Non-Conductive Vacuum Metalization (NCVM) on Plastic Film

Isn't metalization conductivity relative to thickness?

I do not see how it could be non conductive, unless thickness tends towards zero or a non conductive metallic compound is used.

Hi,

as Gigaconcept stated: any metallic coating is conductive (regardless if vacuum or else).

At very thin "films" these films are often not real films of constant thickness but starting with a lot of tiny islands that are growing more laterally than vertically thus forming interconnected islands and then nets with residual holes to the original surface.

This happens with metallic elements that crystallise at condensation .

At these very thin films (thickness up to 20 nm) these films exhibit different properties then bulk metal: partially transparent, different color, ...

If oxides or nitrides are deposited (possible by sputtering in reactive gas or by electron beam evaporation or ...) these may be conductive (iron-oxide, titanium-nitride) or non-conductive.

True "non-conductive" materials do not exist but if resistivity is a factor of 1000 above bad metallic conductivity (stainless steel and titanium are a factor of near 50 worse than good copper) then most users agree these to be non-conductive.

Back to the original question: there is no big problem in doing conductive and non-conductive vacuum coatings. Plastic film is a little bit more difficult as outgassing of water that was in solid solution inside the film is requiring consideration: either pre-outgassing or very big pumps combined with heating the film.

The machines to do these coatings are called roll-coaters as one roll raw material is unrolled, next is the coating station and then the coated film is rolled onto the second roll.

RHABE

RHABE,

You are really a professional guy on NCVM topic. I am interesting on NCVM and hope can get your support on this for there are a lot of cellphone brand want to have this application on their product.

My contact: Pan.guoqing@hi-p.com

BR,

Pan

pls refer this, www.mym.com.my

Anyway that I can measure it? If yes, what sort of equipment could I use? Thank you for the contribution. Best regards, Mike