Donald M. Mattox Tutorial: 60 Years of the SVC - Milestones, Innovations and Perspectives of an Enabling Technology

The Society of Vacuums Coaters (SVC) has chronicled and participated in the enormous growth of the vacuum coating industry over these past 60 years. From the early days of hard coatings on razor blades, to the industrialization of jumbo glass coating; from early CrN hardcoats to DLC-coatings and recent super-hard alloys; from the initial forays into the supply of ITO on glass and plastic to the now ubiquitous display market; from optical coatings for military and aerospace to consumer and medical devices; photovoltaics and energy harvesting in the lab to the massive worldwide installed industrial photovoltaic production, the SVC and its annual TechCon have provided the premier forum for business and networking, education and scientific interactions . SVC has witnessed and mirrored the cyclic ups and downs of these markets covering PVD, CVD, and ALD Technologies. Vacuum coating remains an enabling technology and SVC individuals and organizations have played key roles in this growth of its applications.

This presentation will provide a brief survey and capture some of the highlights and milestones on this SVC journey over the last 60 years.

SVC remains a vital organization with a global presence based on the commitments and contributions of dedicated volunteers.