Capabilities

The Ohio State Nanotech West Lab currently possesses the following capabilities. For semiconductor-related processing, we are capable of handling 100mm (4") wafers down to small parts in all but a very few processes.

Our electron beam lithography capabilities support a wide range of research including wide bandgap high speed and power electronics, photonics, quantum computing, metamaterials, focal plane arrays, and other nanostructures. We have expertise patterning challenging materials such as piezoelectric, insulating, and transparent samples. In addition to resist processes, we offer solutions for anti-charging layers.

NTW supports and stocks the following resist processes:

Positive resists

  • PMMA 950k (2% and 4%) and PMMA/MAA copolymer
  • CSAR

Negative resists

  • HSQ for high resolution, 2% and 4% solids
  • maN2403 easily removable negative resist

Many other user purchased resists are allowed, inquire with EBL staff

Coming Soon! (August 2023) – Raith EBPG 5150 plus (EBL02)
In 2023, NTW is installing a new Raith EBPG 5150 plus field-emission electron beam lithography tool. Highlights include:

  • 100kV and 50kV
  • Resolution better than 8nm
  • Better than 8nm stitching accuracy
  • Better than 5nm overlay accuracy
  • 125MHz Clock Frequency
  • 50pA to 350nA beam currents
  • 2nm to 200nm beam diameters
  • Genisys Beamer/Tracer software for advanced data preparation and proximity effect correction

Until July 2023
Raith/Leica/Vistec EBPG 5000 (EBL01)

  • 100kV and 50kV (and 20kV upon request)
  • Better than 30nm
  • Stitching specified better than 60nm, 25nm is typical
  • Overlay accuracy specified at 60nm
  • 50pA to 200nA beam currents
  • ~3nm to 150nm beam diameters

Our optical lithography capability includes a GCA 6100C I-line stepper, 2 EVG 620 Contact Aligners, and a Karl Suss MJB-3 Contact Aligner.  Processes available include:

  • I-line (365 nm) stepper photolithography (STP01) to linewidths of ~0.70 microns
  • Contact photolithography to ~2 microns (ALN01, ALN02, ALN03)
  • Standard Shipley 1813, 220, 955  positive tone resist processes
  • Both positive tone and image reversal processes for AZ5214
  • Shipley LOR2A and LOR5A bilayer processes for robust liftoff processes
  • Standard SU-8 negative resist processes

Other lithography capabilities at Nanotech West include micro- and nanoimprint lithography using our EV Group 520HE (BND01) tool or an EV Group 620 (ALN02) contact aligner. 

Nanotech West has an extensive set of material growth and deposition processes and tools available. They include:

  • Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of III-V materials, in the form of an Aixtron 3×2″ close-coupled showerhead tool (CVD01) capable of growing (In, Al, Ga) (As, P, Sb) compound semiconductors on substrates up to 100mm
  • Electron gun evaporation of a wide variety of standard metals and some dielectrics (EVP01, EVP03)
  • RF and DC sputter deposition of a wide variety of metals and some dielectrics using a five-gun AJA Orion RF/DC load-locked sputter tool (PVD03)
  • Atomic layer deposition of dielectrics including HfO2, Al2O3, Ta2O5, ZnO, and TiO2 (other films possible with appropriate precursors) using a Picosun R-150B ALE ALD tool (ALD01)
  • Two LPCVD silicon nitride processes, stoichiometric and low-stress (TUB02)
  • PE-CVD silicon nitride and silicon oxide using a Plasma Therm 790 tool (CVD02)

Nanotech West has extensive capabilities in dry and wet etching. They include:

  • Inductively coupled reactive ion etching (ICP-RIE) using a Plasma Therm SLR770 tool (ETC04)
  • Plasma etching with a Lam 490 Autoetch (ETC02)
  • Reactive ion etching with a Technics Micro-RIE tool (ETC01)
  • Low-damage oxygen plasma ashing using a Diener Pico asher (ASH01)
  • Wet etching supported by three cleanroom wet benches (HOD07, HOD08, HOD09)
  • Spin rinse dryers for 100mm wafer processing

Thermal processing capabilities at Nanotech West include:

  • Rapid thermal annealing ( RTA02)
  • Dry and wet silicon oxidations in a shared furnace tube (TUB04)
  • Two boron solid-source diffusion processes for silicon (TUB03)
  • Two (n- and p-) spin-on dopant processes
  • Furnace tube annealing up to 1200° C (TUB06)
  • Nitrogen-purged BlueM ovens (OVN01, OVN02)
  • HMDS priming oven, YESIII HMDS Vapor Prime (OVN03)
  • Low temperature (< 650° C) baking and annealing in
    nitrogen and forming gas (TUB01)
  • Various other ovens and hotplates that support lithography and other processes

The metrology and materials analysis capabilities at Nanotech West include:

  • Carl Zeiss Ultra 55 Plus field-emission scanning electron microscope capable of high resolution on conductive and insulating substrates (SEM02)
  • Hitachi S-3000 scanning electron microscope (SEM01)
  • Extensive optical microscopy and photomicroscopy capabilities
  • Electrical probe stations including two light sources for solar simulation
  • Woollam alphaSE spectroscopic ellipsometer (ELP03)
  • Thin film reflectometry (NMX01)
  • Veeco Dektak3 surface profilometry (PRF01)
  • Jandel Four-point probe (PRB04)
  • Sinton WCT-120 photoconductance lifetime tester (PRB03)
  • Bruker Icon 3 Atomic force microscopy (AFM04)
  • Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDAX on SEM01 EDS01, Oxford EDS SDD on SEM02 EDS02)
  • Registration measurements of up to 120mm in both X and Y using electron beam (EBL01) and optical methods

Other significant process capabilities at Nanotech West include:

  • Wafer bonding using our EV520HE wafer bonder/hot embossing tool
  • Wedge wire bonding using a Kulicke and Soffe 4123 wire bonder – 1.0 mil Au and 1.0 mil Al wire and the corresponding wedges are available
  • Manual wafer and sample grinding processes
  • An MBraun nitrogen-purged glovebox for handling and processing air-sensitive materials