill is coated, this might mean 50% faster spindle RPM and commensurately higher feedrates. Either way, be sure to follow the cutting tool manufacturer's recommendations.

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CVD PVD diamond

There are many factors to consider when choosing between CVD and PVD for a particular application. An experienced engineer can evaluate the cost, film thickness, source material availability, compositional control, and other criteria to recommend the most suitable deposition method. Both CVD and PVD have their own advantages and limitations, and the choice of the method depends on the specific requirements of the application.

This last question is a good one. The answer comes down to the job quantity, machine setup and rigidity, and available budget. Let’s start with expense. As with anything that offers greater performance, carbide cutting tools cost significantly more. How much more depends on the manufacturer and tool geometry, but you can figure at least twice the price for substantially greater tool life and perhaps 10-20 times the metal removal per drill.

There’s neither the time nor space for a complete lesson on tool steels. Those interested can read more about it in this sample from ASM International’s Handbook, Volume 16: Machining Handbook. Otherwise, just know that so-called Mushet steel, which most consider the first true tool steel, left the furnace more than 150 years ago.

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PVD coating

One advantage of LCVD over other CVD methods is that the laser beam can be moved over the substrate to selectively deposit the thin film in a specific pattern. This allows for the creation of complex and highly-patterned thin films, which can be difficult to achieve with other CVD methods. LCVD is also capable of producing high-quality thin films with excellent structural and electrical properties.

This last point is important, since all cutting tools, whether they are HSS, cobalt, or tungsten carbide (more on this shortly), benefit from coating, be it TiN (titanium nitride), TiAlN (titanium aluminum nitride), or one of the other many tool coatings available on the market today. It’s also important to note that, despite what some websites suggest, there’s no such thing as a titanium drill bit (only drill bits coated with one or more of the thin film materials just mentioned).

It can be used for vapor deposition of various metals and alloys. Most metals can be evaporated completely without loss. Evaporation baskets are reusable.1

CVDvssputtering

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a process used to produce thin films of materials by the decomposition of a gas or vapor onto a substrate. In CVD, a precursor, which is a gas or vapor containing the desired chemical elements, is introduced into a reaction chamber.

CVD coating

Regardless, metallurgists have continued adding various amounts and kinds of alloying elements to the tool steel crucible, among them tungsten, vanadium, chromium, and, most relevant to this discussion, cobalt. The result is six distinct groups of tool steel and many dozens of grades, a few of which we mentioned previously.

The M-series, for instance, gets its name from the primary alloying ingredient, molybdenum, a hard, heat-resistant element sitting at number 42 on the periodic table. M2 tool steel—the stuff of most drill bits—contains 5% molybdenum, but there are also M50, M7, and a few others, all of which provide differing degrees of flexibility, hardness, and toughness needed for holemaking operations.

That’s not to say cobalt is obsolete, however. For prototype work and low-volume jobs, carbide’s higher cost probably doesn’t make sense. Nor is it appropriate for repair work or unstable machining conditions, where deflection can lead to disaster. Cobalt is also more suitable for softer materials like mild steel or aluminum, although here again, carbide's greater hole quality and straightness easily justify its use in higher-volume applications. At the end of the day, choosing the right tool means doing the math, asking questions, and being open to new technologies. Get drilling.

Replace some of the iron found in M2 tool steel (and all steels, for that matter) with cobalt and you get “super high-speed steel.” The addition of 5% cobalt, for instance, gives us M35 tool steel, while 8% cobalt and some additional molybdenum make M42 tool steel—whenever anyone talks about cobalt drill bits, they are referring to one of these two.

Laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) is a variant of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) that uses a laser to heat the substrate and the precursor gases to the desired temperature. In LCVD, the laser beam is focused onto the substrate, and the energy from the laser is absorbed by the substrate, which heats it up. The precursor gases are then introduced into the reaction chamber and are decomposed and deposited on the surface of the substrate to form the thin film.

RF-PECVD is an acronym for "Radio Frequency Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition." It deposits DLC (Diamond-like carbon film) on germanium and silicon substrates. It is utilized in the 3-12um infrared wavelength range.

Disadvantages of CVD

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), on the other hand, is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method that allows for atomic-level control of the chemical composition, film thickness, and transition sharpness of the thin film. In MBE, a beam of atoms or molecules is directed onto the substrate, where they react and condense to form a thin film. The beam can be modulated to control the composition and thickness of the film, and the substrate temperature can be carefully controlled to achieve sharp transitions between different layers. MBE is known for producing high-quality, highly uniform thin films with excellent structural and electrical properties, but it is also a relatively expensive process. It is often used for applications that require high precision and control over the properties of the thin film.

That brings us to tungsten carbide, more commonly referred to as carbide or sometimes cemented carbide. Think of it as cobalt on steroids. It's been around for nearly one hundred years but didn't come into widespread use as a cutting tool material until after World War II, when Kennametal founder Philip M. McKenna developed the first indexable carbide cutting tools. Since then, this extremely hard and wear-resistant material has consumed an enormous swath of the cutting tool market, drill bits included.

