A purchase request for “titanium for the evaporator” leaves two questions open. Is titanium the right adhesion layer for the film stack, and will the source material fit the tool your team is using? Answering both before you request a quote helps a lab manager or buyer order the correct material, form, and package.
Start with the film stack
Titanium (Ti) and chromium (Cr) are both used as adhesion layers under thin metal films. Start with the substrate surface, the metal that will go on top, and the properties the finished stack needs to meet. For a repeat run, use the lab’s qualified stack and note any changes to the substrate or downstream processing. For a new stack, ask the process owner which candidate to evaluate and how the team will compare adhesion and film performance.
The choice can affect the top film as well as the interface. In one study of ultrathin gold films, both adhesion layers altered the overlayer’s microstructure. The researchers observed a distinct titanium layer in their Ti/Au samples and intermixing in their Cr/Au samples. The results apply to the films studied and illustrate why a material substitution deserves a check against your own electrical or optical requirements. Published Ti/Au and Cr/Au comparison
Match the source to the approved tool
Stanford’s CHA Solutions II evaporator lists both titanium and chromium among its lab-supplied metals. MIT.nano’s Temescal setup also selected both based on prior equipment use and specified a size adapter for chromium at introduction. Ask your own facility which material, pocket, and liner or adapter are approved, and whether the lab supplies the charge or allows users to bring it. Stanford Nanofabrication Facility · MIT.nano equipment update
For a titanium pellet, give the pellet diameter and length. For chromium pieces, specify the accepted size range or maximum dimension. If a lab has qualified a machined starter source, include the drawing or part number and the pocket or liner it fits. For example, equipment supplier Kurt J. Lesker publishes distinct source and liner considerations for each metal, including a machined source option for chromium. Final approval should come from the person responsible for your evaporator. Titanium source notes · Chromium source notes · Basis guide to evaporation material forms
Put the purchasing details in the RFQ
| Include | What the supplier needs |
|---|---|
| Material and grade | Ti or Cr, minimum purity and any specified impurity limits |
| Source form | Pellet dimensions or piece-size range, or the drawing for a machined source |
| Equipment | Evaporator model, pocket or liner part number, and approved source restrictions |
| Quantity and documentation | Total net mass, mass per pack, number of packs, lot identification and any certificate of analysis requirements |
| Delivery | Required date and whether a qualification sample or matching the previous lot is important |
For a reorder, include the existing material specification or previous supplier part number and note which fields are mandatory. Basis Materials can review your source dimensions, documentation needs and quantity before quoting. Titanium evaporation pellets · Chromium evaporation pieces · Request a quote