Nanofabrication Facility

Nanofabrication Cleanroom

Located on the 1st floor in the Silvio O. Conte National Center for Polymer Research the Nanofabrication facility is part of a network of cleanroom laboratories that offer both unique and complimentary capabilities. Training can be tailored to the specific set of processes or techniques needed to fabricate and test various devices or materials. Films of numerous metals and ceramics can be applied and patterning as small as sub-tens of nm can be accomplished. A wet chemistry area provides a safe environment for the use of a variety of coatings, solvents, and etchants.

The facility accepts samples and will perform requested analysis. We offer training to users to conduct experimentation for use on a fee for service basis to both internal and external researchers, academic or industry based. Following an initial consultation, covering experimental parameters training and access is arranged through the director.

  • JEOL JSM-7001F Ebeam Writer with Nanometer Pattern Generation System

    The Electron Beam Lithography system is based on a JEOL JSM-7001F Thermal Field Emission SEM equipped with a Nabity Nanometer Pattern Generation System which supports e-beam lithography and an image database.

    jeol.co.jp

  • STS Vision 310 Mark II PECVD System

    The STS Vision 310 Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition system is equipped with a patented frequency generator that allows for the deposition of low stress films. It is configured for the growth of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and amorphous silicon. Available gases are 2% silane/nitrogen, ammonia, nitrous oxide, tetrafluoromethane, oxygen, methane, and nitrogen.

    advanced-vacuum.com

  • STS Vision 320 Mark II RIE System

    The STS Vision 320 Reactive Ion Etch system is configured to etch silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and amorphous slicon. Available gases are hydrogen, methane, sulphur hexafluoride, trifluoromethane, oxygen, argon, and nitrogen.

    advanced-vacuum.com

  • Gaertner L116C Ellipsometer

    The Gaertner L116C Ellipsometer offers noncontact measurement of transparent and translucent films using a 632.2 nm wavelength HeNe laser. The rotating analyzer samples 144 data points and can measure films of thickness from 0 to 60000 Å with an accuracy of +/-3 Å and a repeatability of +/-1 Å over most of the measurement range.

    gaertnerscientific.com

  • AJA International Orion 8 Sputtering System with Load Lock Chamber

    The load-locked AJA ORION 8 Sputtering System currently has three RF and four DC confocal magnetron sputtering sources installed. Current source materials available include copper, aluminum, silicon dioxide, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, indium tin oxide, magnesium oxide, tantalum oxide, cobalt, palladium, niobium, silver, nickel, tantalum, sammarium, sammarium cobalt, zirconium, chromium, vanadium, and Permalloy (Ni/Fe). Programmable control of deposition parameters and cycling allows simultaneous or sequential deposition and repetition of deposition cycles. Substrate heating up to 750°C is also programmable.

    ajaint.com

  • CHA Electron Beam Evaporator with Cryopump

    The CHA SE-600 electron beam evaporator with a 4 pocket hearth has been retrofitted with a cryopump to decrease the pumping cycle time. More than twenty different metals can be evaporated including gold, platinum, palladium, silver, copper, aluminum, nickel, and titanium.

    chaindustries.com

  • Cambridge NanoTech Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) System

    The Cambridge NanoTech Savannah 100 Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) system is available to deposit very conformal and precise thicknesses of various thin films. Our unit can currently be configured with the precursor chemicals to deposit hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and platinum.

    cambridgenanotechald.com

  • Wentworth MP-2300 Probe Station

    The Wentwort MP-2300 semiautomatic 200mm wafer prober is equipped with Labmaster 5.1 probing environment software and has a motorized XY- theta stage with 203mm x 203mm XY travel with 0.1um resolution and 5 mm Z travel and a 200mm nickel plated wafer chuck with vacuum hold down. Probers include a CAP3000 computer assisted probe with 0.1 um resolution, a CAP4000 submicron computer assisted probe with 0.01 um resolution and two lower resolution manual probers. A Mitutoyo FS-70 microscope with motorized xyz movement and M Plan Apo 5x,10x,20x objectives and Pulnix TMC-7 CCD camera with flat panel monitor and motorized focus allow for visual scanning and image capture. A Newport Cleantop II vibration isolation table with maximum damping and a laminar flow hood provide a controlled probing environment.

    wentworthlabs.com

  • Keithley 4200 SCS Parametric Analyzer

    The Keithley 4200 Semiconductor Characterization System is a parametric analyzer with a Windows XP based software environment which provides for measurement of DC I-V, C-V, and pulse characterization and stress- measurement/reliability testing of semiconductor devices and test structures. This instrument is equipped with a Capacitance Voltage Unit capable of nanoFarad (nF) level measurements at frequencies from 10kHz to 10MHz and also two Source-Measure Units with 1A/20W capability. Two Remote PreAmps extend the resolution of both SMUs from 100fA to 0.1fA.

