Nanofabrication cleanroom backed by characterization toolset and professional technical support that together enable the design and fabrication of a broad range of quantum and nano-scale devices.
The infrastructure at the University of Waterloo’s Quantum-Nano Fabrication and Characterization Facility (QNFCF) includes several class 10 through class 1000 cleanroom modules as well as multiple satellite labs which together house a broad range of state-of-the-art nanofabrication, packaging, assembly and characterization lab equipment. Professionally staffed and operated, the facility provides extensive safety, cleanroom and hands-on equipment training as well as guidance on advanced process technologies ranging from atomic layer deposition to electron beam lithography capable of reliably patterning features down to 8nm. Each individual piece of equipment is characterized by well-documented and communicated materials limitations which help mitigate cross-contamination risks. All equipment is physically interlocked with a centralized lab management software platform and each features a revision-tracked Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This ensures proper, consistent and effective equipment use. An extensive and growing list of characterized, qualified and well-documented processes is available to all lab members as an additional aid in the development of their unique nanofabrication process technologies. Significant process engineering expertise is available in-house to help members make best use of the facility and its many well-controlled and novel capabilities.
The facility is open to all graduate researchers from across Canada as well as to government labs and private industry. Interested parties are granted member status after completing the mandatory access requirements which include online training modules covering lab safety, cleanroom behaviour and contamination control. Prospective members must complete an initial review of their proposed device fabrication process via the QNFCF process engineering group as required to confirm feasibility of their proposed workplan before proceeding. This initial service is provided free of charge. Training on distinct pieces of equipment is provided on an as-needed basis as a function of the new member’s initial and evolving requirements. “Fee for service” requests are handled on a case by case basis.
- Aerospace and satellites
- Information and communication technologies and media
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Deposition (QNC building) | ALD/PECVD Cluster | Deposition of various thin films via ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) and PECVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) |
| E-beam and thermal Evaporators | Physical Vapour Deposition of thin films via e-beam and resistive heating thermal evaporation (2 systems) | |
| LPCVD Furnace for LTO | Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) furnace for deposition of doped and undoped low temperature oxides (LTO) | |
| LPCVD Furnace for Poly Si | LPCVD deposition of dopedand undoped films of polysilicon via LPCVD | |
| LPCVD Furnace for Silicon Nitride | LPCVD deposition of low stress silicon nitride | |
| Atmospheric Furnace | Wet or dry thermal oxidation of silicon substrates | |
| Rapid Thermal Processors | Short duration, high-temperature processing of 4" or 6" wafers (2 systems) | |
| UHV Al Angle Evaporator | Physical Vapour Deposition of Aluminum thin films for Josephson Junction fabrication | |
| Twin Chamber Sputter | Physical Vapour Deposition of thin films via sputter deposition | |
| Thermal Evaporator for Au and AuBe thin films | Fabrication of P-type ohmic contacts for III-V materials | |
| Lithography (QNC building) | JEOL JBX-6300FS 100kV E-Beam Litho System | Patterning nanometer scale features (down to 8nm) via electron-beam lithography |
| Beamer/Tracer SW suite | Comprehensive software platform for preparing data for exposure on JEOL JBX-6300FS E-Beam Litho System | |
| RAITH E-Beam Litho 30kV | Patterning nanometer scale features (down to 20nm) via electron-beam lithography | |
| UV Direct Write Lithography System | Maskless alignment and UV exposure of resist-coated substrates (includes backside alignment capability) | |
| Mask Aligner | Alignment and UV exposure of resist-coated substrates (includes backside alignment capability for two wafer stack pre-alignment and clamping prior to wafer bonding) | |
| Wafer Bonder | Permanent bonding of wafers (both bare and patterned) | |
| Convection Oven | Baking of various photoresist films | |
| HMDS/Image Reversal Oven | Vapour priming substrates with HMDS (adhesion promoter) prior to photoresist coat and image reversal | |
| Spin Coater: Dual general purpose | Spin coating of various photoresists and a restricted variety of routine semiconductor films | |
