Reactive evaporation system for oxides and nitrides

• Subject Area: Materials Science
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 466658236

Stoichiometric thin films and heterostructures of various metal oxides or nitrides are a fundamental requirement for advanced materials research and to develop novel functional (opto-)electronic devices and sensors.This reactive magnetron sputter tool for processing up to 6” wafer substrates is one major instrument of the central nanofabrication facility at the University of Siegen. This core facility with its clean room systematically provides access to all researchers of the School of Science and Technology and beyond. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia together with the university is integrating this into a new nanoscience center with a modern 600m2 ISO 4 clean room. The strategy is to merge the university’s nanofabrication infrastructure for materials and device development at the Center for Sensor Systems, the Center for Micro- and Nanochemistry and Engineering and the Multidisciplinary Center for Innovative Materials under the clear sharing methodology of the DFG-funded Micro- and Nanoanalytics Core Facility MNaF. This strategy anticipates a sustainable and efficient use of this deposition tool and all other nanotechnological instruments, at the best scientific level, with specialized support personnel, a professional optimization of the involved processes, and a systematic user access organization/training. The close vicinity of the deposition tool to other fabrication instrumentation as well as to the nanoanalytical laboratories allows the efficient development of highly topical research on environmentally sensitive or even reactive materials, e.g., phase-change or energy materials. Therefore, the whole process chain from material’s synthesis to its final device application or characterization will be possible under cryogenic and/or high-vacuum conditions with adequate transport mechanisms between individual instruments.This evaporation system will dominantly be utilized to deposit stoichiometric ceramic thin films and heterostructures with defined properties. Such thin films are utilized to build optical/biological sensors, electrochemical devices and functional MEMS-based chips for in situ studies at the MNaF. Moreover, they enable fundamental research on novel materials. The broad spectrum of research topics includes ion conduction in ceramics, phase stability under harsh operation conditions, functional properties of 2D semiconductors, spin orbitronics, optical and bio-sensors as well as (dye) solar cells.The deposition tool will be equipped with two electron-beam evaporators, a plasma source for substrate cleaning as well as the reactive deposition of stoichiometric thin films and multilayers. Moreover, it comes with a flexible substrate holder and heating. To facilitate the research on reactive specimens, the instrument will additionally be equipped with a dedicated vacuum load lock. The mandatory transfer shuttle is part of another related proposal of this bundle.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Reaktive Verdampferanlage für Oxide und Nitride
• Instrumentation Group: 8380 Schichtdickenmeßgeräte, Verdampfungs- und Steuergeräte (für Vakuumbedampfung, außer 833)
• Applicant Institution: Universität Siegen
• Leader: Professor Dr. Benjamin Butz