    tek.com

  • Dektak 3 Profilometer

    The Veeco Dektak3 surface profile measurement system is capable of scans up to 30 mm with a 10 Å repeatability and the sensitivity to measure step heights below 100 Å.

    veeco.com

  • March Instruments PM-600 Plasma Treatment System

    The PM-600 is a large barrel benchtop plasma system with a 13.56 MHz RF generator having an output power of up to 600W for stripping photoresist, cleaning substrates, and mild etching. It has a 10 in. diameter by 12 in. long quartz chamber with an 8 inch by 8 inch flat quartz glass substrate rack Quartz glass wafer racks are available for 3” diameter wafers. It is microprocessor based with automatic sequencing and manual override.

    nordson.com

  • Nikon Optiphot Microscope with Infinity 2 Digital Camera

     

  • Blue M Convection Oven

    thermalproductsolutions.com

     

  • OAI 1000 Watt DUV Exposure System

    The OAI 1000 Watt DUV Exposure System is capable of exposing substrates up to 150 mm diameter to a 1000W ~250nm wavelength deep ultra-violet light source. Samples are placed in the exposure chamber and the time of exposure can be varied - the power setting is always 1000W.

    oainet.com

  • Olympus BH2 Microscope with Infinity 2 Digital Camera

    The Olympus BH2 Microscope with Infinity 2 high resolution (2080x1536 pixel) digital camera is capable of up to 1000x magnification and has a 6 in. x 6 in. stage with manual positioning lever and xy stage control knobs. Image captures on the attached notebook computer canbe analyzed, labeled or formatted, and saved to network storage areas via the internet. Nosepiece rotation is under push button control.

    olympus-lifescience.com

  • SUSS MicroTec MA6 Mask Aligner

    A UV mask aligner and exposure system with split screen stereo camera alignment system capable of both front and back side alignment of from 2” to 6” diameter substrates.

    suss.com

  • Brewer Science CEE 100CB Spin Coater

    The Brewer Science CEE 100CB Spin Coater and Hot Plate is capable of storing up to 10 spin regimes which may include spin speed ramp rate, stepped spin speeds, and a nitrogen float or vacuum hot plate contact mode for photoresist curing. Chucks for substrates from 1” to 6” diameter are available.

    brewerscience.com

  • Developer Hood

    The Developer Hood has a flowing deionized water rinse sink and developer solution sinks for the positive and negative resists commonly used in the facility. DI rinse wands and N2 guns are provided.

  • Sonoplot GIX Microplotter II

    • Noncontact deposition
    • Features as small as 5μm
    • Viscosities up to 450 cP
    • True contiguous lines, arcs, and bends
    • Consistent spot size and shape with coefficients of variability as low as 10%
    • 3-axis positioning with 5μm resolution
    • Integrated digital video capture
    • Automated surface calibration
    • Interchangeable holding platen for a variety of substrate sizes
    • SonoGuide™ software for full automation and control
    • SonoDraw™ software as a CAD layout tool

    sonoplot.com

Service Line Campus Users Other Academic Institutions Industry
Annual Access $1,365 $1,732.50 $2,887.50

Additional Users
(charged to 2nd subsequent listed users under a user paying the annual access fee)

 $68.25/month $84/month $110.25/month
R to R Nano Imprinter $451.50/day $661.50/day $871.50/day
R to R Coater $225.75/day $435.75/day $682.50/day
Equipment Usage $47.25/hour $47.25/hour $73.50/hour
Technical Assistance $47.25/hour $47.25/hour $73.50/hour
Special Materials and Processes $57.75/process $57.75/process $57.75/process
Rates are subject to change, contact facility to verify current fees.

FY25 Specialized Service Center Approved Fees
Services

Training for new users consists of:

  • lab orientation tour,
  • explanation of clean room policies and lab safety,
  • training on operation of needed equipment,
  • consultation on photomask design and layout,
  • assistance in designing process procedures,
  • training on safe use of wet chemistry benches.

Once the training is complete, researchers may schedule their experiments through the director of Nanofabrication or online through CORUM at corum.umass.edu.

