Celebrating 10 years anniversary for the Flextura PVD platform, we summarize the most important development steps for this platform.

Development Step: Modularity

From the very beginning, one idea has been at the heart of the Flextura® PVD platform: the system should be able to grow with future needs.

Every Flextura process module, whether a sputtering module, an evaporation module, a GLAD module, or an etch and degas station, is designed to work in multiple configurations.

1. Start with a single substrate load lock for focused, standalone research.
2. Step up to cassette loading when throughput demands increase.
3. Connect the same module to a fully automated cassette-to-cassette cluster when your facility is ready for volume production or your product needs multiple process steps without vacuum breaks.

The module itself is the same. Only the system around it grows.

As Christian Kjelde, Sales Manager at Polyteknik, reflects; “designing the Flextura PVD platform from scratch, meant modularity could be made a core priority. One of the greatest long-term benefits for customers”.

Scale up, without starting over

A researcher might begin with a single Flextura Sputter module and a load lock – a compact, high-quality tool that fits in a small cleanroom and delivers serious thin film results from day one.

Years later, as the development matures and production demands follow, that same core module can be plugged directly onto a Flextura Cluster platform, joined by an evaporation module, a high-temperature deposition chamber (up to 1000°C), or in-system analytical module – all without discarding the original investment.

The Flextura 200 Cluster illustrates this thinking at its most complete. A 200mm platform that is truly almost plug-and-play, allowing process modules to be added as the need for capacity or new processes increases. A proven Brooks MAG LEAP robot handles wafer transport between modules, while the platform accommodates everything from standard SEMI cassettes to custom carriers for even greater flexibility.

For research environments, the Flextura R&D Cluster takes the concept further still. It unveils a new way of modular thinking for PVD systems. From a single chamber with evaporation or sputtering as a standalone system, to an efficient research and development cluster tool with multiple advanced processes. Analytical modules can be attached to the cluster, enabling in-situ characterisation without ever breaking vacuum.

All process modules can be integrated into the Flextura Cluster platform or delivered as standalone tools, with single-substrate, cassette, or batch load-lock configurations.

The Flextura way of thinking lets capital investment follow the increasing demands of a facility.

A decade of thin‑film research built on the Flextura PVD platform — designed to grow. 

SINTEF is one of Europe’s largest independent research organisations, with more than 2,200 employees representing over 80 nationalities. At SINTEF’s thin‑film laboratory in Oslo, functional material coatings are developed for applications including gas separation membranes, sensors, batteries, solar cells, and electrolysis cells.

The customer brief: Purpose-built to grow with our research

Ten years ago, SINTEF Industry approached Polyteknik with a clear and concrete challenge: to develop a PVD system tailored for advanced thin‑film research, one that could accommodate a wide range of materials and provide the freedom to explore new material combinations as ideas evolved.

“We needed a system with a high level of flexibility, where we could explore deposition of a wide range of materials and material combinations. It was essential that the equipment did not limit the research, but rather enabled it.”
— Marit Stange, Senior Research Scientist, SINTEF Industry

The Flextura Platform, Modular by design

The Flextura PVD platform was developed to meet the requirements from SINTEF and introduced a new way of thinking: modular, scalable, and designed to grow with the researcher’s ambitions. Start with a single process module, add chambers and analytical tools as needs evolve.  Automated deposition and analysis reduce time spent on routine operation – leaving more time for data interpretation, insight generation, and discovery of the next promising material.

Enabling SINTEF’s Thin‑Film Deposition Platform

The Flextura delivers high-quality, high-uniformity layers of metals and oxides on wafers, with multiple RF and DC magnetron sources in planar or confocal configurations. The system supports deposition ranging from relatively simple metals and alloys to reactive sputtering of oxides and nitrides. High‑temperature deposition up to 800 °C and residual gas analysis (RGA) provide the necessary level of process control.

In addition, an electron beam evaporation chamber dedicated for deposition of silicon for solar cells and battery applications allows growth of silicon at temperatures between RT and 1000 °C.

A partnership built on mutual ambition

Both SINTEF and Polyteknik share the same belief: the best equipment is created in close dialogue with the people who use it. As Flextura marks its 10th anniversary in 2026, SINTEF stands as proof that a platform designed to grow has given the best options for development.

