Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Sputtering |
SputteringAdjective1. Emitting or making sporadic spitting or popping sounds; "the sputtering engine"; "spluttering electric arcs". Noun1. The noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively; "he heard a spatter of gunfire". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "sputtering" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1700. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Aerospace | Dislocation of surface atoms of a material from bombardment by high-energy atomic particles. (references) |
Electrical Engineering | The bombardment of a source material by positive ions of an inert gas in order to erode the source surface, the eroded material travelling through a low-pressure gas and depositing on any object in its path. Source: European Union. (references) |
Energy | A process used to apply photovoltaic semi-conductor material to a substrate by a physical vapor deposition process where high-energy ions are used to bombard elemental sources of semiconductor material, which eject vapors of atoms that are then deposited in thin layers on a substrate. (references) |
Nuclear Energy & Physics | Ejection of atoms from a solid target surface due to impact with impinging ions from a plasma. Source: European Union. (references) |
Occupations | Bombarding metal surface with positive ions to form fine-grained coating on surface. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
The ions for the sputtering process are supplied by a plasma that is induced in the sputtering equipment. In practice a variety of techniques are used to modify the plasma properties, especially ion density, to achieve the optimum sputtering conditions, including usage of RF alternating current, utilization of magnetic fields, and application of a bias voltage to the target.
The sputtered atoms, those ejected into the gas phase, are not in their thermodynamic equilibrium state. Therefore, they tend to condense back into the solid phase upon colliding with any surface in the sputtering chamber. This results in deposition of the sputtered material on all surfaces inside the chamber. This phenomenon is used extensively in the semiconductor industry to deposit thin films of various materials onto silicon wafers. It can also be used to apply thin coatings to glass for optical applications. It can also be performed at very low temperatures which makes it the ideal method to deposit gate, source, and drain metals for thin-film transistors, as well as contacts for PIN diodes. In fact the use of sputtering to deposit thin films on a substrate is probably the most important application of sputtering today.
One important advantage of sputtering as a deposition technique is that the deposited films have the same concentration as the target material. This might be surprising, since as we mentioned before the sputter yield depends on the atomic weight of the atoms to be sputtered. Therefore, one might expect one component of an alloy or mixture to sputter faster than the other components, leading to a higher concentration of that component in the deposited film. It is true that the components are sputtered at different rates, however, since only surface atoms can be sputtered, the faster sputtering of one element leaves the surface enriched with the other element, which effectively counteracts the difference in sputter rates resulting in deposited films with the same composition as the target. This contrasts sharply with evaporative techniques, in which one component often evaporates preferentially, resulting in a deposited film with a different composition than the source material.
Another application of sputtering is to etch away the target material. One such example occurs in Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS), where the target sample is sputtered at a constant rate. As the target is sputtered, the concentration and identity of sputtered atoms are measured using Mass Spectroscopy. In this way the composition of the target material can be determined and even extremely low concentrations (~2*10-6%) of impurities detected. Furthermore, because the sputtering continually etches deeper into the sample, concentration profiles as a function of depth can be measured.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Sputtering."
Synonyms: SputteringSynonyms: spluttering (adj), spatter (n), spattering (n), splatter (n), splattering (n), splutter (n), sputter (n). (additional references) |
| Synonyms by domain: sizzled (physics), spitted. |
Crosswords: Sputtering |
| English words defined with "sputtering": spatter, spattering, splatter, splattering, splutter, spluttering, sputter. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "sputtering": plated crystal ♦ Secondary Electron Emission, sputtered oxide. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "sputtering": Sputter. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Sputtering" is also a word in the following language with the English translation in parentheses. Portuguese (sputtering). |
| Domain | Title |
Books |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Play | Caption |
 | Harley-Davidson; motorcycle; chopper; hog; biker; sputter; sputtering. |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | The children heard the sputtering of the taper plunged into the phosphoric bottle. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Economic History | Panama | A major challenge for the Moscoso government has been the development and productive use of the U.S. military properties transferred to Panama by the United States from 1977 until December 1999. Projects concluded are the former Arraijan fuel tank farm, which is being managed by a U.S./Saudi partnership; the commuter airport at the former Albrook Airfield; and a sputtering Taiwanese investment in an industrial "export processing zone" (EPZ). (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Sputtering" is generally used as a lexical verb (-ing form) -- approximately 83.33% of the time. "Sputtering" is used about 6 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Lexical Verb (-ing form) | 83.33% | 5 | 157,705 |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 16.67% | 1 | 339,140 |
