Ytterbium Oxide (Yb₂O₃) – Supplier & Manufacturer in USA

Ytterbium Oxide, Yb (Yb₂O₃)

Ytterbium oxide (Yb2O3) is a rare-earth sesquioxide supplied by Infinita Materials as a high-purity sputtering target for thin-film deposition. It belongs to the cubic bixbyite family of rare-earth oxides, combining a wide electronic bandgap, a high dielectric constant, and strong chemical and thermal stability. These properties make it a material of choice wherever a dense, insulating, infrared-transparent oxide film is required, from high-k gate dielectrics to optical and protective coatings.

Purity (%) :	>99.9
Dimensions :	Dia. 1”, Thick. 0.125” Dia. 2”, Thick. 0.25”

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Introduction to Ytterbium Oxide

Ytterbium Oxide (Yb₂O₃) crystallises in the cubic bixbyite structure (space group Ia-3), similar to Y₂O₃ and Lu₂O₃. It is a wide-bandgap, chemically stable, refractory oxide with a dielectric constant of approximately 12–14 and excellent visible-to-infrared transparency. With a melting point around 2355°C, Yb₂O₃ offers strong thermal and chemical stability. These properties make it valuable for thin-film applications, particularly as a high-k dielectric, buffer layer, optical coating, and protective film. RF sputtering is widely used to produce dense, uniform, stoichiometric Yb₂O₃ films with precise thickness control, good adhesion, and consistent performance across large substrate areas.

FAQs

Question: What purity grades of Yb2O3 sputtering target does Infinita Materials offer?

Answer: Infinita Materials offers 99.9% (3N), 99.99% (4N), and 99.999% (5N) grades, with custom purity available on request.

Question: Should Yb2O3 be sputtered with RF or DC power?

Answer: Yb₂O₃ is electrically insulating, so RF magnetron sputtering is typically preferred. Reactive/pulsed-DC routes are also possible with suitable conductive targets.

Question: What sizes are available beyond the standard 1in and 2in catalogue discs?

Answer: Standard sizes include 1–6 inch diameters and 0.125–0.25 inch thicknesses, with custom plates, step targets, and production-scale geometries available.

Question: What is the typical lead time for a Yb2O3 target order?

Answer: Lead time depends on purity, size, geometry, bonding, and certification requirements. Stock 3N targets are generally fastest.

Question: Why is Yb2O3 used as a high-k gate dielectric instead of standard SiO2?

Answer: Yb₂O₃ has a dielectric constant of approximately 12–14, much higher than SiO₂ (~3.9), while its wide bandgap helps maintain low leakage current.

Introduction to Ytterbium Oxide

Property	Value	Significance
Crystal structure	Cubic bixbyite (C-type rare-earth sesquioxide), space group Ia-3 (No. 206)	Determines film crystallinity, grain structure, and epitaxial matching behaviour on common substrates
Lattice parameter	~10.44 Angstrom	Governs lattice matching to Si, sapphire, and other oxide buffer/substrate layers
Bandgap	~5.3 – 5.8 eV	Wide-bandgap insulator behaviour supports use as a gate dielectric and UV-transparent coating
Dielectric constant (k)	~12 – 14	High-k relative to SiO2, enabling thinner equivalent-oxide-thickness gate stacks
Refractive index	~1.9 – 2.0 (visible/NIR)	Suited to infrared-transparent optical coatings and multilayer optical stacks
Melting point	~2355 C	High thermal stability supports elevated-temperature deposition and post-anneal processing.
Electrical conductivity (bulk target)	Electrically insulating	Requires RF (or pulsed-DC/reactive) magnetron sputtering rather than conventional DC sputtering
Sputtering behavior	Dense, fine-grained ceramic target; moderate sputter yield typical of rare-earth oxides	Supports stable, particulate-free deposition rates and uniform stoichiometric film transfer

Property

Value

Significance

Crystal structure

Cubic bixbyite (C-type rare-earth sesquioxide), space group Ia-3 (No. 206)

Determines film crystallinity, grain structure, and epitaxial matching behaviour on common substrates

Lattice parameter

~10.44 Angstrom

Governs lattice matching to Si, sapphire, and other oxide buffer/substrate layers

Bandgap

~5.3 – 5.8 eV

Wide-bandgap insulator behaviour supports use as a gate dielectric and UV-transparent coating

Dielectric constant (k)

~12 – 14

High-k relative to SiO2, enabling thinner equivalent-oxide-thickness gate stacks

Refractive index

~1.9 – 2.0 (visible/NIR)

Suited to infrared-transparent optical coatings and multilayer optical stacks

Melting point

~2355 C

High thermal stability supports elevated-temperature deposition and post-anneal processing.

