Capabilities
The LNF is a micro and nanofabrication facility. This lab excels at combining technologies and materials within a single device, for example, optical or mechanical sensors with integrated processing circuitry and onboard power generation. Silicon is the most common substrate material as it is relatively inexpensive, has a wide variety of useful properties, and is easy to machine. III-V compound semiconductors also have a long history at the LNF, and substrates consisting of other materials with unique properties are becoming more common. Most of our hardware can handle small pieces up to 150mm round substrates.
Contents
Technologies
Below are links to the main groups of technologies available at the LNF.
Deposition and growth
The choice, among the many different types of deposition techniques, depends on the material to be deposited, its thickness, the substrate on which it needs to be processed, temperature range, quality of the film, physical characteristics of the film, cost, availability, and several other parameters. Below we present a wide variety of techniques that could address some or all of the qualities and characteristics desired on the thin film to be deposited.
Lithography, direct writing and mask making
The fabrication of devices and structures require patterning, typically through optical lithography or electron-beam lithography, depending on the dimensions needed. Photomasks fabrication is also supported at the LNF. In addition, several technologies for direct writing such as inkjet printing and dip-pen nanolithography are available, and a dedicated area is used for soft lithography and SU-8/PDMS processing. Nanoimprinting equipment is also in place in the LNF but requires special arrangements for access and training as it is currently owned and managed by an individual research group. Please see below for several links to the specific lithography technologies supported at the LNF.
- Optical lithography, including both contact and projection lithography
- Electron-beam lithography
- Soft lithography and SU-8/PDMS processing
- Mask making
- Direct writing
- Other general lithography technologies including coating and developing
Etching
Both dry and wet etching with a wide range of characterized processes and recipes are available at the LNF to transfer the desired pattern onto your samples.
- Wet etching
- Reactive ion etching (RIE), including deep RIE
- Other plasma etching and XeF2 etching equipment
Thermal processing
Thermal processing includes several different technologies from annealing to doping, diffusion, or oxidation.
- Annealing, including Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) technology
- Thermal oxidation
- Doping and diffusion
- Curing
Chemical processing
The LNF offers a wide range of wet processing stations for cleaning, wet etching, lithography support, electroplating, and other general wet processing. Material segregation is critical in wet bench processing.
Metrology and characterization
Many different technologies are available at the LNF for metrology and characterization of films, materials, and structures. For more detailed information and discussion, please see the metrology page.
- Scanning electron microscopy
- Atomic force microscopy
- Stylus profilometry
- Optical 3D profilometry
- Optical microscopy
- Ellipsometry
- Spectroscopic reflectometry
- Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
- Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy
- Four point probe
- Thin film stress measurement
- Contact angle measurements
- Electrical testing
Packaging and mechanical finishing
Packaging technologies are well presented at the LNF, and many additional capabilities are also available for mechanical finishing and back end of the line technologies.
Mechanical finishing
Packaging
Other processing
In addition, there are several other technologies that do not necessarily fall under any of the groups listed above.
Equipment
Equipment in the LNF is organized by technology. If you know the specific piece of equipment you are looking for, you can search for it, browse the different equipment categories below, or see a complete list of interlocked equipment here.
Materials
Below is a brief list of the materials that are commonly used in the LNF.
If you are interested in using a material that is not listed here, please create a Helpdesk ticket or contact the LNF user services group directly via LNF-info@umich.edu.
Semiconductors
Metals and conductors
- Aluminum
- Chromium
- Copper
- Gold
- Indium
- Indium tin oxide
- Iridium
- Iron
- Molybdenum
- Nickel
- Nickel Chrome
- Palladium
- Platinum
- Silver
- Tantalum
- Tin
- Titanium
- Tungsten
- Tungsten titanium
- Zinc
Ceramic Dielectrics
- Aluminum nitride
- Aluminum oxide
- Fused silica
- Gallium oxide
- Hafnium oxide
- Pyrex
- Silicon dioxide
- Silicon nitride
- Titanium dioxide
- Tantalum oxide
Polymers and organic materials
Photoresist
- E-beam Resists*
- Positive Resists
- Negative Resists
- Other*