Cover with a sensor system for a configurable measuring system for a configurable sputtering system

1. A cover for a configurable measuring system of a configurable sputtering system, the configurable sputtering system being provided for sputtering multilayer coatings on a substrate, and the configurable sputtering system comprising a plurality of stations and having a plurality of apertures to provide access to a space within the stations;

the cover being detachably attachable to each of the apertures of the stations individually, such that the cover closes one aperture at a time and is movable from one aperture to another;

the cover comprising a sensor system allowing to determine a property of a substrate with or without a stack of the multilayer coating on the substrate by directly measuring on the substrate,

the sensor system comprising at least one sensor adapted for detecting or measuring a signal representative of the property of the substrate with or without the stack in one of the plurality of stations, and comprising at least one first transmission means for transferring or transmitting the detected signal or the determined property;

the at least one sensor being attached to the cover, such that moving the cover from one of the plurality of stations to another allows detecting or measuring the signal representative of the property of the substrate with or without the stack in the other station.

2. The cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a source placed at an inner side of the cover, the source being adapted for generating a source signal having a predetermined characteristic.

3. The cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a source placed at an outer side of the cover, the source being adapted for generating a source signal having a predetermined characteristic, and

a second transmission means connectable to the source, the second transmission means being adapted for transferring or transmitting a signal originating from the source to the substrate.

4. The cover according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second transmission means connectable to an external source, the second transmission means being adapted for transferring or transmitting a signal originating from the external source to the substrate.

5. The cover according to claim 1 , the sensor system comprising an optical sensor, adapted for measuring or transferring an optical signal originating from the partial stack.

6. The cover according to claim 1 , the at least one sensor having a fixed position relative to the cover.

7. The cover according to claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises at least one rail, and wherein the at least one sensor is movable along the at least one rail or wherein the sensor system includes a plurality of sensors, located throughout the at least one rail.

8. A configurable measuring system for use in a configurable sputtering system for measuring a partial stack of a multilayer coating, comprising:

at least one cover according to claim 1 ;

a signal processing unit for processing at least one signal originating from the at least one sensor of the sensor system of the at least one cover.

9. A configurable measuring system, according to claim 8 , wherein the signal processing unit is detachably attached to the outside of the cover, such that the signal processing unit is interchangeable between covers without having to disassemble the cover.

10. A configurable measuring system according to claim 8 , further comprising the source, detachably mounted on the outside of the cover and detachably connected to the second transmission means.

11. A feedback system comprising:

a configurable measuring system according to claim 8 ;

a computer system provided with software for determining a property of at least one layer of the multilayer coating based on measurement data from the configurable measuring system.

12. A feedback system according to claim 11 , further comprising:

an ex situ sensor system adapted for measuring a property of the multilayer coating;

wherein the software is further adapted for determining a property of at least one layer of the multilayer coating based on data from the configurable measuring system, and based on the data from the ex situ sensor system.

13. A feedback system according to claim 11 , for use in a configurable sputtering system that comprises at least one control mechanism, that allows to locally influence the sputtering process which takes place in the sputtering system;

the computer system and the software being further adapted for providing a control signal for adjusting the sputtering process based on data from the sensor system.

14. A feedback system according to claim 13 , for use in a configurable sputtering system comprising at least one sputtering target with at least two on-line adjustable magnets;

the sensor system being adapted for measuring a property of the layer applied by said sputtering target to at least two laterally different positions on the substrate;

the computer system and the software being further adapted for providing at least one control signal for the online adjustment of the on-line adjustable magnets based on the data originating from the sensor system.

15. A feedback system according to claim 11 , wherein the computer system and the software are further adapted for providing a control signal for the automatic adjustment of at least one of the sputtering parameters chosen from the group consisting of: power of a sputtering target, spatially distributed partial gas pressure in the sputtering system, positions of on-line adjustable magnets of at least one sputtering target, positions and apertures of the shields.

16. A method for configuring a configurable measuring system or a feedback system for a configurable measuring system according to claim 11 , the method comprising the following steps:

providing at least one cover with a sensor system;

choosing an appropriate position for the cover in the sputtering device, as a function of the envisioned composition of at least one multilayer coating;

detachably attaching the cover to an aperture of the chosen appropriate position.

17. A method for configuring a configurable measuring system according to claim 16 , the method comprising the following steps:

providing at least two covers with a sensor system;

providing at least one signal processing unit;

choosing an appropriate position for the at least two covers in the sputtering device, based on the envisioned composition of at least two multilayer coatings to be produced;

detachably attaching the cover to the apertures of the chosen appropriate positions;

choosing an appropriate position for the at least one signal processing unit on one of the at least two covers, based on the multilayer coatings to be produced;

detachably attaching the at least one signal processing unit to the chosen cover.

18. A configurable sputtering system for sputtering multilayer coatings with varying compositions on a substrate;

the sputtering system comprising a plurality of stations, and having a plurality of apertures to provide access to a space within the stations;

and further comprising a configurable measuring system according to claim 8 .

19. A method of applying a multilayer coating on a substrate, comprising the following steps:

configuring a configurable measuring system or a configurable feedback system according to claim 16 ;

calibrating the configurable measuring system;

measuring a property of the partial coating stack applied to the substrate making use of the configurable measuring system;

calculating a deviation of the measured property with respect to an envisioned property of the partial coating stack;

adjusting at least one parameter of the sputtering system based on the calculated deviation.

20. A method according to claim 19 , further comprising a step of:

calibrating the measuring system during production.

21. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the sputtering system comprises at least one sputtering target having a plurality of on-line adjustable magnets, and wherein the method further comprises a step:

for measuring a property at multiple locations over substantially the entire width of the substrate, and

for automatically adjusting the on-line adjustable magnets in order to minimise deviations of the deposited coating stack with respect to the predefined coating stack.

22. A method according to claim 19 , wherein the sputtering system comprises at least one sputtering target having a plurality of on-line adjustable magnets, and wherein the method comprises a step:

of measuring or determining a property of a partial coating stack on a substrate, deposited in a first sputtering zone of the sputtering system, and

for calculating a deviation of the measured or determined property with respect to envisioned properties, and

proposing an adjustment to correct the deviation or automatically adjusting the on-line adjustable magnets of a sputtering target in a second sputtering zone, at a time when said substrate enters the second sputtering zone, the automatic adjustment being such that the calculated deviation of the partial coating stack is at least partially compensated by the layer that will be applied in the second sputtering zone by the adjusted on-line adjustable magnets.

23. A cover for a configurable measuring system of a configurable sputtering system, the configurable sputtering system being provided for sputtering multilayer coatings on a substrate, and the configurable sputtering system comprising a plurality of stations and having a plurality of apertures to provide access to a space within the stations;

the cover being detachably attachable to each of the apertures of the stations individually, such that the cover closes one aperture at a time and is movable from one aperture to another;

the cover comprising:

a vacuum pump,

a sputtering target, and

a sensor system allowing to determine a property of a substrate with or without a stack of the multilayer coating on the substrate by directly measuring on the substrate,

the sensor system comprising at least one sensor adapted for detecting or measuring a signal representative of the property of the substrate with or without the stack in one of the plurality of stations, and comprising at least one first transmission means for transferring or transmitting the detected signal or the determined property;

the at least one sensor being attached to the cover;

wherein the cover further comprises at least one rail, and wherein the at least one sensor is mounted on the at least one rail and is movable along the at least one rail.

24. The cover according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an integrating sphere that evenly divides light from a light source.