To accelerate the development of advanced materials for the energy transition, DIFFER is building a new and unique thin film deposition and in-situ characterisation research facility: Pulsed Laser Deposition for Energy (PLD4Energy). This facility can make, analyse, and optimise thin films from small (1 inch) to large (4 inch) diameter for energy applications, such as water splitting, fuel cells, and batteries. After 2.5 years of design, development and construction, it’s time for an update on this innovative project.
“A brand new facility with remarkable uniqueness’s”, starts Anja Bieberle, scientific project leader of PLD4Energy. The abbreviation ‘PLD’ stands for Pulsed Laser Deposition, a technique for making thin films on a solid substrate by ablating material from a so-called target material.
Bieberle: “In the PLD4Energy facility, we combine two chambers for thin film deposition by pulsed laser deposition, with one laser in one vacuum line. That way we can study upscaling with as similar conditions as possible in both chambers. In the vacuum line, we also have a sputter chamber that enables -in combination with the PLD- for component development. Another major uniqueness of the facility are the multiple in-situ diagnostics tools around the PLD chambers, the same for both chambers. We do not have such a facility anywhere in the world.”
High level research project
Normally, a PLD facility offers one or two types of in-situ diagnostics. The PLD4Energy facility of Bieberle and her team offers eight. Bieberle lists a few: “Standard diagnostics are for example RHEED and spectroscopic ellipsometry, with which we can measure whether an epitaxial film is grown, as well as thickness and optical properties. Optical emission spectroscopy allows us to analyse the plasma during deposition. Unique diagnostics are based on X-ray spectroscopy (new development with Sioux Technologies) for analysing surface composition and multi-beam optical stress sensor (new in-situ diagnostics for PLD) for analysing stress. Also, we are investigating if a novel tool based on second harmonic generation would be interesting for us to purchase. In addition, a custom made 4-inch compatible XPS will be connected for analysing the composition and the oxidation state of materials so that freshly deposited films can be investigated without breaking the vacuum.”
The project is not about combining standard equipment, but about driving innovations: “We have diagnostics which are standard, but also new ones. Either because we are designing and developing them ourselves, like the X-ray based method, or we are buying them from a start-up company. In both cases, integration in a large and complex research facility is the big challenge and requires close collaboration and common development. For example, for the XPS, at DIFFER we are currently developing a specialized gripping and flipping tool for 5 inch sample carriers. Needless to say, that this tool needs to be integrated with the gripping tool from the XPS supplier. Interface engineering is of key importance here. This is really a high level research project”, explains Bieberle.
Another example of co-development together with industry and a new development for a PLD facility can be found on the top of the large area PLD chamber: the white-coloured hexapod. Bieberle: “Sometimes you’d like to move your sample in all kinds of directions, while being accurate. For large area deposition, this did not exist. We realised this idea together with Demcon TSST and Ratio Computer Aided Systems Engineering (Ratio) after months of discussions and several design sessions.”
A collaborative effort
A new research facility like PLD4Energy cannot be realised without specific expertise in many fields of science and engineering. Therefore, DIFFER entered into partnerships with University of Twente, Ratio, and Demcon TSST (supplier of the PLD4Energy base unit). Also, collaboration with the co-applicant TU/e, the partners of the project, and companies are set-up.
Bieberle: “We did not just buy a facility from a company, but it’s a facility we are building together. I’m really happy to see that we are doing this together and that people get fascinated and motivated by doing so.”
Currently, the base unit of the PLD4Energy facility is realised. Unique and novel in situ-diagnostics are still under design, development and/or construction and will be added until the end of the project in 2028. Due to this complexity with many components from different suppliers and developers, we focused together with Ratio from the beginning of the project on a systems approach with a well-defined and protocolled system architecture. Ratio’s system approach software that allows to store and structure all specifications and dimensions, is of immense value here. Bieberle: “A systems approach is very important for such a complex facility, because nobody can keep all information in one’s head.”
Apart from the complexity and multidisciplinarity of the project, bringing and keeping all stakeholders together is challenging as well. Leading such a big research infrastructure project, requires a bunch of project management skills, says Bieberle: “Earlier I have been guiding large consortia projects and, of course, many PhD projects. Bringing people together, having a helicopter view, deciding where to go deep and where not, keeping an eye on the planning, etc. You need lots of organisational talent and creativity.”
Future facility users
In the future, the PLD4Energy facility can be used by researchers and developers from universities, knowledge institutes and companies. “Whoever wants to use it, should be able to use it”, says Bieberle. “It’s important to note that it’s not going to be a production facility. Of course, we want to make a lot of users happy, but we also want to use the uniqueness of the facility to carry our seminal research that can be published in high impact journals. Thus, we have to find a balance.”
Who are those users? For what purpose will they use PLD4Energy? What will be needed then? These are questions that cannot be answered fully yet. Bieberle: “We need to see what the interests are from the users and how we can help them and develop both their research as well as the facility further.”
There are many reasons for companies to be interested in using PLD4Energy: lack of own equipment, the need for deposition and analysis area of up to 4 inch, specific in-situ diagnostics or combination of techniques. Bieberle: “There shall be mainly interest from companies focusing on materials development. For instance, companies who make electrolysers or batteries and need a special film or companies who need specific quality which they perfectly can control with our in-situ diagnostics.”
Major steps
Recently, the PLD4Energy team reached an important milestone by finishing the Site Acceptance Test of most parts of the PLD4Energy base unit with deposition chambers and basic in-situ diagnostics. “But still, such a large, new facility needs trouble shooting, commissioning and learning all ins and outs. Hamid Hajihoseinin is our expert who is leading this”, Bieberle points out. “Still, we have finished a major step in this entire project that started in October 2023.” All this is needed to make even bigger steps in the future: all to provide new, better, tailored materials for the energy transition.
More to discover
- Article Mikroniek about systems engineering for PLD (2025)
- News item ‘DIFFER and Demcon TSST signed contract for construction of PLD4Energy facility’ (February 2024)
- News item ‘DIFFER develops research facility for energy transition’ (May 2023)
- Take a look at the PLD facility by visiting DIFFER’s virtual tour
- Read more about thin-film solutions and visit the website of Demcon TSST
Authors: Anja Bieberle, Rianne van Hoek
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