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