Research that makes a difference

SINTEF Industry was Polyteknik’s first Flextura customer, and today systems are installed at R&D and industrial facilities across Europe.

10 Years of Flextura · Anniversary Series
Issue 01 · 2026

Visit us at MEMS 2026, Booth 5 for a talk about our innovative solutions in thin film deposition:

• High-quality c-axis oriented #AlN sputtering (Rc FWHM <1.0°)
• Glancing angle deposition by #Ebeam evaporation in a fully automated, CMOS-compatible tool (up to 200 mm wafers)
• Magnetron sputtering epitaxy module with substrate temperatures up to 1000 °C
• Proven metal oxide & nitride sputtering module with superior sheet resistance uniformity – enabling #quantum & #neuromorphic computing
• Advanced magnetic materials sputtering – no target thickness limits, from ultra-thin to bulk layers
• Low stress / damage sputtering – adjustable layer tension, good conformal coatings

Booth 5
January 25-29
Salzburg, Austria

You are always welcome to contact us at sales@polyteknik.dk, or one of our first points of contact, if you want to book a meeting or you have other inquiries.

We are looking forward to seeing you in 2026!

Visit us at Booth B1800 to talk about our latest solutions in thin film deposition:

High-quality c-axis oriented #AlN sputtering (Rc FWHM <1.0°)
Glancing angle deposition by #Ebeam evaporation in a fully automated, CMOS-compatible tool (up to 200 mm wafers)
Magnetron sputtering epitaxy module with substrate temperatures up to 1000 °C
Proven metal oxide & nitride sputtering module with superior sheet resistance uniformity – enabling #quantum & #neuromorphic computing
Advanced magnetic materials sputtering – no target thickness limits, from ultra-thin to bulk layers

📍 Booth B1800

📅 November 18-21

📌 München, Germany

Feel more than welcome to stop by our booth for a coffee and a chat!

Meet Us at SEMICON West – Where the Future of Semiconductors Takes Shape

SEMICON West is the place where the industry comes together to explore the next wave of semiconductor innovation.

Visit our stand and see how our advanced thin film deposition solutions — powered by the FLEXTURA® PVD platform — are helping to enable the technologies of tomorrow.

Whether you’re looking for new collaborations, exploring the latest process capabilities, or simply connecting with industry peers, SEMICON West is the moment

— and we’d love to meet you there.

📍 Booth #533
📅 October 7–9, 2025
📌 Phoenix Convention Center | Phoenix, Arizona

Visit Polyteknik Coating Service at EOT 2025 

We are excited to announce that Polyteknik Coating Service will be exhibiting at the EOT – Electronics of Tomorrow

📍 Where: MCH Messecenter Herning
📅 When: SEPT. 30-OKT.2 2025
📌 Stand: C2554

Curious how advanced vacuum metallisation can take your products to the next level? Visit our stand and explore solutions for electronics, defence, medico & biotech, communication, and sensor technology.

Our coating solutions include:

• EMI Shielding – high-performance protection for sensitive electronics

• Electrical Contact Layers – reliable conductive thin films

• Reflective Coatings – for optical sensors, light control, and NDIR

• Dielectric Coatings – precise insulating and barrier layers

• Absorber Coatings – dedicated wavelength ranges with up to 98% absorption

✅ Excellent adhesion
✅ High precision and uniformity
✅ Scalable coating production (ISO 9001)

Stop by our stand and discover how we tailor standardised or customised solutions to match your challenges.

We look forward to meeting you at EOT 2025 – let’s shape the future together!

You’re Invited to EOT!

At EOT, you can experience:

• Exhibitors Across the Electronics & Tech Industry – Discover the latest innovations and solutions.

• EOTech Talk – Meet experts and decision-makers on stage for sharp perspectives and key conversations.

• EOT Insights – Hands-on learning sessions to upgrade your skills, gain new competencies, and boost professional power.

• EOT Solved by… – Short, practical presentations from exhibitors, packed with real-world solutions that actually work.

• VIP Lounge Access – Enjoy full catering throughout the day. Contact your exhibitor at the expo to learn more.

• …and much more!

Ticket Value: DKK 140 ex. VAT – Provides access to both EOT and HI for all three days.

Use Code: C2554-EOT25 when purchasing your ticket to redeem your invitation.

Secure Your Invitation Now