Nanofabrication

Devices made from thin films patterned on a scale from microns to nanometers are the basis of modern electronics. We use magnetic thin film devices to study magnetism on the mesoscopic scale, and to explore the functionality of new material combinations.

Three steps are involved:
Deposition → Patterning → Characterization

Thin Film Deposition

Our thin film deposition is usually carried out by sputtering in the new 'Trifolium Dubium' multichamber tool, which has interconnected chambers devoted to metal or oxide films, molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition and X-ray analysis. The system was installed in the CRANN cleanroom in 2019. We also operate our older 'Shamrock' multichamber tool which was originally used to make spin valve stacks for read heads in the 1990s. In addition, e-beam and thermal evaporation (Temescal FC-2000; CRANN) and electrodeposition are also used to make oxide or metallic films, and pulsed-laser deposition (Prof James Lunney’s lab) is most useful for oxides. A separate UHV system is devoted to evaporating organic films and metals.

Trifolium Dubium

Patterning Thin Films into Devices

Patterning involves lithography and etching. We use the the OAI UV mask aligner or the Heidelberg DWL66 laser writer with a 405 nm laser for optical lithography and mask fabrication. A SUPRA scanning electron microscope with Raith software or the Elionix 7700 dedicated e-beam writer are used for electron-beam lithography (all in CRANN). The pattern written in a resist layer is transferred to the thin film stack by Ar-ion etching in a Millatron, otherwise the resist is dissolved in a lift-off process.

Device fabrication by photolithography and etching

Device Characterization

The crystal structures are determined by X-ray diffraction. Surface and magnetic imaging characterization is carried out with by AFM techniques. Magnetic properties are studied by SQUID or vibrating-sample magnetometry in a 14T PPMS which can also be used for Andreev reflection and magneto-transport. Electical measurements are are usually of dc conductivity or Hall effect in an R:T rig with a 5T magnet. We also have facilities for rf characterization, up to 20 GHz.

Spin valves for giant magnetoresistance and tunnelling magnetoresistance

Nanofabrications Images

The Shamrock Sputtering System

The Shamrock Sputtering System

The Temescal FC2000 thermal evaporation system 

The Temescal FC2000 thermal evaporation system

Pulsed laser deposition

Pulsed laser deposition

Organic Evaporator

Organic Evaporator

Millatron argon-ion beam etcher, with end-point detector

Millatron argon-Ion beam etcher, with end-point detector 

More images

OAI UV Mask aligner

Heidelberg DWL66  Laser writer

Image of the SUPRA scanning electron microscope

ElionixELS 7700 e-beam lithography tool

Photo of a Philips and Brucker X-ray diffractometers

Photo of a Philips and Brucker X-ray diffractometers

Image of a SQUID magnetometer

Image of the 14 Tesla physical properties measurement system.

 

Contact Gwenael Atcheson

atchesog(at)tcd.ie

Further Reading

[1] Reduced low frequency noise in electron beam evaporated MgO magnetic tunnel junctions, Diao Z, Feng JF, Kurt H, and Coey J.M.D. Applied Physics Letters, 96, 202506 (2010).

[2] Influence of growth and annealing conditions on low-frequency magnetic 1/f noise inMgO magnetic tunnl junctions, Jiafeng Feng, Zhu Diao, H. Kurt, N, R. Stearrett, A. Singh, E. R. Nowak and J. M. D. Coey. J. Appl. Phys. 112 093913 (2012).

[3] Strategies for fabrication nanogap single-crystal organic transistors, A. Alborgetti, P. Stamenov, G. Fois and J. M. D. Coey, ISRN Nanotechnology 253246 (2012)

The crystal structures are determined by X-ray diffraction. Surface and magnetic imaging characterization is carried out with by AFM techniques. Magnetic properties are studied by SQUID or vibrating-sample magnetometry in a 14T PPMS which can also be used for Andreev reflection and magneto-transport. Electical measurements are are usually of dc conductivity or Hall effect in an R:T rig with a 5T magnet. We also have facilities for rf characterization, up to 20 GHz.