I recommend the Kindle Tech CVD furnace for those in need of a high-quality, reliable furnace for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes. This furnace is designed specifically for CVD applications and features a range of advanced features to ensure consistent and repeatable results. The furnace is equipped with precision temperature control and a powerful heating element, which allows for fast ramp-up and cool-down times and precise temperature control. The reaction chamber is spacious and can accommodate a wide range of substrates, and the furnace is easy to operate with a user-friendly interface.

Machine shops, maintenance personnel, and the manufacturing community overall face off against a veritable universe of different materials each day:

If you are in need of a CVD furnace with specific features or capabilities that are not available in standard models, Kindle Tech may be able to provide a custom solution. You can contact us to discuss your specific needs and get more information on the customization options available.

Customization options for Kindle Tech CVD furnaces include various chamber sizes and shapes, multiple heating options, custom gas delivery systems, and a range of additional features and accessories. The company has a team of experienced engineers who can work with customers to design and build a custom CVD furnace that meets their specific requirements.

As to the question “when should a cobalt drill bit be used," the answer is straightforward: anywhere you would use an HSS drill. Cobalt, however, will in most cases last longer than its less wear and heat-resistant cousin, and as we've seen, run much faster besides. The only caveat is that cobalt drills, due to their greater hardness, are more brittle than HSS. The user must therefore take extra care to align them properly and avoid the radial tool pressures that might occur when drilling into intersecting holes (hydraulic manifolds, for example) and angled surfaces.

The evaporation boat for organic matter is an important tool for precise and uniform heating during the deposition of organic materials.

Because it could cut metal much more quickly than the hardened carbon steel tools of the day, they dubbed it high-speed steel. As you will see, that moniker has since become a bit misleading, as tungsten carbide cutting tools—though a bit less forgiving than HSS—are far faster and therefore much more productive.

CVD processes often require high temperatures in order to drive the chemical reactions that occur during the thin film formation. The heat can be supplied by a furnace, RF coil, or laser, and it is used to heat the precursor gases and the substrate to the desired temperature. The high temperature can lead to higher waste deposition and can also cause thermal stress on the substrate, which may limit its use for certain materials. However, the high temperature also allows for the formation of high-quality thin films with good structural and electrical properties.

PVDvsCVD advantages and disadvantages

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The precursor molecules are then decomposed and react on the surface of the substrate to form the desired thin film. The flow of the precursor and other process parameters, such as temperature and pressure, are carefully controlled to ensure a consistent and high-quality thin film.

One advantage of PVD over CVD is the safety issue of the materials used in the process. Some precursors and by-products of CVD processes can be toxic, pyrophoric, or corrosive, which can cause issues with material handling and storage. PVD processes, on the other hand, do not involve chemical reactions and do not produce hazardous by-products, which makes them safer to use and easier to handle.

Chemical vapor deposition vs physical vapor depositioncar

Kindle Tech is a company that specializes in the design and manufacture of furnaces for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes. The company offers a range of standard CVD furnace models, but they also have the capability to customize furnaces to meet the specific needs and requirements of their customers.

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Sputtering is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method that does not require the use of specialized precursor materials as in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). In sputtering, a solid target material is bombarded with high-energy ions, which cause atoms of the material to be sputtered off the target and deposited onto the substrate as a thin film. The target material can be a wide range of materials, including metals, alloys, and semiconductors, which makes sputtering a flexible and widely-used PVD method.

Since we’re comparing cobalt drills to those made of carbide, we won’t delve too deeply into the different types of carbide drills except to say that solid carbide is the closest equivalent from a size, length, and application perspective. After this come replaceable tip modular drills and indexable insert drills for larger holes (say anything above 1-1/2" in diameter).

One of the main differences between chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) is the temperature required for the process. CVD processes typically run at higher temperatures, usually between 300°C and 900°C, while PVD processes can run at lower temperatures, often below 200°C. This difference in temperature requirement can be a factor in choosing between the two processes, as it can influence the properties of the thin film and the compatibility with the substrate material.

At 82 HRC, give or take, tungsten carbide is much harder than cobalt or HSS. This is carbide’s only Achilles’ heel—where cobalt will flex a fair amount in the face of radial cutting forces, carbide will in many cases shatter. This means that proper alignment is critical for tool life and hole accuracy (which is true of any drilling operation). And when breaking through into intersecting holes as in the manifold example just given, the feedrate should be reduced slightly until the drill stabilizes.

The nano-diamond composite coating drawing die uses cemented carbide (WC-Co) as the substrate, and uses the chemical vapor phase method ( CVD method for short ) to coat the conventional diamond and nano-diamond composite coating on the surface of the inner hole of the mold.