Aja sputtering tools

The system is specifically designed for deposition of transition metal oxides for transparent flexible electronics applications. Users can use a variety of baseline sputter targets and may supply their own special target material after consultation with the G2N technical lab manager. We've recently revamped our website, and will be continuing to make changes.

Let us know how we can improve your experience. The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. While we recommend the EBeam-AJA for most liftoff processes, it's possible to sputter material over photoresist in this system in contrast with other sputter tools which don't allow photoresists.

Pyrex Substrates Pyrex substrates can be a concern due to high sodium content, which contaminates CMOS frontend tools. Germanium on surface Samples with germanium on the surface typically grown films. Germanium buried Samples with germanium buried below a different film.

Pieces Wafer pieces may not be handled by the equipment, and are harder to thoroughly clean - preventing them from running in certain tools. These are gold-contaminated or have been processed in gold contaminated tools. Been in the Concept1 The Concep1 deposits dielectrics on GREEN wafers, however it also accepts metal and there can be cross-contamination for diffusion area. In DC-sputtering a negative target potential up to several hundred volts is applied to accelerate the positively charged ions to the target.

The impacting ions also create energetic secondary electrons that cause further ionization of the gas. To increase the gas ionization rate even further, a ring of magnets is placed below the target to trap and circulate the secondary electrons over the target. This is process is referred to as magnetron sputtering.

All four sputter guns in MS03 use magnetron sputtering to increase the gas ionization rate and, hence, the deposition rate. DC-sputtering is limited to conducting materials like metals and doped semiconductors. The reason is that bombardment with positive ions would quickly charge up the surface of an insulating target material and cause the ion current to die off.

Instead, for insulating materials, a radio frequency AC-voltage is applied to the target to prevent the charge buildup associated with DC-magnetron sputtering. This technique is called RF-magnetron sputtering. In addition to Argon, Nitrogen and Oxygen are available in MS03 for use in reactive ion sputtering applications. In reactive sputtering a reactive gas chemically combines with the target material to form a different material.

To further enhance reaction rates or change the morphology of the deposited films, the substrate holder can be heated up to C. MS03 also has the capability to apply RF-power to the substrate holder to sputter clean samples before deposition.

The substrate holder can also be rotated during deposition to improve film uniformity. Substrate rotation is recommended for room temperature depositions, and is mandatory for heated depositions. All users must be trained and qualified by cleanroom staff before operating the MS03 sputter system.

Surfaces within the load-lock may be hot due to substrate heating. Do not touch surfaces without cooling the substrate holder to room temperature after a heated run. Wear clean gloves when handling components in the load-lock chamber to prevent contamination of the substrate holder.

Intense light will be emitted from the plasma. Always close the viewport shutter when making a run to protect your eyes and prevent deposition on the viewport window. Use the four washers and machine screws to hold the sample in place.

If the machine screws become difficult to turn, please notify staff, who will replace the screws. Figure 1. See Figure 1 for the location of the switch. Open Load-Lock Chamber: Once the load-lock chamber reaches atmospheric pressure, lift the aluminum load-lock cover, and place it face down on the four rubber pads on the table top.

Load Sample: Position the substrate holder on the transfer arm. It is critical that the sample holder is oriented correctly on the transfer plate to facilitate easy insertion of the three blades of the propeller shaft into the recesses of the sample holder.

Figure 2 shows correct orientation of the sample holder on the transfer arm. Note that the four machine screws with the washers that hold the sample are not in contact with the transfer arm. Figure 2. Replace Cover: Place the aluminum load-lock cover uniformly on the load-lock transfer port. Please refer to Figure 1 for the location of this switch.

The pump-down process should take about minutes. Once the load- lock chamber pressure is below 1. Open Gate Valve: Once the load-lock chamber pressure drops below 1. Open the gate transfer valve by turning the transfer valve crank counter-clockwise until it stops. Position Transfer Arm: Look through the viewport, and use the joystick to raise the substrate holder height to allow enough clearance for insertion of the transfer arm.

With your right arm gently push the transfer arm to the left until it hits its mechanical stop. Engage Substrate Holder: Look through the viewport, and move the joystick left or right to rotate the propeller blades to align with the recessed blade mount on the sample holder. Figure 2 shows the orientation of the recessed blade mount. Next, move the joystick down to gently lower the propeller blades into the recess on top of the substrate holder.

Lower the blades into the substrate holder until a slight bend in the transfer arm is detected.