Equipment resources

EQUIPMENT RESERVATIONS

Transmission Electron Microscopy The FEI Tecnai Osiris 200kV TEM is a new type of microscope specifically configured for material science. While the software and electron optics share a great deal with the latest TEMs found in the Yale Medical School, the Osiris is equipped with a new type of high-brightness electron source and a new high-area solid-angle x-ray detector, making possible real-time spectral imaging. Another type of spectral analysis is provided by an electron engergy-loss spectrometer. This new generation of electron microscope is operated from a remote console, making use of motorized apertures and high-resolution video cameras to keep human operators removed from the sensitive electron optics. In support of TEM sample preparation, the YINQE laboratory is also equipped with the latest generation of ion-beam thinning tools, in addition to our current FIB instrument.
Electron-Beam Lithography For nanoscale patterning, a newly installed Vistec EBPG 5000+ electron-beam lithography system provides 100kV patterning of 10 nm scale devices over six-inch substrates. This electron-beam writer is fully automated, with a laser-guided substrate stage providing 15 nm field stitching, 15 nm overlay accuracy, laser height measurement for automatic focus adjustment, and metrology functions for self-calibration. The EBPG is highly regarded for its ease of use and very flexible control software. Yale programs utilizing electron beam lithography include research in optical waveguides, quantum computing, electron transport physics and photonic bandgap engineering.
Scanning Electron Microscopy The new Hitachi SU-70 is one of the highest resolution scanning electron microscopes available today, providing 1 nm resolution, 0.5 to 30 kV accelerating voltage, field immersion operation, and an energy filtered BSE detector. The instrument is equipped with an energy dispersive x-ray detector, a standard scintillator in the sample chamber, and an additional secondary detector above the objective pole. Dual objective magnets allow the user to switch between field-immersion and non-field modes. The thermal (Schottky) field emission electron source provides up to 200 nA of probe current for very fast x-ray maps.
Focused Ion Beam Our dual-beam FIB system combines a gallium ion beam column with a SEM column to provide a versitile instrument for preparing cross-sectioned samples and thin TEM slices. The electron column allows the user to view and move the substrate without damage, and the ion beam is used for cutting, milling and metal deposition. The tool is equipped with a source of platinum for patterning of wires or protection patches, and with a source of XeF2 for rapid etching of silicon, nitrides and oxides. An Omniprobe manipulator allows the user to lift out TEM samples and to place them in situ on TEM grids.
Atomic Force Microscopy The Veeco Dimension 5000 provides atomic force microscopy in tapping or contact mode for automated surface metrology and imaging. This scanning probe microscope is capable of 1 nm vertical resolution over samples up to 300 mm in diameter. This AFM features a phase detector for use with electrical force sensing. Another Veeco multimode AFM with a 1 cm sample stage provides high-resolution microscopy with a simple tip changing procedure.
Denton carbon sputtering tool Amorphous carbon films are useful for coating samples before electron microscopy. Our new carbon sputtering tool provides very smooth, conformal coatings which are free of the grain structure found in more traditional films of Au-Pd. Carbon also makes an excellent etch mask for flouorine plasmas and is used as a stopping layer for chemical-mechanical polishing.
TEM Thinning Mill The Fischione 1050 mill uses two argon ion beams to thin samples to just tens of nanometers, in preparation for viewing in the transmission electron microscope. Low-voltage argon beams at glancing angles mill samples with a minimum of amorphization and staining. Liquid nitrogen cooling is available for sensitive samples. The 1050 mill is equipped with a high resolution video microscope, so that the sample can be inspected without removing it from the vacuum system. A new "Gatan style" sample fixture makes loading and unloading TEM grids very simple. This mill is for TEM samples only, and is not a general-purpose ion mill. This instrument is very useful for the final thinning of samples that have been ground and polished, or samples prepared with the FIB. The Fishione 1050 can remove gallium stains from the FIB, and finish the thinning process with less risk.