Electrical conductivity (bulk target)

Electrically insulating

Requires RF (or pulsed-DC/reactive) magnetron sputtering rather than conventional DC sputtering

Sputtering behavior

Dense, fine-grained ceramic target; moderate sputter yield typical of rare-earth oxides

Supports stable, particulate-free deposition rates and uniform stoichiometric film transfer

Grade / Form	Typical Purity	Key Features / Uses
Standard catalogue disc (IN-Yb-01)	99.9% (3N)	1in diameter x 0.125in thick; stock size for R&D and small-chamber tool qualification
Standard catalogue disc (IN-Yb-02)	99.9% (3N)	2 in diameter x 0.25 in thick; common size for pilot-line and multi-target deposition systems
High-purity grade	99.99% – 99.999% (4N – 5N)	Reduced trace-metal and alkali content for gate-dielectric, optical-coating, and semiconductor-grade applications
Large-format / custom planar	99.9% – 99.99%	Rectangular, step, or oversized discs up to large-format dimensions for production coaters; custom hole patterns, beveling, and grooving available
Bonded / rotary assemblies	99.9% – 99.99%	Yb2O3 tiles indium- or elastomer-bonded to copper backing plates, or configured as rotary/cylindrical targets for high-throughput in-line sputtering systems

Grade / Form

Typical Purity

Key Features / Uses

Standard catalogue disc (IN-Yb-01)

99.9% (3N)

1in diameter x 0.125in thick; stock size for R&D and small-chamber tool qualification

Standard catalogue disc (IN-Yb-02)

99.9% (3N)

2 in diameter x 0.25 in thick; common size for pilot-line and multi-target deposition systems

High-purity grade

99.99% – 99.999% (4N – 5N)

Reduced trace-metal and alkali content for gate-dielectric, optical-coating, and semiconductor-grade applications

Large-format / custom planar

99.9% – 99.99%

Rectangular, step, or oversized discs up to large-format dimensions for production coaters; custom hole patterns, beveling, and grooving available

Bonded / rotary assemblies

99.9% – 99.99%

Yb2O3 tiles indium- or elastomer-bonded to copper backing plates, or configured as rotary/cylindrical targets for high-throughput in-line sputtering systems

Industry	Application	Function
Semiconductor/microelectronics	High-k gate dielectric films on silicon	Replaces SiO2 in advanced MOS gate stacks to reduce leakage current at reduced equivalent oxide thickness
Optics and photonics	Infrared-transparent optical coatings and anti-reflection layers	Provides a stable, high-index oxide layer for laser optics, IR windows, and multilayer coating stacks
Superconducting and functional oxide electronics	Epitaxial buffer layers beneath YBCO and related complex-oxide films	Lattice-matched bixbyite template promotes oriented growth of superconducting and ferroelectric thin films
Solid-state lasers and fibre optics	Yb-doped gain media and precursor films for waveguide lasers	Delivers a controlled ytterbium source for active laser and amplifier layers
Sensors and phosphors	Up-conversion and rare-earth-doped luminescent thin films	Serves as host or co-dopant oxide contributing to near-infrared to visible up-conversion emission
Protective and thermal coatings	Chemically and thermally stable barrier films	High melting point and chemical inertness protect underlying components in demanding thermal or corrosive environments.

Industry

Application

Function

Semiconductor/microelectronics

High-k gate dielectric films on silicon

Replaces SiO2 in advanced MOS gate stacks to reduce leakage current at reduced equivalent oxide thickness

Optics and photonics

Infrared-transparent optical coatings and anti-reflection layers

Provides a stable, high-index oxide layer for laser optics, IR windows, and multilayer coating stacks

Superconducting and functional oxide electronics

Epitaxial buffer layers beneath YBCO and related complex-oxide films

Lattice-matched bixbyite template promotes oriented growth of superconducting and ferroelectric thin films