Contact:
Jonathan Cremer
tel: +44 (0)1904 322381
email: jrc1@ohm.york.ac.uk
Further facilities are available at the York JEOL Nanocentre.
The Clean Room
The Department of Electronics has a clean room, validated at better than Class 10,000 (Class J BS5295), with facilities for preparation, fabrication and measurement. It was completed in 1989, and is used to support research into novel electron devices and circuits.
The clean room offers:
- Dust-free assembly
- Solid-state electronics fabrication
- Analytical instruments for measuring surface impurities and imperfections
The facilities are also available to industry, and trial samples may be prepared for evaluation at no charge. We also offer free initial consultations and estimates.
Preparation
Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD)
Layers are deposited from the vapour phase using a plasma to excite the reaction. The equipment is used to grow amorphous silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and tungsten. A new PECVD chamber allows the substrate to be heated to a high temperature. Layered materials (e.g. silicon oxide) or carbon nanotubes can be fabricated. Plate diameter = 23cm.
Thermal Oxidation Furnace
A furnace is available for the wet oxidation of silicon wafers up to 4 inches diameter.
Evaporator
A variety of metals can be deposited onto a substrate from a molten source in a vacuum. Bell jar diameter = 29cm.
Plasma Reactive Ion Etcher (RIE)
A plasma reactive ion etcher is used to excite gases in order to etch certain materials such as silicon, gallium arsenide, aluminium and films of organic materials in particular photoresists, to create nanopatterned materials. Max. size = 17cm.
Fabrication
Mark Alignment Photolithography
The clean room suite has an ultra-clean room with much lower airborne particle concentrations. The room is equipped with lamina flow benches and filtered amber lighting for photolithography. Equipment includes a mask aligner (up to 3 inch wafers), a photoresist spinner, a wet chemical workstation and a high power microscope with frame grabber.
Wire Bonder
The K & S wedge bonder will bond gold and aluminium wire for device connection to package pins.
Silicon Micro-Machining
Wet chemical etching as well as reactive ion etching can be used to produce small "micro-machined" objects based on silicon single crystal wafers.
Bench Space
We can offer bench space for the assembly of components in a clean environment. Area = 2.78m x 0.6m.
Measurement
Step Profiler
This instrument is used to check layer thickness
- Range = 1000Å - 1000KÅ
- Resolution = 50Å
- Accuracy = 1% of range
Micro Manipulator Probe Station
Fine probe needles are employed to measure resistance and diode characteristics.
Scanning Electron Microscopes
Two electron microscopes are available for the examination of structures or coating quality. Resolution 3-5 nm.
Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX)
In conjunction with SEM, x-ray analysis can be used. This is utilised in the chemical analysis of solids. Small dimensions (< 1mm) can be analysed for element contents of Z > 6.
The Clean Room is available for use by staff and students in the department, and by local business. Free samples can be prepared, for further details please contact Malcolm Law (tel: +44 (0)1904 322384 email: mel@ohm.york.ac.uk)