Mar 30 2010
AIXTRON AG today announced an order for one Black Magic deposition system from Purdue University's Birck Nanotechnology Center in West Lafayette, IN, USA. The order is for a 2 inch wafer configuration system for the deposition of carbon nanomaterials and high-k oxides by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The order was received in the fourth quarter of 2009 and the system will be delivered in the second quarter of 2010.
While acknowledging the Army Research Office for the support of this project through the US Department of Defense's DURIP program, Associate Professor Peide Ye of Purdue University comments, "The Black Magic CVD/PECVD platform is vital to our ongoing advanced CMOS device characterization research projects. This first-of-a-kind dual-configuration CVD system will allow us to not only to carry out CNT and graphene deposition but also to prepare high-k oxides by ALD in-situ. Having this unique capability at Birck means that we will be able to optimise carbon/oxide-based materials for the next-generation device channels. The advantage of preparing the oxide in-situ directly after channel growth is that it potentially eliminates contamination and trapped charge, leading to cleaner channel/oxide interfaces and better device performance."
Opened in July 2005, the $58 million, 187,000 sq. ft., Birck Nanotechnology Center includes a 25,000 sq. ft. Class 1-10-100 nanofabrication cleanroom - the Scifres Nanofabrication Laboratory. The facility has many state-of-the-art features such as special low vibration rooms for nanostructure research with precise temperature and environment control. The center also houses other laboratories for nanophotonics, crystal growth, molecular electronics, MEMS and NEMS, surface analysis, SEM/TEM and electrical characterization. In addition, it has a unique nanotechnology incubator facility for interaction and tech transfer with industry.
Dr. Rainer Beccard, Vice President Marketing at AIXTRON, further comments. "While research has progressed towards achieving Moore's Law with the possibility of introducing III-V materials as device channel material, the other channel materials based on carbon are also now being investigated as future options. AIXTRON's 300mm-wafer scale MOCVD equipment has already been used at other locations for III-V channel materials. With the unique implementation of CNT/graphene/ALD capability at Purdue, researchers can also explore the challenges of integrating carbon nanomaterials in the device channel."