Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Sputter coater

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The Hummer Sputter coater

The Hummer sputter coater located in service area Cx1

The Hummer sputter coater is used to sputter a thin gold layer on different small samples (up to 100 mm wafers).

One of the most effective ways to counter the problems with charging on non-conducting samples during SEM investigations is to apply a conducting coating to the surface. The Hummer sputter coater is an instrument that allows you to coat small samples with a gold layer. When securely grounded, i.e. connected electrically with a sample holder using aluminium tape or clamps the gold layer will effectively eliminate all charging problems in the SEM.

The Hummer sputter coater is located in servie area Cx1 in the clearoom.

The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Hummer sputter coater

Process knowledge

• Deposition of gold

Overview of the performance of the Hummer sputter coater and some process related parameters

Purpose		Gold sputter coating of different samples mainly before SEM characterization (see purpose)
Performance	Film thickness	10 Å - ?
	Deposition rate	Not measured
Process parameter range	Process Temperature	Room temperature
	Process pressure	150 mTorr
Substrates	Batch size	One 100 mm wafer Several smaller samples
	Allowed materials	All materials allowed in the cleanroom

The Balzer Sputter coater

The Hummer sputter located coater in the 346 basement

The Balzer sputter coater is used to sputter a thin gold layer on different small samples (smaller than 100 mm wafers).

One of the most effective ways to counter the problems with charging on non-conducting samples during SEM investigations is to apply a conducting coating to the surface. The Hummer sputter coater is an instrument that allows you to coat small samples with a gold layer. When securely grounded, i.e. connected electrically with a sample holder using aluminium tape or clamps the gold layer will effectively eliminate all charging problems in the SEM.

The Balzer sputter coater is located in the 346 basement, room 907 (next to the SEM Jeol) .

The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Balzer sputter coater

Process knowledge

• Deposition of gold

Overview of the performance of the Hummer sputter coater and some process related parameters

Purpose		Gold sputter coating of different samples mainly before SEM characterization (see purpose)
Performance	Film thickness	10 Å - > 25 nm
	Deposition rate	Not measured
Process parameter range	Process Temperature	Room temperature
	Process pressure	5*10 -2 mbar
Substrates	Batch size	One sample smaller than a 100 mm wafer Several smaller samples
	Allowed materials	All materials allowed in the cleanroom Samples from outside the cleanroom, including biological samples

The Sputter coater 03 (Cressington sputter coater)

Sputter coater 03 (Cressington) located in the 346 basement, room 907

The Sputter coater is used to sputter a thin gold layer on different small samples (smaller than 100 mm wafers). It is not allowed to use the sputter coater for other purposes.

One of the most effective ways to counter problems with charging on non-conducting samples during SEM investigations is to apply a conducting coating to the surface. The sputter coater allows you to coat small samples with a thin gold layer. When securely grounded, i.e. connected electrically with a sample holder using aluminium tape or clamps, the gold layer will effectively eliminate all charging problems in the SEM.

The sputter coater consists of a sputter chamber with a gold target and a stage. The stage consist of four smaller stages. These small stages can rotate individually in a planetary motion, when the entire stage rotates at the same time. The rotation speed is controlled by use of a black knob in front of the sputter chamber.Small samples can be mounted on a SEM pinstub holder (only use the smallest pinstubs) with carbon pad and then placed on one of the small stages. The maximum sample size is a 4 inch wafer. If your sample is larger than one of the four small stages, or if the sample is not fastened on a pinstub, the stage rotation should not be activated.

The machine is controlled by a control panel. The sputter process will be done automatically, but the sputter time can be adjusted.

Please note that the sputter rate and uniformity have not been measured yet.

Argon is used as a sputter gas to generate a plasma in the sputter chamber and to vent the chamber.

The Balzer sputter coater is located in the 346 basement, room 907 (next to the SEM Supra 1) .

The user manual and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Sputter coater 03

Process knowledge

• Deposition of gold

Overview of the performance of the Sputter coater 03 (Cressington) and some process related parameters

Purpose		Gold sputter coating of different samples before SEM characterization
Performance	Film thickness	Not measured. The maximum allowed sputter time is 30 s
	Deposition rate	Not measured
Process parameter range	Pressure	0.01 mbar (default value)
	Current	40 mA (default value)
	Substrates	Batch size	One sample smaller than a 100 mm wafer Several smaller samples
Allowed materials		All samples that are allowed in the SEM Supra 1