Precision Fabrication Lab

Welcome to I-FIM’s Precision Fabrication Lab, a cutting-edge lab dedicated to advancing I-FIM’s research efforts in the area of nano- and microscale heterostructure and device fabrication. Our facility supports a wide range of projects, that employ novel materials and heterostructures as experimental platforms for the investigation of electronic and photonic phenomena in reduced dimensionality. Equipped with state-of-the-art tools for heterostructure engineering, nanolithography, thin film deposition, and device characterization, the facility provides researchers with the resources and expertise needed to bring ambitious ideas from concept to realization. The Fabrication facility complements the existing clean room infrastructure of the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials.

Please contact Dr. Kristina Vaklinova (kristina@nus.edu.sg) or Dr. Sourav Mitra (sourav_m@nus.edu.sg) for further information on training and booking.

a) Zeiss EVO 10

Housed at the Centre for Advanced 2D Materials Class 100 clean room,

  • the system features a LaB6 Electron Emitter which offers up to 10 times higher beam brightness in challenging imaging conditions, resulting in enhanced image resolution and contrast.
  • The Zeiss SmartEDX is designed to acquire spatially resolved elemental information from the sample surfaces, it can obtain its highest throughput at 129 eV energy resolution at typical SEM operating conditions.
  • The system’s ELPHY Plus Pattern Generator is a high-performance lithography attachment that transforms the Zeiss EVO into a nanofabrication tool, with 2 mm x 2 mm writing field, variable beam current, and a proximity correction package, NanoPECS.
Zeiss

b) MBraun Glove Boxes

The two Argon atmosphere MBraun glove boxes are essential assets of the Fabrication facility, providing an ultra-clean, controlled environment for working with sensitive materials that are reactive in air. The oxygen and moisture levels are kept below 0.1 ppm by means of a closed loop circulation. Equipped with advanced fabrication and characterization tools, the glove boxes enable researchers to fabricate high-quality heterostructures with pristine, contamination-free interfaces.

Currently the glove boxes house

  • a transfer station for nanofabrication of 2D-material-based heterostructures,
  • a Nikon optical microscope,
  • an atomic force microscope from Park Systems, and
  • a physical vapor deposition system, with sputtering, electron beam, and thermal thin film evaporation capabilities in high vacuum.
glove-boxes

c) Transfer station (Glove Box)

An Onway Technology transfer station for advanced heterostructure fabrication inside the glove box brings invaluable advantages for manipulating layered materials with precise control.

This specialized setup with automated sample stage and a transfer arm allows researchers to assemble heterostructures under a protective Argon atmosphere, avoiding exposure to air and contaminants that could degrade material quality. By enabling in situ transfer of layers within the glove box, sensitive interfaces remain pristine, enhancing the stability and performance of the resulting structures. Additionally, the automated rotatable stage enables precise angle adjustments, which is essential for creating twisted heterostructures with controlled interlayer angles.

Transfer-Glovebox

d) Transfer station (Ambient)

The home-built ambient transfer stage is a highly versatile tool for fabricating complex heterostructures, comprised of 2D materials that exhibit good stability in ambient conditions. Equipped with an automated sample stage and a transfer arm with an automated Z-movement, it allows for smooth, accurate layer positioning, resulting in precision and control over the heterostructure assembly process. Additionally, the automated rotatable stage enables precise angle adjustments, which is essential for creating twisted heterostructures with controlled interlayer angles. The ambient transfer station is an ideal setup for researchers aiming to develop advanced fabrication skills and create excellent quality heterostructures.

Transfer-ambient

e) Atomic Force Microscope (Park Systems AFM NX10)

The Park AFM is a versatile tool for nanoscale surface analysis, capable of operating both in ambient conditions and within the Argon glove box. Its portability and flexibility make it invaluable for examining a wide range of materials, including air-sensitive samples that require an inert atmosphere. The Park AFM enables advanced surface imaging and manipulation, featuring

  • Active vibration isolation
  • True Non-contact mode, Tapping mode and Phase imaging
  • Contact mode and LFM (Lateral Force Microscopy)
  • F/d (Force/distance) spectroscopy and Force volume imaging
  • PinPoint™ mode for Nanomechanical Property Mapping
  • Spring constant calibration by thermal vibration method
  • MFM (Magnetic Force Microscopy)
  • Enhanced EFM (EFM, PFM and KPFM)
  • FMM (Force Modulation Microscopy)
  • Software package for nanolithography, nanomanipulation and nanoindentation modes
  • Sideband Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy
  • Enhanced Conductive AFM
Park-AFM

f) Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) System

The PVD has sputtering, electron beam and thermal thin film evaporation capabilities in high vacuum. Integrating the PVD chamber with the glove box inert environment allows seamless in situ fabrication, preserving the integrity of sensitive materials and interfaces, and ensuring that devices maintain superior performance and stability.

  • Thermal Evaporation (2 sources)
  • Electron Beam Evaporation (4 sources)
  • Sputtering (1 target)
  • Available materials: Cr, Au, Pd, Ti, SiO2, Al2O3, Ag, Nb, Zr, Si, ZrN
  • Process gases: N2, O2
  • Ultra-High vacuum: < 10-7 mbar
evaporator-glovebox