The lab is dedicated to thin-film processing and is equipped to deposit high-quality thin films with thicknesses ranging from 1 nm to 10 µm on 6'' substrates and on tubes up to 10 cm in length. Metals (Al, Ni, Ti, Pd, etc.), semi-metals (Si, Ge, etc.), metal oxides (TiO₂, SiO₂, YSZ), and nitrides (TiN) are typical material classes processed in the lab. Available deposition techniques include sputtering, electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD), electroplating, and spin coating.
In 2017, we commissioned a unique high-vacuum cluster system (Polyteknik Flextura 800) with two sputtering chambers and one EBPVD chamber. This system enables multilayer deposition without breaking vacuum, co-deposition from up to three targets simultaneously, reactive deposition with N₂ and O₂ in the chamber, and deposition on substrates at high temperatures (up to 1000 °C). Samples are loaded through a load-lock chamber and can be transferred between chambers for deposition of different materials. Two of the chambers are equipped with in situ thickness monitors, and substrates can be plasma-etched prior to deposition. The EBPVD chamber is dedicated to silicon deposition (up to 150 µm thick layers). Silicon growth can be studied in situ using RHEED (Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction).
Equipment
- ISO Class 7 cleanroom laboratory
- Multichamber PVD-based cluster system
- E-beam (EBPVD) with film thickness up to 150 µm, substrate temperature up to 1000 °C (dedicated to silicon)
- DC, pulsed DC, and RF sputtering on up to 6" Si wafers, substrate temperature up to 800 °C (a wide range of materials can be deposited, including reactive deposition with N₂ and O₂)
- Hydrofluoric acid (HF) fume hood
- Electroplating
- Spray coater and spin coater
- Hot plates up to 400 °C
- Rapid thermal processing (RTP) up to 1200 °C
- Characterization facilities: Electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), white light interferometry (WLI), XRD, XPS, SIMS
Technical Specifications
The laboratories have separate areas for gowning (cleanroom classes 6 and 7) and thin-film processing.