Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Nickel

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Nickel deposition

Nickel can be deposited by e-beam evaporation or sputtering at DTU Nanolab. For electroplating you will have to contact other institutes at DTU, e.g., DTU Mechanical Engineering.

Some process information is available here for e-beam evaporated films:

• Stress in e-beam evaporated Ni films: study here (from the now decommissioned Wordentec deposition tool - basic trends in results should be transferable to other e-beam evaporators).

In the chart below you can compare the different deposition equipment:

	E-beam evaporation (E-beam evaporator (Temescal) and E-beam evaporator (10-pockets))	Sputter deposition (Lesker)	Sputter deposition (Sputter-system Metal-Oxide (PC1) and Sputter-system Metal-Nitride (PC3))
General description	E-beam deposition of Nickel	Sputter deposition of Nickel	Sputter deposition of Nickel
Pre-clean	Ar ion etch (only in E-beam evaporator Temescal)		RF Ar clean
Layer thickness	10 Å to 1 µm *	10 Å to 500 nm **	10 Å to 500 nm **
Deposition rate	1-10 Å/s	Depends on process parameters, about 1 Å/s	Depends on process parameters, at least ~ 4 Å/s, see conditions here
Batch size	Up to 4x6" wafers Up to 3x8" wafers (ask for holder) Many smaller pieces	Pieces or 1x4" wafer or 1x6" wafer	Up to 10x4" or 6" wafers Many smaller pieces
Allowed materials	Almost any that does not degas at your intended substrate temperature. See also the cross-contamination sheet	Almost any that do not degas.	Almost any that does not degas at your intended substrate temperature. See cross contamination sheets for PC1 and PC3
Comment		May use high-strength magnet for deposition.	May use high-strength magnet for deposition

* To deposit a cumulative thickness above 600 nm permission is required from metal@nanolab.dtu.dk to ensure enough material is present in the machine

** To deposit a cumulative thickness above 200 nm permission is required from metal@nanolab.dtu.dk to ensure enough material is present in the machine

Quality control of e-beam evaporated Ni films

Quality control (QC) for the E-beam Evaporator (Temescal) and the E-beam Evaporator (10-pockets)

Nickel deposition is tested occasionally, around 1 time per year in each machine. Let us know if you notice any problems or would like an extra test of the material. LabManager links to procedures and data (require login): QC procedure for the E-beam Evaporator (Temescal) The newest QC data for the E-beam Evaporator (Temescal) QC procedure for the E-beam Evaporator (10-pockets) The newest QC data for the E-beam Evaporator (10-pockets) QC Recipe: Standard recipes/Ni Deposition rate 2 Å/s Thickness 100 nm Pressure Below 1*10-6 mbar QC limits Both E-beam Evaporators Deposition rate deviation ± 20 % Measured average thickness ± 10 % Thickness deviation across a 4" wafer ± 5 % Thickness is measured in 5 points with a stylus profiler (usually DektakXT).