What Are Sputtering Targets, and Why Should You Recycle ...

Sputtering targets are materials used to produce thin films in a technique known as sputter deposition, or thin film deposition. In this process, the sputtering targets start off as a solid and are then split up by gaseous ions into small particles that form a spray and coat a material, which is called the substrate.

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Sputtering targets are often overlooked as a source of precious metal scrap. Let’s take a look at why you should seek to recycle any sputtering target scrap you own.

Sputter deposition is often involved in the production of semiconductors and computer chips. As such, most sputtering target materials are metallic alloys or elements, although some ceramic targets are available that create hardened thin coatings for some tools.

Once a sputtering target has been used, most will assume it is now useless. However, there is usually some valuable metal material left that should be recycled. In many cases, the metal could even turn out to be an incredibly rare precious metal like rhodium that can often be recycled as well.

Here’s a list of all the sputtering targets that are worth recycling:

1. Aluminum Targets

Aluminum sputtering is often used for semiconductor applications. Though it is not the most valuable metal, it is still in demand due to its versatility. You can find recycled aluminum in almost any modern vehicle or airplane, and it is used in many household items. Aluminum is also great for heat resistance, which makes it the perfect metal for containers.

2. Copper Targets

Copper is often used for electrodes and other applications where electrical conductivity is crucial. It’s not rare, but it is used in many applications like plumbing, wiring and windshield films.

3. Tin Targets

Tin can be applied to many materials to improve their properties. It is used in sputtering to improve corrosion resistance.

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4. Zinc Targets

Zinc targets are also used for their corrosion resistance. When it is sputtered onto another metal, it can be a corrosion barrier, which is why it’s typically used to produce cathodes. Zinc can also be found in batteries, propellants and paints.

5. Platinum, Silver, and Gold

Precious metals like gold, silver and platinum are sometimes used in sputtering applications. They provide a combination of chemical inertness and electrical conductivity, which makes them excellent for instrument and electrode production. They are also worth recycling for their financial value alone.

In the past week, advancements in recycling technologies have improved the efficiency of precious metal recovery from sputtering targets. According to an article indexed by Google News on October 5, 2023, researchers from the University of Sheffield have developed a more effective method of extracting metals like rhodium and platinum from old sputtering targets using a combination of hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical techniques. This discovery can potentially reduce the environmental footprint of sputtering target disposal significantly.

The new technique promises to recycle up to 95% of the precious metals from used targets, which can be reused in industrial applications, reducing the need for new mining activities and the environmental degradation associated with it.

If you have any sputtering targets you’d like to recycle, be sure to sell them to a precious metals refiner like Manhattan Gold & Silver. We can quickly separate the metals in your sputtering target to extract precious metals like gold and deliver a quick, fair payout.

A sputtering target is a material that is used to create thin films in a technique known as sputter deposition, or thin film deposition. During this process, the sputtering target material, which begins as a solid, is broken up by gaseous ions into tiny particles that form a spray and coat another material, which is known as the substrate. Sputter deposition is commonly involved in the creation of semiconductors and computer chips. As a result, most sputtering target materials are metallic elements or alloys, although there are some ceramic targets available that create hardened thin coatings for various tools.

Depending on the nature of the thin film being created, sputtering targets can vary greatly in size and shape. The smallest targets can be less than one inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, while the largest rectangular targets reach well over one yard (0.9 m) in length. Some sputtering equipment will require a larger sputtering target and in these cases, manufacturers will create segmented targets that are connected by special joints.

The designs of sputtering systems, the machines that conduct the thin film deposition process, have become much more varied and specific. Accordingly, target shape and structure have begun to widen in variety as well. The shape of a sputtering target is usually either rectangular or circular, but many target suppliers can create additional special shapes upon request. Certain sputtering systems require a rotating target to provide a more precise, even thin film. These targets are shaped like long cylinders and offer additional benefits, including faster deposition speeds, less heat damage, and increased surface area, which leads to greater overall utility.

The effectiveness of sputtering target materials depends on several factors, including their composition and the type of ions used to break them down. Thin films that require pure metals for the target material will usually have more structural integrity if the target is as pure as possible. The ions used to bombard the sputtering target are also important for producing a decent-quality thin film. Generally, argon is the primary gas chosen to ionize and initiate the sputtering process, but for targets that have lighter or heavier molecules, a different noble gas, such as neon for lighter molecules or krypton for heavier molecules, is more effective. It is important for the atomic weight of the gas ions to be similar to that of the sputtering target molecules to optimize the transfer of energy and momentum, thereby optimizing the evenness of the thin film.

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