<p>Sputtering is a Physical Vapor Deposition vacuum process used to deposit very thin films onto a substrate for a wide variety of commercial and scientific purposes. Sputtering occurs when an ionized gas molecule is used to displace atoms of a specific material. These atoms then bond at the atomic level to a substrate and create a thin film. </p> <p>Several types of sputtering processes exist, including: ion beam, diode, and magnetron sputtering. Cathode sputtering is widely used in the microelectronics industry for silicon integrated circuit production and for metallic coatings. High temperature, diamond films and ferroelectric materials are other applications.</p> <p>Sputtering applications are important across a wide range of industries, including the automotive, medical, semiconductors, space, plastics, and military sectors. </p><OL><li>A strong applications focus, covering current and emerging technologies, including nano-materials and MEMS (microelectrolmechanical systems) for energy, environments, communications, and/or bio-medical field. New chapters on computer simulation of sputtering and MEMS completes the update and insures that the new edition includes the most current and forward-looking coverage available.</li> <p><li>All applications discussed are supported by theoretical discussions, offering readers both the "how" and the "why" of each technique.</li> </OL> <p>40% revision: the new edition includes an entirely new team of contributing authors with backgrounds specializing in the various new applications that are covered in the book and providing the most up-to-date coverage available anywhere.</p>