Magnetron Sputtering

Thin layers can be deposited in the Kurt Lesker PVD 75 magnetron sputtering unit. The PVD 75 is equipped with DC and RF sputtering options to deposit conductive and non-conductive material, respectively.

• ~ 10 nm to several um
• 2 x 3” targets
• Au, Cr, Ti, aluminum oxide
• Typical vacuum pressure = 5E-6 Torr, sputtering pressure = 5 mTorr (argon)
• Power sources: 300 W RF (13.56 MHz), 1.5 kW DC
• Heating to 300 °C

Electroplating

SyLMAND has two electroplating baths, a gold sulfite bath and a nickel sulfamate bath. Both require conductive substrates or seed layers (e.g. several hundred nm of TiO_1.9)

Ni electroplating From a 34 L bath at 45 °C, pH 3.75, plated at DC. Typical substrates are TiO_1.9-coated 100 mm Si wafers. Other substrates available on request.

Au electroplating From a 1 US gallon bath at 50 °C, pH 9.5, plated with a 25% duty cycle at 600 Hz. Au electroplating works well on almost any metal, but in SyLMAND Au is typically plated onto a Ni-coated 100 mm Si wafer as part of X-ray mask prep.

Metrology

SyLMAND offers scanning electron microscopy (Zeiss EVO SEM) with a secondary electron detector. A backscattered electron detector and variable pressure VPSE detector are both available. A Zygo Nexview optical profiler offers non-contact, ambient condition surface profiling. Several optical microscopes are available with image capture software.

Support Processes

SyLMAND offers a variety of equipment to support processes related to lithography. These include a spin coater, several hot plates, vacuum ovens, pneumatic presses, a laminator, and fume hoods for wet chemical etching. A Torr International Reactive Ion Etcher is currently under repair and plans to replace it are in the works.