Thin Film Growth

The ion beam sputtering chamber is customized for growing thin films and multilayers in an ultra-high vacuum environment. The system is cryopumped to a base pressure of 3x10-9 torr and includes a load lock and residual gas analyzer. Four rotatable targets allow for the deposition of alloys and multilayers. The chamber is also flexibly configured to accomodate reactive sputtering of oxides/nitrides with the ability to introduce gases (N2, O2 and Ar) under controlled flow rates. With a special heater, substrate temperature can be set from room temperature up to 1000ºC to obtain the desired microstructure and film properties. A magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry system is under development for this chamber.

Additionally:

• Sol-gel Synthesis
• Vacuum Furnace (1100°C) and variable atomospheres (Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon)
• Tube furnace
• User access to microfabrication laboratory at the Washington Technology Center for lithography