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Bringing samples into the DTU Nanolab cleanroom

You must obtain permission from our Fabrication Support team to bring any substrates from outside into our cleanroom. You need to fill out the form "Request to bring Samples into CR v1.51" and submit it to nanolabsupport@nanolab.dtu.dk. Please note that permission is granted on an individual basis. This means that each user must request permission separately. However, you may use an existing request form from a colleague.

Substrates manufactured or processed from other cleanroom environments with similar or higher level of cleaniness might be taken into our cleanroom without cleaning (but still require granted permission). Other samples must be cleaned using our standard cleaning method described below. Exceptions may be possible, depending on your substrate and the equipment you would like to use.

To avoid cross contamination of fabrication tools and in order to keep particle levels at a minimum, it is generally not allowed to bring substrates processed outside the cleanroom into the cleanroom, e.g. after dicing. Users who need to bring this type of substrates into the cleanroom for processing or characterization must obtain permission to do so.

Standard Cleaning Process for the approved substrates

Triton-X soap cleaning as described below
10 min cleaning in a piranha solution (sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide)

If the samples can not handle this cleaning procedure, it must be specified in the request form and an alternative cleaning process must be suggested by the user.

Triton-X soap cleaning

Soap sonic clean placed in the wash bench in the changing room (gowning).

The soap sonic is done in a tank with ultrasonics placed in the cleaning bench in the changing room. The cleaning solution is DI water to which a little diluted Triton X-100 is added. Triton X-100 is a non-ionic detergent which is metal ion-free. This detergent is added to reduce surface tension and thus helps removing particles from the samples to be cleaned.

Procedure

The bench in the gowning contains a sink, an ultrasonics bath and a rinse bath for rinsing samples cleaned in Triton X-100. To clean the samples:

Find a suitable holder for your samples in the cupboard below the baths
Make sure the ultrasonics bath dump valve is closed
Fill the ultrasonics bath (the one made of metal) with DI water until your samples are completely covered
Add 20 - 30 drops of diluted Triton X-100 detergent from the rinse/spray bottle. Do NOT use undiluted Triton X-100
Close the bath lid to minimize noise from the ultrasonics bath
Start the ultrasound on the front panel
Leave the samples in ultrasonics for 10 min
Switch off ultrasound
Fill the rinse bath (the one made in plastic) with DI water and rinse your samples thoroughly
Remove and dry your samples
Dump the Triton X-100 solution and rinse bath. Rinse both tanks with DI water. Leave dump valves open so the baths drain completely
Continue with Piranha cleaning.