| Spin Coater: E-Beam Resist Station | Spin coating of E-beam photoresist films | |
| Spin Coater: UV Resist Station | Spin coating of UV photoresist films | |
| Dry Etch (QNC building) | Ion Milling Machine | Etching of thin films via Ar ion milling |
| Photoresist Stripper | Photoresist strip and descum | |
| Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) System: Deep Si (includes Bosch process) | Low and high aspect ratio etching of silicon via plasma-based dry etching | |
| Reactive Ion Etch (RIE) System: Metals and III-V | Plasma-based dry etching of metal thin films and III-V substrates (GaAs & InP) | |
| Wet Benches (QNC building) | Bulk Silicon Etch Wet Bench | Wet bulk silicon etch using KOH solutions |
| Pre-Diffusion Clean Wet Bench | Wafer clean via RCA chemistries | |
| E-Beam Resist Develop Wet Bench | Development of e-beam resist coated substrates | |
| HF Acids Hood Wet Bench | Wet bulk silicon oxide etch using HF solutions | |
| Non-HF Acids and Bases Wet Bench | Dedicated to acid (non HF) or base processes and cleans | |
| Piranha Organics Clean and Resist Strip Wet Bench | Photoresist strip using mixtures of sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide | |
| Solvent Processing (2 hoods) Wet Bench | Photoresist develop and lift-off | |
| UV Resist Develop Wet Bench | Development of UV resist-coated substrates | |
Characterization (QNC building) | Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) | Nanoscale viewing of substrates with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) material analysis capability |
| Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) | Scanning probe microscopy for measuring substrate surface roughness, etc. | |
| SEM/FIB System | Focussed Ion Beam (FIB) milling of substrates and TEM sample preparation | |
| Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscope (S/TEM) | Atomic scale viewing and characterization of a broad range of materials. Equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) analytical capabilities | |
| Four-point probe | For measuring resistivity of thin metal films and doped semiconductors | |
| Electrical Probe Stations (2 systems) | For measuring electrical characteristics of devices | |
| Ellipsometer | Non-destructive optical characterization of thin films | |
| Semiconductor microscopes (2 units) | Versatile microscope for inspecting and documenting samples and devices | |
| Thin Film Mapping Reflectometer | Mapping transparent thin film thickness across wafers (diameters of up to 200mm) | |
| Thin Film Spot Measurement Reflectometer | Precise spot-measurement of transparent thin film thickness | |
| Stylus Surface Profiling Systems (2 units) | Measurement of surface topography and thin film step heights | |
| Thin Film Stress Measurement System | Measurement and mapping of thin film stress on wafers | |
| Device Packaging Lab (QNC building) | Convection Cure Oven | Baking of various epoxies/packages in ambient atmosphere |
| Dicing Saw | Precision cutting of wafers into individual chips/dies | |
| Die Bonder | Bonding of chips/dies to packages | |
| H2 Plasma Cleaner | Cleaning samples and/or chips prior to die bonding, wire bonding or encapsulation processes | |
| Measuring Microscope | For inspection and dimensional measurement of finished chips/dies | |
| Manual Wedge/Ball Wire Bonder | For making electrical contacts between semiconductor dies and packages | |
| Semi-automatic Wedge Wire Bonder | For making electrical contacts between semiconductor dies and packages | |
| Wire Pull Tester | Destructive and nondestructive testing of wire bonds by the pull test method | |
| Clean Assembly Lab (RAC1 building) | Class 1000 Cleanroom Work Stations (2 reservable stations) | Clean assembly of scientific instruments and assemblies |
| Environmental Test Chamber | Convection chamber for thermal stress testing of devices and components | |
| Fume Hoods (3) | Safe wet chemical processing of solvent and acid solutions | |
| Laser Welder | Manual laser fusion welding | |
| Plasma cleaner | Dry cleaning of substrates using argon or oxygen plasmas | |
| Microscopes (3) | General purpose inspection | |
| Sample Cutter | Precision, low speed cutting of various substrate types | |
| Sample Polisher | Precision polishing of various substrate types | |
| Manual Wedge/Ball Wire Bonder | For making electrical contacts between semiconductor dies and packages | |
| Optical Metrology System | Optical (non-contact) 3D surface characterization of substrates & devices | |
| Specialty Labs (RAC2 building) | LPCVD Furnace | For Carbon Nanotube (CN) and Graphene thin film growth |
| Optical Fiber Splicer | Resistive filament-based, automatic glass processing and fusion splicing system | |
| PLD Deposition System | Precise growth of a wide range of thin films via Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) |