• AJA International ATC1800 Hybrid
• Process gases: Ar, N₂, O₂
• Holder for max 100mm wafers, adapter for smaller chips
• Electron beam evaporation with linear 6 pocket hearth, 6 kW power supply
• Two direct sputtering guns, DC up to 1.5kW and RF up to 600W
• Ion gun for in-situ pre-cleaning
• Oxidation in load lock

General rules:

• No unsecured/loose samples
• The sample holder should be stored in the load lock, and the load lock should be pumped after processing
• Max 200 nm film thickness per session

Usage instructions:

1. Make sure the load lock - main chamber valve is closed (XFER VALVE in software)
2. Vent loadlock by flipping the switch on the main rack labeled VENT/PUMP LOADLOCK to the off position
3. Loosen the screw on the door and wait for the pressure to reach 750 Torr, then open the door
4. Insert the holder by pushing the three pins in the edge of the holder into the corresponding slots on the transfer arm, the screw on the backside should be facing the main chamber. Each pin should be resting between the two grey stops in each slot
5. Close the door and tighten the screw
6. Flip the switch on the main rack labeled VENT/PUMP to the on position
7. Wait for the turbo to reach full full speed (1500 Hz) and the pressure to fall below 9×10^-6
8. Make sure the chamber-holder-arm is at -90 degrees tilt (current position in the TILT INDEX menu -90) and rotation is turned off (SUB ROTATION is OFF)
9. Open the transfer valve by pressing the "XFER VALVE" button in the software
10. Insert the transfer arm by rotating the handle on the side of the arm housing, if you feel any resistance stop and retract the arm and check for blockages. Stop when the screw on the backside of the sample holder touches the chamber arm
11. Rotate the sample holder using the black knob on top of the arm housing, make sure the screw on the holder catches the threads on the arm. Screw until tight
12. Rotate the sample holder using the black knob on top of the arm housing, make sure the screw on the holder catches the threads on the arm. Screw until tight
13. Close the transfer valve by pressing the "XFER VALVE" bottom in the software

1. Make sure the loadlock pressure is below 9×10^-6 and the turbo is at full speed (1500 Hz)
2. Turn off sample rotation
3. Make sure the chamber-holder-arm is at -90 degrees tilt (current position in the TILT INDEX menu -90) and rotation is turned off (SUB ROTATION is OFF)
4. Open the transfer valve by pressing the "XFER VALVE" bottom in the software
5. Insert the transfer arm by rotating the handle on the side of the arm housing, if you feel any resistance stop and retract the arm and check for blockages
6. Align the pins on the edge of the sample holder with the slots on the transfer arm
7. Push the transfer arm until the pins click into the slots
8. Rotate the sample holder using the black knob on top of the arm housing. Screw until the sample holder comes loose from the chamber arm
9. Pull the transfer arm out using the handle
10. Close the transfer valve by pressing the "XFER VALVE" bottom in the software

1. Make sure the holder is loaded correctly and the pressure in the main chamber is in the 10^-8 range or lower
2. Set desired tilt in the TILT INDEX sub-menu by entering the desired number of degrees and pressing INDEX START, 0 is normal incidence to the ebeam hearth
3. Set desired substrate rotation in the SUB ROTATION sub-menu by entering the desired RPM and pressing the ON bottom
4. Identify which pocket number has the desired material
5. Set the desired film thickness on the Inficon controller in the rack by pressing the "Process Menu" button (may be necessary to scroll through the menus with the "Next Menu" key), selecting the appropriate process (process number corresponds to pocket number) hitting "Edit" and then change the "Final Thickness" value (1 kÅ = 100 nm). DO NOT CHANGE THE SET RATE
6. Turn on the sweep controller in the rack and set the pattern number corresponding to the material
7. Turn on the electron beam power supply
8. Close all window shutters
9. Start the deposition from the software by selecting the appropriate process in the DEP PROCESS # drop-down menu (the dep process number will correspond to the process number on the inficon controller) and hit the PROCESS START button
10. Wait for the process to start, make sure the beam hits the crucible and the rate reaches the set value
11. Wait for the process to finish
12. Turn off the sweep controller and electron beam power supply
13. NOTE ON TILT DURING EBEAM DEPOSITION: the rate scales as the cosine of the tilt angle (1/sqrt(2) at +-45 degrees), this is NOT taken into account by the software