Nanofabrication Cleanroom: The Nanofabrication facility is part of a network of cleanroom laboratories that offer both unique and complementary capabilities. Training can be tailored to the specific set of processes or techniques needed to fabricate and test various devices or materials. Films of numerous metals and ceramics can be applied and patterning as small as 10 nm can be accomplished. A wet chemistry area provides a safe environment for the use of a variety of coatings, solvents, and etchants. Equipment includes:

  • JEOL JSM-7001F Ebeam Writer with Nanometer Pattern Generation System
  • STS Vision 310 Mark II PECVD System
  • STS Vision 320 Mark II RIE System
  • Gaertner L116C Ellipsometer
  • AJA International Orion 8 Sputtering System with Load Lock Chamber
  • CHA Electron Beam Evaporator with Cryopump
  • Cambridge NanoTech Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) System
  • Wentworth MP-2300 Probe Station
  • Keithley 4200 SCS Parametric Analyzer
  • Dektak 3 Profilometer
  • March Instruments PM-600 Plasma Treatment System
  • Nikon Optiphot Microscope with Infinity 2 Digital Camera
  • Blue M Convection Oven
  • OAI 1000 Watt DUV Exposure System
  • Olympus BH2 Microscope with Infinity 2 Digital Camera
  • SUSS MicroTec MA6 Mask Aligner
  • Brewer Science CEE 100CB Spin Coater
  • Developer Hood
  • Sonoplot GIX Microplotter II
  • Training: Training for new users consists of: lab orientation tour, explanation of clean room policies and lab safety, training on operation of needed equipment, consultation on photomask design and layout, assistance in designing process procedures, training on safe use of wet chemistry benches.

FY25 Specialized Service Center Approved Fees

CORUM (access and reservations)

Floorplan


Photolithography
Metalization
Wet Chemistry
Deposition Etch
Gowning Room
E-Beam Lithography

The cleanroom lab is located on the campus of UMass Amherst, in the Silvio O. Conte National Center for Polymer Research, room B-132.

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From the East

From Route 2 West, take exit 16 (Belchertown/Amherst). Follow Route 202 for about 15 miles to blinking light at Route 9 and 116 Amherst exit (Pelham). Turn right and follow for 7 miles to Amherst center. Follow signs to UMass.

From I-90 (Mass Pike), take exit 4 (West Springfield). Follow I-91 North to Exit 19. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). UMass exit is 1 mile.

From the South 

From I-91 North, take Exit 19 in Northampton. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). UMass exit is 1 mile.

From the West

From Route 2 East, follow to Greenfield/I-91 exit. Take I-91 South to exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp turn left and follow the road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow for 8 miles to the UMass exit.

From I-90 (Mass Pike), take exit 4 (West Springfield). Follow I-91 North to Exit 19. From the exit ramp, turn right onto Route 9. Travel approximately 4.5 miles to Route 116 North (turn left at traffic lights). UMass exit is 1 mile.

From the North

From I-91 South, take exit 25 in Deerfield. At the end of the ramp, turn left and follow road to the intersection. Turn right onto Routes 5 & 10 South. Go 1 mile, then turn left onto Route 116 South. Follow 8 miles to the UMass exit.

Equipment documentation is available on Box

  • The nanofabrication facility at UMass Amherst played a central role in my research on measuring electrical properties of bacterial protein filaments and biofilms. Personal guidance from the facility director John Nicholson helped us in designing appropriate micrometer and nanometer-sized electrodes. He was instrumental in helping us in low level electrical measurements with the probe station and training graduate students with this challenging project. I have no doubt that many other groups will continue to benefit for John's attention to detail and his decades of experience in running and managing a top-notch research facility with state-of-the art instrumentation.”

    —Nikhil Malvankar (Yale University)

  • During our year long association with John over the use of sputtering tool, and other thin film/material characterization services, we have always received high-quality service, reliable samples, with a quick-turn around time. John has facilitated the use of these tools according to our research needs, and was very cooperative and flexible throughout, from our requests for varying process parameters to time constraints as we progressed with our industrial R&D project deadlines. His technical expertise in the field has been of great help to us. We were also impressed by the coordination and upkeep of the tools and the clean room at large.”

    —Saumya Sharma, ABB Inc., USA

Facility Staff

Gohmyeong Bae
Cleanroom-Core Facility Operations Manager
gohmyeongbae@umass.edu
Location

B111 Silvio O. Conte National Center for Polymer Research
University of Massachusetts Amherst
120 Governors Drive
Amherst, MA 01003

Brochure

PDF version of Nanofabrication Cleanroom brochure

Reservations & Services

CORUM - the centralized ordering system for shared facilities.

CORUM User Guides

Make a Payment

Make a payment to the Nanofabrication Cleanroom.

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