| Total | 100.00% | 6 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "sputtering"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 飞溅 (splash, splashed, splashing, sputter, Sputtered). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | sputtering, skratten (buzz, crackle, fizzing, screeching, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), vakuummetalisering (vacuum coating), knasen (contact noise, crackle, fizzing, frying, frying noise, sizzle, sizzling, spitting). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | sputtering, sproeiing (watering), metaal opdampen onder vacuum (vacuum coating), kathodverstuiving, geknetter (crackle, fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | sputterointi, raksahdus (buzz, fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), räiskytys, räiskyttäminen, räiskyminen, ioneilla suihkuttaminen, alipainemetallointi (vacuum coating). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | pulvérisation par bombardement ionique, pulvérisation cathodique, pulvérisation (spray, spraying), métallisation sous vide, métallisation par pulvérisation cathodique, friture (spitting), désagregation, crachement (spit), crépitement (sputter), arrachement superficiel, érosion superficielle. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | plappernd (chattering, gabbing, jabbering, quacking). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | εναπόθεση με καθοδικό διασκορπισμό, επιμετάλλωση σε κενό (vacuum coating), επιφανειακή εκρίζωση, επιφανειακή απόσπαση, επιφανειακή διάβρωση, ουριγμός κατά την καύση (fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), ψεκασμός ατόμων. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | szétfreccsenés, katódporlasztás, hadarás (gabble, jabber, slur, sputter), fröcsögés (splutter). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | terbatuk-batuk (have a coughing spell). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | sputtering, vaporizzazione ionica, polverizzazione catodica, metallizzazione sotto vuoto (vacuum coating), metallizzazione per proiezione molecolare nel vuoto (vacuum coating), erosione superficiale. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | utteringspay sputtering, pulverização por bombardeamento iónico, metalização sob vácuo (vacuum coating), metalização por pulverização catódica (vacuum coating), aspersao. (various references) брызгать брызгание брызгающий. (various references) pulverización iónica, pulverización (pulverization, spray), proyección catódica (vacuum coating), erosión superficial, crepitados (fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), chisporroteos (fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), chasquidos (fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), bombardeo catódico (vacuum coating). (various references) sputtring, sputtering, sprak (crackling, fizzing, sizzle, sizzling, spitting), vakuummetallisering (vacuum coating), knaster (scrunch), katodförstoftning, förstoftning. (various references) jazyrdy (hiss). (various references) thổi phù phù lắp bắp, thổi phì phì. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misspellings | |
"Sputtering" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: scuttering, smuttering, snuttering, sputtern. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "sputtering" (pronounced spu"tering) |
| 6 | -p u" t er i ng | puttering. |
| 5 | -u" t er i ng | cluttering, fluttering, guttering, muttering, shuttering, stuttering, uttering. |
| 4 | -t er i ng | administering, altering, bantering, bartering, battering, bettering, blistering, blustering, bolstering, catering, centering, chartering, chattering, clustering, countering, doctoring, encountering, entering, factoring, faltering, festering, filibustering, filtering, flattering, fostering, frittering, glittering, hectoring, lettering, littering, loitering, mastering, mentoring, metering, mitering, monitoring, motoring, mustering, nattering, neutering, pestering, petering, plastering, reentering, registering, scattering, sculpturing, sequestering, shattering, sheltering, slaughtering, smattering, spattering, splintering, sweltering, teetering, tottering, tutoring, unflattering, watering. |
| 3 | -er i ng | anchoring, angering, answering, auguring, backfiring, badgering, belaboring, beleaguering, bewildering, bickering, blundering, bordering, bothering, brokering, butchering, capturing, censoring, clamoring, clobbering, coloring, configuring, conjuring, conquering, considering, cornering, covering, cowering, culturing, deciphering, delivering, desiring, devouring, diapering, dickering, differing, discovering, disfavoring, disfiguring, dismembering, dithering, doddering, embroidering, empowering, endangering, endeavoring, fathering, favoring, feathering, featuring, figuring, fingering, flavoring, flickering, floundering, flowering, foundering, fracturing, furthering, garnering, gathering, gerrymandering, gesturing, glimmering, glowering, grandfathering, hammering, hampering, hankering, harboring, hindering, hollering, honoring, hovering, hungering, hunkering, injuring, inquiring, laboring, laundering, lawyering, layering, lecturing, levering, lingering, lowering, lumbering, majoring, maneuvering, manufacturing, massacring, maundering, meandering, measuring, minoring, mirroring, mongering, mothering, murdering, murmuring, neighboring, nonmanufacturing, numbering, nurturing, offering, ordering, outnumbering, pampering, pandering, papering, partnering, peppering, perjuring, philandering, picturing, pilfering, plundering, pondering, posturing, powdering, powering, pressuring, proffering, prospering, puncturing, quivering, recapturing, reconsidering, recovering, rediscovering, rejiggering, remembering, rendering, reoffering, reordering, requiring, restructuring, rewiring, rupturing, savoring, scampering, scouring, severing, shimmering, shivering, shouldering, showering, shuddering, simmering, slithering, slobbering, slumbering, smoldering, smothering, snickering, sobering, soldering, soldiering, souring, spiering, sponsoring, squandering, staggering, structuring, suffering, surrendering, swaggering, tailoring, tampering, tapering, tempering, tendering, thundering, tinkering, torturing, towering, transpiring, triggering, uncovering, unwavering, ushering, venturing, wagering, wallpapering, wandering, warmongering, wavering, weathering, whimpering, whispering, withering, wondering, Wuthering, zippering. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "e-g-i-n-p-r-s-t-t-u" | |
-1 letter: puttering, upsetting. | |
-2 letters: erupting, gitterns, perusing, pettings, puttiers, reputing, runtiest, spurting, supering, trusting, turgites, turnspit, unripest, uttering. | |
-3 letters: entrust, gittern, grutten, gunites, gurnets, gustier, gutsier, gutters, guttier, intrust, nutsier, nutters, nuttier, petting, pignuts, pingers, pterins, puniest, punster, punters, punties, purines, pursing, putters, puttier, putties, putting, repugns, resting, retints, retting, reusing, rusting, rutting, setting. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-g-i-n-p-r-s-t-t-u" | |
+1 letter: guttersnipe, spluttering. | |
+2 letters: guttersnipes. | |
+3 letters: guttersnipish. | |
+4 letters: prestructuring. | |
+5 letters: counterstepping, supersaturating. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Commercial | 5. Sounds 6. Quotations: Fiction 7. Quotations: Non-fiction 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Expressions: Internet 10. Translations: Modern 11. Derivations 12. Rhymes | 13. Anagrams 14. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
