Applied Multilayers Ltd, a new company, has been formed to offer a range of optical coating equipment using "closed field" reactive sputtering technology. Finance for the company has been raised privately through Catapult Venture Managers, a venture capital company based in Nottingham, UK.

The "closed field" strategy for reactive sputtering was invented and patented by Dennis Teer in 1991. Teer Coatings has since become a technology leader in the fields of advanced tribological and decorative coatings. The magnetic configuration of the magnetrons in the "closed field" produces a magnetic "bottle" which supports an intense plasma in which reactive sputtering takes place. As a result, the process is simple and easy to control.

More recently, it has been discovered that the "closed field" process produces thin films, including metal-oxides, with excellent optical properties such as those required for multilayer optical coatings.

Commenting on behalf of the company, Dr Des Gibson said "Magnetron sputtering is already acknowledged to produce the dense and stable thin films needed for the highest quality optical coatings. We are now offering a range of equipment based on the "closed field" strategy that will be efficient, easy to use and highly profitable for its Users. We are offering four different batch sizes based on the field-proven vertical drum and linear magnetron configurations used in the Teer systems. Drum diameters are offered from 35cm up to 75cm to suit various applications and throughput requirements"

The coating systems from Applied Multilayers will be used in a variety of optical coating applications.

For further information contact:

Dr Des Gibson
Applied Multilayers Ltd.
Garden Court
Gee Road
Coalville
LE67 4NB
United Kingdom