1. Make sure the holder is loaded correctly and the pressure in the main chamber is in the 10^-8 range or lower
2. Set the tilt in the TILT INDEX sub-menu by entering the desired number of degrees and pressing INDEX START. +90 faces the side gun and +180 the top gun
3. Set desired substrate rotation in the SUB ROTATION sub-menu by entering the desired RPM and pressing the ON button
4. Extend the gun to the substrate by entering the number of inches to extend in the OFF AXIS # HEIGHT STPT field on the right-hand-side of the software, then press the corresponding OFF AXIS # HEIGHT START button. 0 inches is all the way retracted, 5.5 is maximum extension (∼10 cm target-substrate distance)
5. Set the desired gas flow by entering the setpoint (in sccm) of the appropriate gases and pressing GAS # ON (55 sccm total gas flow is standard)
6. Strike the plasma by setting the pressure in the PRESSURE CONTROL sub-menu to 30 mTorr, then setting 10 W (30 W for RF) and 0 ramp time on the appropriate gun and hitting the OUTPUT ON button.
7. Make sure the plasma has started
8. Set the desired process pressure in the PRESSURE CONTROL sub-menu
9. Ramp to desired power at a maximum rate of 1 W/s. ALWAYS SET RAMP TIME FIRST THEN POWER
10. Wait for the ramp to finish and pre-sputter as appropriate
11. Start the deposition by hitting the SHUTTER button
12. Wait for the desired film thickness to be reached
13. Stop the deposition by hitting the SHUTTER button again
14. Ramp down to 10 W (30 W for RF) at a maximum rate of 1 W/s
15. Turn off the plasma by hitting the hitting the OUTPUT OFF button.
16. Set the gate valve to the open position in the PRESSURE CONTROL sub-menu
17. Turn of the gases by pressing GAS # OFF

1. Make sure the holder is loaded correctly and the pressure in the main chamber is in the 10^-8 range or lower
2. Turn on the Kaufman power supply in the main rack, wait for start-up routine to finish (about 10 seconds)
3. Make sure the Kaufman power supply is in remote and auto mode (lights on right-hand-side of power supply)
4. Click "Run Process" and select the correct process, then click "Open"
5. Wait for the process to finish
6. Make sure the required 10 minute flush at 50 sccm Ar starts after the process finishes
7. Turn off the Kaufman power supply in the main rack

Sample mounting instructions:

• Remove the six clamps along the holder edge
• Place the silicone heat-transfer mat on the holder
• Place wafer ontop of the mat
• Screw the six clamps back into place, tighten to finger-tightness

• Remove the six clamps along the holder edge
• Place the silicone heat-transfer mat on the holder
• Place chip-adapter ontop of the mat
• Screw the six clamps back into place, tighten to finger-tightness
• Place sample on the adapter and secure with clamps and screws from the box labeled "AJA mounting clamps" in the LAF bench

Making recipes:

Each process is comprised of several steps (referred to as "Layers"). To make a new process click "Create Process" on the main screen to open the process creator, then select the layers to add to the process, click add and then save the new process.

To make a new layer click "Create Layers" on the main screen to open the layer creator. Turn on the desired functions (for example substrate rotation or deposition program) and enter the desired parameters in the white boxes, then click save and enter a new for the layer. The newly made layer should now appear in the list in the process creator.

The ion gun will not operate at arbitrary parameters and care has to be taken to avoid damaging the ion optics.
To choose etching parameters first choose a beam voltage (lower voltage gives gentler etch), then set acceleration voltage to at least 20% of the beam voltage, then set the desired beam current below the maximum indicated in the table below;