NIST CNST Nanofab Equipment
Specialty Tools

Certain commercial equipment, and software, are identified in this documentation to describe the subject adequately. Such identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the NIST, nor does it imply that the equipment identified is necessarily the best available for the purpose.

• Nanoimprint mold treatment
• Surface chemistry modification
• Surface wetting control
• Surface lubrication
• Device packaging (moisture barrier)

• Oxides: SiO2, Al2O3, TiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, ZnO
• Nitrides: AlN, TiN, HfN, GaN
• Metals: Pt, Au, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Mn, Ti, Hf, Ta, W
• Nanolaminates: TiO2/Al2O3, SiO2/Al2O3

Deposition of parylene conformal coatings: biocompatible and biostable, pinhole-free, provide moisture, chemical and dielectric barriers, as well as low coefficient of friction. These polymers are widely used in medical devices and for electronics and automotive application.

Parylene is applied at room temperature. The raw material dimer is vaporized under vacuum and heated to a gas. The gas is then pyrolized to cleave the dimer to its monomeric form. In the room temperature deposition chamber, the monomer gas deposits as a transparent polymer film. The thickness of coatings can range from the hundreds of angstroms to several tens of micrometers.

The new Suss wafer bonder works in conjunction with the Suss MA6 mask Aligner.

• Capable of 3", 4"and 6" wafer bonding
• Can use various substrate materials depending on bonding application
• User friendly Windows-based system
• There are several types of bonding capabilities available: Thermal Compression, Anodic, Eutectic, Glass Frit, Fusion, SOI, Adhesive, and Temporary

• SEM Resolution: 1.1 nm @ 20kV, 2.5 nm @ 1kV
• FIB Resolution: 4.0 nm @ 30kV
• SEM Magnification: 30x – 900 kx
• FIB Magnification: 475x – 500kx
• Gas Injection : 4 Channel
  • Up to two different solid state precursors
  • Up to four different gaseous or liquid precursors
  • Wide range of precursors options including W, Pt, C, and silicon oxide insulator deposition
• Detectors
  • In-column EsB and BSE
  • In-lens: SE detector
  • Chamber: Everhart Thornley type SE detector
• Chamber
  • Two specimen exchange positions
  • 7 additional available ports for upgrade options
• 3D Software for Image Reconstruction

This tool creates a pattern in a thin resist by embossing from a mold. The pattern is later transferred to the wafer by reactive ion etching.

• Pieceparts up to 150 mm wafers
• Nitrogen cushion pressure ensures uniformity
• Imprint temperature from room to 300 °C
• Heating rate >5 °C/s
• Cooling rate >2 °C/s
• Capable of UV-curable as well as thermoplastic resists
• High throughput: capable of <60 s per wafer
• Feature size down to 10 nm

• Resolution: < 4 nm
• Linewidth: <10 nm
• Stitching and overlay accuracy: ≤15 nm (mean + 3 sigma)
• 100 keV
• 50 MHz, 20 bits for high throughput and pattern accuracy
• Pieceparts to 150 mm wafers ( with 300 mm capability)
• 7-inch mask capability
• 10-wafer air-lock capacity

• Photoresist stripping (Ashing) after plasma metal-etch and after high temperature processes including ion implant, sputter etching and RIE.
• Surface cleaning of semiconductor wafers as often employed after wet etch develop of photoresist prior to wet or plasma etching (descuming).
• Surface cleaning after extended storage.
• Removal of organic passivation layers and resist.
• Etching of Silicon, Silicon Nitride, Polyimide, and other films consistent with isotropic oxygen or fluorine chemistry plasma etching.