Ytterbium Sputtering Target - Material Information

Ytterbium (Yb) is a soft, silvery-white lanthanide metal that exhibits valuable optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. As a sputtering target material, ytterbium plays a crucial role in producing thin films for advanced optical coatings, semiconductors, and functional ceramics. Its low vapor pressure and excellent purity allow precise control of deposition uniformity, making it suitable for high-technology applications in photonics and materials engineering.

Material Overview

Pure ytterbium has a density of 6.97 g/cm³ and a melting point of 819 °C. Its metallic bonding and high electron mobility contribute to good electrical conductivity, while its reactivity requires careful handling in controlled atmospheres. The mechanical properties of ytterbium sputtering targets are optimized through processing that achieves a Vickers hardness of 15–40 HV and a surface roughness (R_a) ? 10 ?m to suppress particle generation during sputtering (Tsukamoto, 2009). These conditions minimize target defects and enhance film uniformity. Ytterbium-doped materials, such as YbAlN thin films, have been shown to significantly improve piezoelectric performance, with a reported d₃₃ coefficient of approximately 12 pC/N—double that of undoped AlN (Uehara et al., 2021). The ability to control film stoichiometry through sputtering makes Yb particularly valuable in electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Applications and Advantages

Ytterbium sputtering targets are employed in thin-film deposition for semiconductor devices, MEMS sensors, and optical coatings. Their high purity and low particle emission enable smooth film surfaces suitable for precision optics and layered structures. In addition, Yb incorporation into functional materials such as aluminum nitride and oxides enhances dielectric, optical, and piezoelectric properties, offering new design pathways for acoustic resonators and energy conversion devices. Recent developments in manufacturing ytterbium sputtering targets have demonstrated improved surface uniformity and reduced defect generation, directly translating to higher device reliability and longer sputtering target life.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow provides ytterbium sputtering targets in various dimensions and purities suitable for research and industrial thin-film applications. Each target is manufactured under stringent quality controls to ensure consistency, purity, and deposition performance. Explore ytterbium and related rare-earth sputtering targets through the Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Tsukamoto, S. I. (2009). Ytterbium sputtering target and method for manufacturing the target. Japanese Patent JP2009027892A.
• Tsukamoto, S. I. (2013). Ytterbium-made sputtering target, and method for producing the target. Japanese Patent JP2013176892A.
• Uehara, M., Amano, Y., Anggraini, S. A., Hirata, K., Yamada, H., & Akiyama, M. (2021). Preparation of YbAlN piezoelectric thin films by sputtering and influence of Yb concentration on crystal structure. Ceramics International, 47(12), 16945–16952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2021.02.177
• Schlott, M., Herzog, A., Schneider-Betz, S., Yu, B. X., & Roidl, O. (2011). Sputtering target and preparation method thereof. European Patent EP2380052A1.