The difference in titanium target preparation process comparison!

The preparation of titanium targets mainly adopts the melting casting method and powder metallurgy method, and there are significant differences in applicability, cost, and performance between the two processes:

1. Casting method

Principle: High purity titanium raw materials are melted under vacuum or inert gas protection, cast into ingots, and then rolled, forged, and machined into shapes.

Advantages: Simple equipment, low cost, suitable for mass production of large-sized target materials.

Disadvantages:

Easy to oxidize, strict oxygen control is required;

Coarse grain size may result in compositional segregation, affecting the uniformity of sputtered films.

Application: Low purity titanium targets, such as in the field of industrial decorative coating.

2. Powder metallurgy method

Principle: Mix titanium powder and form it by cold isostatic pressing, then sinter it at high temperature for densification, or use discharge plasma sintering for rapid prototyping.

Advantages:

Higher purity, controllable grain size, suitable for doping alloys;

To avoid oxidation issues in the casting process and achieve uniform microstructure.

Disadvantages: The process is complex, requiring HIP treatment to reduce porosity, and the cost is high.

Application: High purity titanium targets and composite targets, such as semiconductors and aerospace fields.

3. Emerging technology: SPS

Features: Rapid densification with pulse current, resulting in a density>99.5% and grain refinement.

Limitations: High equipment costs and limited target size.

Trend of process selection

High purity requirements: Semiconductor and medical fields tend to use powder metallurgy or SPS processes;

Cost sensitive scenario: The casting method still dominates the mid to low end markets such as industrial coatings.