Objective * Plasma state diagnostics.* Optical diagnostic for transmission (or reflectance) monitoring of workpiece in plasma CVD deposition reactor.* In-situ closed-loop process control on two industrial plasma CVD deposition reactors.* Enhanced product quality (performance and reliability)and production yield demonstrated from one existing industrial coating plasma CVD deposition process for hard coatings, and expected on two more reactors.* The closed loop control was demonstrated using existing plasma CVD deposition processes on industrial reactors.* Significant empirical data on the behaviour of the industrial plasma CVD deposition reactors.* Design and characterisation algorithms for optical coatings.Thin film optical coatings are currently exploited in a vast range of industrial products from plate glass used in motor vehicles, and architectural scale window glass to high technology imaging systems with applications in medicine, firefighting, communications and avionics. The current world widemarket for optical coatings is in excess of 800 MECU. The industrial trend is towards tailored application specific optical coatings. For example imaging systems impose stringent requirements in terms of minimised reflection and maximised optical transmission bands, which have been addressed using conventional discrete layer coatings. Similarly, architectural glass manufacturers wish to develop optical coatings with custom spectral responses to reduce building environmental management costs. While the demand for specific coating optical properties varies with application, the requirements of the coating mechanical properties are becoming more stringent. This increasing market demand for advanced performance coatings has shifted the industry emphasis from low cost manufacturing to high value added complex multilayer products. As the complexity of the coated product increases, so does its sensitivity to variations in the manufacturing process. This sensitivity translates directly into poor manufacturing yield and higher production costs. In consequence, stringent process control specifications are essential to competitive manufacturing.The adoption of competitive manufactturing processes is recognised by European industry as an essential condition for commercial viability, especially for high value added manufacturing. Competitive manufacturing is determined by time tomarket, reliability and cost, which in turn requires the adoption of real tiome process control (RTPC) allo ving rapid yield learning (RYL) The strategic goal of this project is the development of a competitive advantage for the European optical coatings industries through the implementation of RTPC capabilities in plasma deposition manufacturing. To achieve this objective, work is focussed on three areas: Development of process control methodology and algorithms Development of real time equipment and substrate sensors Implementation of RTPC on three distinct industrial plasma coating reactors. The consortium is made up of partners from five Member States (France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and the UK) of which four are industrial companies and two are research centres. The partnership is vertically integrated with expertise contributed from three major European optical coating manufacturers [GEC (UK), St. Gobain (France) and CE.Te.V (Italy), a European SME [Plasma Ireland] specialising in sensors and diagnostics for plasma monitoring, and two research centres [National Microelectronics Research Centre (Ireland) and Laser Zentrum Hannover (Germany)] focussing on process control methodology, diagnostics and modelling of complex multilayer coatings. The OPTICOM project cost of 3.8 MECU is small in relation to the current plasma processing equipment rnarket of 2000 MECU, the plasma diagnostics market of 50 MECU and the optical coatings rnarket of 800 MECU. All four industrial partners are strategically placed to exploit these market opportunities. Fields of science engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineeringnatural sciencesphysical sciencesplasma physicsengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsmicroelectronics Programme(s) FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3 - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0104 - Safety and reliability of production systems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator National University of Ireland, Cork Address Prospect row 30 Cork Ireland See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Centro Tecnologie del Vuoto Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via turanense km 44.452 67061 Carsoli l'aquila See on map GEC-Marconi Materials Technology Ltd United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Elstree way WD6 1RX Borehamwood See on map Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address 8,hollerithallee 8 30419 Hannover See on map Plasma Ireland Ltd. Ireland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Enterprise centre 30 Cork See on map SAINT-GOBAIN RECHERCHE S.A. France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Quai lucien lefranc 39 Aubervilliers See on map
