Reference – STAR Sputtering (SpuTtering for Advanced Research)¶

This page documents all ELN entry types in the STAR category, which covers magnetron sputtering experiments performed on the STAR deposition system at INL.

SputteringTarget¶

Category: STAR
Base class: CompositeSystem, EntryData

A persistent record of a physical sputtering target. Each SputteringTarget entry acts as a logbook: it accumulates usage time and energy across all experiments that reference it, and can alert when recalibration is needed.

Quantities¶

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`name`	`str`	–	Human-readable target name (inherited)
`lab_id`	`str`	–	Unique lab identifier (inherited)
`supplier`	`str`	–	Manufacturer or supplier of the target
`delivery_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date the target was received
`installation_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date the target was installed in the chamber
`last_calibration_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date of the most recent calibration
`calibration_interval_time`	`float`	hours	Usage time threshold that triggers recalibration
`calibration_interval_energy`	`float`	kWh	Energy threshold that triggers recalibration
`total_deposition_time`	`float`	hours	Accumulated time across all deposition records (auto)
`total_deposition_energy`	`float`	kWh	Accumulated energy across all deposition records (auto)
`time_since_last_calibration`	`float`	hours	Time accumulated since `last_calibration_date` (auto)
`energy_since_last_calibration`	`float`	kWh	Energy accumulated since `last_calibration_date` (auto)
`needs_calibration`	`bool`	–	`True` if any threshold is exceeded (auto)

Sub-sections¶

Sub-section	Type	Description
`target_id`	`ReadableIdentifiers`	Structured INL/LaNaSC identifier
`geometry`	`Geometry`	Physical dimensions of the target
`components`	`PureSubstanceComponent` (repeats)	Chemical composition
`calibration_data`	`StarCalibrationDataReference`	Current calibration entry
`old_calibration_data`	`StarCalibrationDataReference` (repeats)	Historical calibrations
`deposition_records`	`TargetDepositionRecord` (repeats)	Usage log (auto-appended)

Normalization behavior¶

Sets target_raw_path to the upload file path (used for cross-entry record writing)
Recomputes total_deposition_time, total_deposition_energy, time_since_last_calibration, energy_since_last_calibration
Sets needs_calibration = True if either threshold is exceeded

TargetDepositionRecord¶

Base class: ArchiveSection

A single entry in a target's usage log. Records are written automatically by StarSputtering.normalize().

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`experiment`	`SputterDeposition`	–	Reference to the sputtering experiment
`source_index`	`int`	–	Index of the source slot used
`deposition_time`	`float`	hours	Total powered time in this experiment
`deposition_energy`	`float`	kWh	Total energy delivered in this experiment

StarCalibrationData¶

Category: STAR
Base class: EntryData

Stores the measured deposition rate from a calibration run.

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`calibration_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date of the calibration
`deposition_rate`	`float`	nm/min	Measured rate
`calibration_experiment`	`SputterDeposition`	–	Reference to the calibration run

StarSputteringRecipe¶

Category: STAR
Base class: EntryData

A reusable template of StarStep objects. Apply by setting the Recipe reference on a sputtering experiment and ticking Apply recipe.

Quantity	Type	Description
`name`	`str`	Recipe name
`description`	`str`	Rich-text description

Sub-sections:

Sub-section	Type	Description
`steps`	`StarStep` (repeats)	Ordered sequence of deposition steps

StarRFSputtering / StarDCSputtering¶

Category: STAR
Base class: SputterDeposition, EntryData

These are the two concrete entry types for sputtering experiments. They inherit all fields from StarSputtering and differ only in the step types they use.

Method	Step types available
`StarRFSputtering`	`PresputteringRFStep`, `StabilizationRFStep`, `SputteringRFStep`
`StarDCSputtering`	`PresputteringDCStep`, `StabilizationDCStep`, `SputteringDCStep`, `PostSputteringDCStep`

Quantities (from StarSputtering)¶

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`name`	`str`	–	Experiment name
`operator`	`str`	–	Person who ran the experiment
`base_pressure`	`float`	mbar	Chamber base pressure before deposition
`is_a_calibration_experiment`	`bool`	–	Mark as calibration run
`apply_recipe`	`bool`	–	Trigger recipe application on normalize

Sub-sections (from StarSputtering)¶

Sub-section	Type	Description
`sources`	`SputteringSource` (repeats)	Magnetron guns; each references a `SputteringTarget`
`steps`	`StarStep` (repeats)	Deposition step sequence
`samples`	`StarStackReference` (repeats)	Thin-film stacks produced
`recipe`	`StarSputteringRecipeReference`	Recipe to apply

Normalization behavior¶

For each SputteringSource that references a SputteringTarget:

Computes the total powered time and energy for the source across all steps
Writes a TargetDepositionRecord to the target entry
Triggers re-normalization of the target so its totals are updated

Step types¶

All step types inherit from StarStep which in turn extends VaporDepositionStep.

