Reed Relays and
Electronics India Limited
Manufacturer of Reed Switches, Reed Sensors and Reed-based products
Reed Relays and Electronics India Limited Incorporated in 1971

Sputtering of Annealed Reed Blades

Sputtering Machine
Sputtering chamber

Our Reed Switches rely on proper contact sputtering of Ruthenium, to ensure stable, durable electrical connections. Sputtering in Angstroms guarantees consistently low contact resistance. Sputtering is also very accurate in terms of coating thickness compared to wet plating as is evident from lqarge pabtches of coated blades.

Reed blades are placed in special Aluminium jigs of low outgassing rates and then loaded on to a drum in the sputtering chamber. The chamber is emptied with a combination of a rough pump and a Cryogenic pump to a high vacuum level exceeding 10E-5 torrs which is even higher than low orbital satellites around the earth.

Ruthenium is applied to the contact area of the reed blades using a Magnetron sputtring, from a high purity Ruthenium target whose tiles have been nano-bonded to a physically stable metal plate such as Molybdenum. This sputtering process is quick and effective and a coating of 0.4 microns can easily be achieved in less than a few minutes. Once the coating process is complete, the chamber pumping goes on for a few more minutes to pump out any impurities and the chamber is then brought to a higher pressure to release the chamber door.

The reed blade thickness and surface roughness are checked using an Angstrom meter. After this stage, sputtered reed blades undergo burn-off or Bake-out treatment for optimsing reed switch performance. This meticulous process is essential for electrical contact stability. Proper sputtering ensures uniformity and reliability in reed switch operation. The coated blades promise smooth and reliable electrical connections.

Ruthenium coating during sputtering increases the lifespan and efficiency of reed switches. The chamber’s high vacuum level eliminates atmospheric impurities for a pristine coating surface. Inspection tools guarantee precise thickness and surface quality for optimal performance. Burn-off treatment completes the process, ensuring long-lasting functionality. Each step is crucial for manufacturing high-quality reed switches.