Getters are materials able to fix residual gas molecules on their surface in the form of stable chemical compounds and thereby maintain the desired vacuum. Over the years manufacturers have constantly improved the quality and life time of vacuum systems, because outgassing from surfaces destroy the vacuum over time. In order to assure long-term vacuum evaporable barium getters are routinely used.
In this work we present the developed experimental technique as well as results of optical control of adsorption processes during thin film deposition. Different metallic films (silver, copper) as model materials and barium getter films were studied. Thermal evaporation method has been used to deposit thin metallic films and films of barium getter on glass substrates. Kinetic of absorbance of the growing film was registered in situ measuring transmission of the film-substrate structure. These measurements were done in parallel to the ex-situ absorption (UV-VIS) and reflection spectra as well as XRD analysis. Such complex measurements enabled to follow adsorption process from the residual gases during thermal evaporation as well to control adsorption process after the evaporation.