Nanofabrication Facility

Managed by:
Electronic Materials Group (contact: Chuck Black) and Facility (contact: Aaron Stein)

The Nanofabrication Facility provides 5,000 square feet of Class 1000 cleanroom space dedicated to state-of-the-art processing of thin-film materials and devices. Core laboratory capabilities include high-resolution patterning by electron-beam lithography, nanoimprint, and photolithography. Our Facility supports thin-film material deposition by electron-beam evaporation, DC magnetron sputtering, and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We also provide reactive ion etch processes and MEMS-type deep silicon etch capabilities. The laboratory contains a dual-beam focused-ion beam system capable of high-resolution imaging and including an Oxford EDX detector, ion-mill, and electron- and ion-induced metal deposition.

Our facility capabilities extend beyond nanofabrication to high-precision electrical characterization. This second laboratory provides multiple systems for extensive device testing at variable temperatures, in magnetic fields, and under optical illumination.

CFN Users have full access to our state-of-the-art toolset for carrying out their proposed research projects. The Nanofabrication Facility staff has extensive experience in thin-film device fabrication and electrical characterization, and is readily available for training and to collaborate on new process development.

Equipment Status and Related Documentation
 

Capabilities
 

Lithography

The Nanofabrication Facility features lithography by electron-beam, ultraviolet light, and nanoimprint methods providing the capability to pattern from 10’s of nanometers up to 100’s of microns over large sample areas.

• Electron Beam Lithography
  
  Contact: Aaron Stein
  
  JEOL JBX-6300FS, NPGS system Electron beam lithography at 100, 50, 25 keV (JEOL) and 30 keV (Helios w/ NPGS) is available with patterning of feature sizes as small as 8 nm. The JEOL 6300FS provides capability for high-speed, large area exposures (1mm+) and sub-20 nm overlay and stitching accuracy.
   
• Optical Lithography
  
  Contact: Don Elliott
  
  Karl Suss MJB-3 UV Mask Aligner: UV exposure of resist at 365-400nm wavelengths. Substrate sizes range from small chips to 3-inch diameter wafers. Pattern resolution as small as 1um using four-inch square masks. This tool will be replaced with a Karl Suss MA6 mask aligner by October, 2010.
   
• Nanoimprint Lithography
  
  Contact: Aaron Stein
  
  Molecular Imprints Imprio 55 Uses step-and-flash imprint technology to replicate patterned quartz masters with UV curing. Step-and-repeat functionality allows for large area (~mm^2) patterning of 20 nm features. Sub-micron alignment available.
   
• Dual Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) / Focused Ion Beam (FIB) system
  
  Contacts: Fernando Camino,  Aaron Stein
  
  A Helios Nanolab (FEI Company) dual-beam system capable of simultaneous focused ion beam milling and SEM imaging. NPGS nanolithography system can be used to pattern with either electrons or ions. Further capabilities are: gas injector for electron or ion beam assisted deposition of platinum and TEOS (dielectric), x-ray detector for EDS analysis, nano-manipulator probe, high resolution SEM (1 nm), FIB (5 nm), and STEM (0.8 nm) imaging, and in-situ sample electrical characterization.

Thin-Film Deposition and Etch

Reactive Ion Etch

Contact: Ming Lu

An Oxford Instruments Plasmalab 100 uses an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source for the high-speed, anisotropic plasma etching of silicon, polymers and dielectric materials. The system has demonstrated capability to etch vertical walls in silicon to a depth of 300 um at etch rates of 3 um / min with an aspect ratio (width of feature to etch depth) of 50:1.  A new system of the same model will be installed by October 2010, which is designed especially for etching metal and compound semiconductor materials. Both ICP etchers have endpoint detection capability.

A Trion Phantom III Reactive Ion Etcher is a general purpose fluorine based plasma etch tool for etching thin films generally 1 um or less in thickness that have been deposited on silicon or other wafers up to 6” in diameter. Many processes for etching thin layers of photoresist, metal, semiconductors, or insulators are available.
 

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

Contact: Don Elliott

The Trion Orion III PECVD system is an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) deposition tool used for the deposition of thin films on silicon wafers and other substrates up to 6” in diameter. Current processes in use include the deposition of SiO2, Si3N4, and SiOxNy films.
 

Physical Vapor Deposition

Contact: Don Elliott

Two individual Kurt J. Lesker PVD 75 vacuum deposition systems are available for thin film sputter and electron beam deposition of a wide variety of materials. The sputter deposition system contains has 3 targets for magnetron sputtering, shutter, rotational holder, and substrate heater. The e-beam system uses a 4- pocket electron beam deposition source with automatic crucible indexing. A small Denton evaporator is available for rapid-turn around deposition of metals.
 

Electrical Characterization

Contact: Fernando Camino

The electrical characterization lab hosts these major instruments:

• LakeShore Model 8404 Hall Effect Measurement System allows measurement of mobilities down to 0.001 cm²/Vs and resistances from 0.5 mW to 100 GW. Samples can be measured at room temperature and at 77 K.
• LakeShore HFTTP4 cryogenic probe station is designed for low-noise, DC to 50 MHz, measurements from 4 K up to 400 K under in-plane magnetic fields up to 1 Tesla. Optical sources can be introduced through a viewport window or a fiber optic probe arm.
• Signatone CM-170 probe station is perfect for routine electrical characterization at room temperature. It is reliable and simple to use.
• Rucker and Kolls probe station is suited for studying optoelectronic properties at room temperature. It is fitted with a with a Newport-Oriel solar spectrum simulator and optical monochromator.
• MMR's Variable Temperature Micro Probe System allows opto-electrical characterization of samples in the temperature range from 70K to 730K under controlled atmosphere (inert, vacuum etc.) and light condition.
• MBE-Komponenten AO500 high-temperature probe station for rapid thermal annealing (up to 500 °C) in vacuum (2 mbar) or in a gas mixture atmosphere (Ar, H₂ and N₂ regulated by mass flow controllers). The system also allows optical access to the sample and in-situ electrical characterization.
• Kulicke & Soffa Model 4526 wire wedge bonder.

Last Modified: February 29, 2012
Please forward all questions about this site to: Pam Ciufo.

One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit, applied science and technology organization.

Privacy and Security Notice  | Contact Web Services for help