Designing and prototyping innovations in materials, fluidics, mechanics, electronics and photonics technologies at the micro and nano scale
NanoFabrication Kingston provides researchers and companies with access to leading-edge equipment, methods, and expertise for designing and prototyping microsystems and nanotechnologies, and for training next-generation innovators.
Design and prototyping, including etching, lithography, deposition, micromachining and characterization, project execution and engineering support
- Aerospace and satellites
- Automotive
- Chemical industries
- Clean technology
- Defence and security industries
- Environmental technologies and related services
- Information and communication technologies and media
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
Equipment |
Function |
---|---|
3D Printer: MiiCraft model LF80 |
Stereolithography (SLA)-type printer, using UV light to cure blue acrylic resin in thin layers of 50 µm or 100 µm |
Electron Beam Lithography system: Raith Pioneer |
High-resolution scanning electron microscope with software and stage control capability to perform electron-beam lithography to expose resists with <20 nm resolution. |
Maskless lithographic system: Intelligent Micro-Patterning SF100 XPRESS |
For patterning features from < 1 micron to several cm in photoresists without the need for a mask. |
Picosecond Laser Micromachining System: Oxford Laser A series |
For laser cutting, drilling, and milling in a variety of materials, such as semiconductors, glass, metal, polymer, and ceramic, with a line width of 10-15 micron. |
Chemical printing system: Sonoplot/GIX Microplotter II nanoliter printer |
Uses a capillary plotter to ultrasonically pattern liquids onto surfaces with 5-micron resolution. |
Physical vapour deposition – evaporator |
For depositing layers of materials 5-1000 nm thick by electron-beam evaporation under high vacuum. Common materials include aluminum, gold, and chromium. |
Plasma cleaner – Plasmatic Systems Inc. Plasma-Preen |
For removing organic material from a surface. Typical for cleaning a substrate prior to, or following, fabrication steps to ensure proper deposition, bonding, etc. |
Optical microscope - Carl Zeiss Axio Imager A1m |
For examining substrates and deposited coatings; and for imaging designs written on a substrate by laser micromachining, photolithography, or e-beam lithography. |
Photolithography mask aligner – Neutronix-Quintel NxQ4006 |
For patterning photoresists with sensitivity in the g, h, and i lines. |
Lithography sample preparation – laminar flow hood, spin coater, and baking plates |
For cleaning substrates, coating them with resist for photolithography or e-beam lithography; developing patterned substrates, and baking. |
Reactive Ion Etching System |
Generates plasma for dry etching a wide range of materials including silicon-based materials (e.g., silicon oxide, silicon nitride, polysilicon), metal films (e.g., aluminum), and other substrate materials (e.g., gallium arsenide). |
Physical Vapour Deposition (Sputter): Lesker PVD 75 |
For depositing conductive materials for multilayer microchip fabrication, microelectronic circuits, MEMS, etc., and for depositing composites to form thin layers of functional materials. |
Stylus Profilometer: Bruker DektakXT |
For measuring characteristics (height, thickness, depth, or roughness) of materials and surfaces. |
Private and public sector research partners
- CMC Microsystems
- GreenCentre Canada
- Spectra Plasmonics
Additional information
Title |
URL |
---|---|
Nano research yields sensing breakthrough | https://www.cmc.ca/nano-research-yields-sensing-breakthrough/ |
Science on a small scale |
http://nanofabkingston.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Science-on-a-small-scale.pdf |
Queen’s unveils renewed nano-tech laboratory |
https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2017-01-20/news/queens-unveils-renewed-nano-tech-labratory/ |
Big plans for nanotechnology |
https://www.thewhig.com/2017/01/20/big-plans-for-nanotechnology/wcm/5c43fa86-8c43-ffc3-cec7-fcdd828… |
Thinking big on a small scale |
https://www.queensu.ca/gazette/stories/thinking-big-small-scale |
Exploring the promise of the quantum realm |