Class	RF/DC	Description
`PresputteringRFStep`	RF	Pre-sputtering cleaning step with shutter closed
`StabilizationRFStep`	RF	Plasma stabilization before opening shutter
`SputteringRFStep`	RF	Main deposition step
`PresputteringDCStep`	DC	Pre-sputtering cleaning
`StabilizationDCStep`	DC	Plasma stabilization
`SputteringDCStep`	DC	Main deposition step
`PostSputteringDCStep`	DC	Post-sputtering cool-down

Common step quantities:

Quantity	Unit	Description
`duration`	s	Step duration
`creates_new_thin_film`	–	Toggle to auto-create film/stack entries
`set_power` / `power`	W	Set-point and measured power
`set_voltage` / `voltage`	V	DC voltage (DC steps only)
`set_current` / `current`	A	DC current (DC steps only)
`Ct_value` / `Cl_value`	–	RF tuning capacitor values (RF steps only)
`chamber_pressure`	mbar	Measured chamber pressure during step
`substrate_temperature`	°C	Substrate heater set-point for this step
`substrate_rotation_enabled`	bool	Whether substrate rotation is active
`substrate_rotation_speed`	rpm	Target rotation speed
`substrate_rotation_direction`	enum	`Clockwise` or `Counter-clockwise`

SeleniumCell¶

Category: STAR
Base class: EntryData

Persistent entity that tracks a physical selenium effusion cell: weight over time and refill history.

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`refill_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date of the last selenium refill

Sub-sections:

Sub-section	Type	Description
`weight_records`	`SeleniumCellWeightRecord` (repeats)	Timestamped weight measurements

SeleniumCellWeightRecord¶

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`weight`	`float`	g	Measured weight of the cell
`measurement_date`	`Datetime`	–	Date of the measurement

INLSeleniumPulseParameters¶

Base class: ArchiveSection
Label: Selenium Pulse Parameters

Describes the pulsed selenium environment used in reactive DC sputtering steps and selenization annealing steps.

Quantity	Type	Unit	Description
`valve_opening`	`float`	mm	Valve aperture controlling Se flux
`time_on`	`float`	s	Se pulse duration (valve open)
`time_off`	`float`	s	Interval between pulses (valve closed)
`cell_temperature`	`float`	°C	Effusion cell temperature
`cracker_current`	`float`	A	Cracker supply current
`cracker_voltage`	`float`	V	Cracker supply voltage
`cracker_power`	`float`	W	Cracker power – auto-computed: `current × voltage` (auto)
`cracker_power_percentage`	`float`	%	Cracker power as % of maximum
`process_time`	`float`	min	Total duration of Se pulsing
`total_se_on_time`	`float`	s	Total selenium exposure – auto-computed (auto)

Sub-sections:

Sub-section	Type	Description
`selenium_cell`	`SeleniumCellReference`	Reference to the `SeleniumCell` entity

Normalization:

cracker_power = cracker_current × cracker_voltage
total_se_on_time = round(process_time / (time_on + time_off)) × time_on

STARDCReactiveSputtering¶

Category: STAR
Base class: StarDCSputtering, EntryData
Label: STAR DC Reactive Sputtering

DC sputtering with simultaneous pulsed selenium. Inherits all StarDCSputtering behavior (sources, target records, recipe application). Overrides steps with STARReactiveDCStep.

STARReactiveDCStep¶

Extends SputteringDCStep with one additional sub-section:

Sub-section	Type	Description
`selenium_environment`	`INLSeleniumPulseParameters`	Se pulse parameters for this step

STARSelenizationAnnealing¶

Category: STAR
Base class: StarSputtering, EntryData
Label: STAR Selenization Annealing

Selenium atmosphere annealing in the STAR chamber without active sputtering targets. The sources field is hidden from the ELN. Steps use STARSeAnnealingStep.

STARSeAnnealingStep¶

Extends StarStep with one additional sub-section. The voltage and power fields are hidden from the ELN (not relevant without a plasma).

Sub-section	Type	Description
`selenium_environment`	`INLSeleniumPulseParameters`	Se pulse parameters for this step