- Shaping nanostructures below the 10 nm scale
- Equilibar's new vacuum regulator promises extreme stability
- Innovative platens from Tyco generate uniform heat under vacuum
- ArcelorMittal inaugurates vacuum plasma steel coating line
- New vacuum controller suitable for variety of lab tasks
- Westinghouse’s new vacuum annealing furnace to process zirconium tubes
- Swagelok Company announces Japan growth strategy


Shaping nanostructures below the 10 nm scale
Sophisticated optical lithography techniques have been developed by the semiconductor industry to pack more and more transistors onto chips. On the road to a billion transistors per chip, Intel has already developed transistors so small that 200 million of them could fit on the head of a pin.

That’s not small enough to satisfy researchers, who are pushing further down, hoping to be able one day to reliably (and affordably) control surface features as small as 1 nm. With today's technology, cost-effective fabrication in the sub-50 nm range is a major challenge. Given the advanced development of nano-lithography it is not surprising that various forms of it are the most common techniques used by nanotechnology researchers for manipulating sub-100 nm surface features.

With the current state of optical lithography it appears that traditional commercial lithography techniques will not be cost effective below 30 nm. State-of-the-art electron beam lithography (EBL) has been proved to be capable of delivering resolution in the 10 nm range. Unfortunately, EBL is slow, very expensive and it is very unlikely that it can effectively go below 10 nm. The same limitations hold for x-rays and focused ion beams (FIBs), with additional tremendous difficulties in developing equipment for beam manipulation and focusing on nanometer scales. The semiconductor industry will continue to use optical lithography for one or two more CMOS generations and then probably use some form of next-generation lithography technology to scale even further down. Beyond that, quantum devices and molecular computing will be developed based on entirely new fabrication technology.

However, for everyday work in a typical nano-science lab, researchers dealing with nanoscale structures below 10 nm need tools now to be able to reliably manipulate these structures in order to conduct the basic research today that will lead to more sophisticated structures and devices tomorrow.

Because it is unlikely that in the nearest future existing techniques will be capable of delivering reliable and affordable sub-10 nm resolution, researchers in Finland have considered an alternative: further reduction of dimensions by post-processing of nanostructures obtained by conventional methods.

"We have developed a new approach based on low energetic wide ion beam etching to reduce the dimensions of various types of micro-objects and nano-objects in a predictable and well-controlled way" says Konstantin Arutyunov. "The method is complementary to other nanofabrication processes and can be used to obtain state-of-the-art small nanostructures or/and to study size phenomena on a single sample with progressively reduced dimension(s)."

Arutyunov is a researcher at the Nanoscience Center of the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. Together with colleagues from the center he reports a new approach for progressive and well-controlled downsizing of nanostructures below the 10 nm scale in the January 14, 2008 online edition of Nanotechnology ("Ion beam shaping and downsizing of nanostructures"). The Finnish researchers use a low energetic ion beam (Ar+) for gentle surface erosion, progressively shrinking the dimensions with ~1 nm accuracy.

The method was primarily developed for academic research, in which the development of quantum size phenomena has been studied down to sub-10 nm dimensions. SPM image showing evolution of an aluminium nanowire after sessions of ion beam sputtering. The nanowire is scaled down with 1 keV Ar+ beam using rotating sample stage tilted at 40° with respect to the beam axis. One can observe the polishing effect coming from the ion beam treatment.

As silicon substrate is sputtered faster than aluminium, the metallic wire is finally located at the top of the silicon pedestal.

"Our method enables shaping of the nanostructure geometry and polishing of the surface" explains Arutyunov. "The process is clean room/high vacuum compatible being suitable for various applications. Apart from technological advantages, the method enables the study of various size phenomena on the same sample between sessions of ion beam treatment."

Arutyunov points out that their technique can be utilized for a wide variety of materials whenever there is a need to reduce the size or/and reshape nanostructures in a controllable and homogeneous way.

"We believe that the method can be used also for industrial applications" says Arutyunov. "Naturally, the level of integration of microcomponents or nanocomponents cannot be increased by the downsizing. However, in particular applications, where the extreme small dimensions or/and high aspect ratio are an issue, the approach might appear to be useful. High accuracy of the sputtering rate (as low as 1 nm per minute) and compatibility of the process with high vacuum and clean room requirements make it a powerful tool for future development of various nanoelectronic applications."

http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=4201.php

SOURCE: Nanowerk


Equilibar's new vacuum regulator promises extreme stability

According to Equilibar, the company's new Equilibar Vacuum Regulator provides more than 5 times the flow stability of traditional spring regulators, providing a constant vacuum process across varying gas flow changes.

The unit is actually two vacuum regulators in one, with a small pilot regulator controlling a larger regulator below. The highly sensitive 20-turn regulator lets users generate set-point pressure. Taken together, the two regulators provide highly sensitive and stable control with all the simplicity and convenience of standard vacuum regulators.

The advantage of this setup, according to Equilibar, is that the customer can have the precision and sensitivity of a vacuum regulator under ideal (no-flow) conditions with the advantage of having a larger regulator rated for higher flow rates, and also made of chemically resistant materials.

Existing products don’t have a good option for high precision under widely varying gas flow rates. Equilibar has designed their regulator to be used in processes where steady-state vacuum is a must, such as coating and cryogenics.

With one moving part, and with just one inlet and one outlet, the regulator directly modulates the applied vacuum without having to bleed air into the vacuum system. It can be precisely controlled from 0-27 in Hg. For convenience, the regulator can be installed between the vacuum pump and the process.

Equilibar based the Vacuum Regulator on patented technology used in their Back Pressure Regulator, a new vacuum regulator that can precisely match vacuum process requirements by using signal pressure.

The Equilibar Vacuum Regulator is available in SS316 and PTFE bodies and Viton and PTFE diaphragms for aggressive chemistries.

http://www.smalltimes.com/display_article/318192/109/ARTCL/none/none/1/Equilibar's-new-vacuum-regulator-promises-extreme-stability/

SOURCE: Equilibar


Innovative platens from Tyco generate uniform heat under vacuum


Isopad, a specialist provider of customized heating solutions for industry, has developed radiant heating platens which offer manufacturers of thin-film photovoltaic cells the opportunity to make significantly larger cells—and lower the cost per watt of energy generated.

The solution has been achieved by embedding mineral insulated (MI) heating cable into the panels onto which the substrate is positioned. These deliver reliable and uniform heat under vacuum for deposition and lamination processes. The company claims to have gotten positive results, and platens of more than 4 m2—the largest in the industry—have already gone into service with major manufacturers of plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposition (PECVD) and lamination equipment.

In addition to radiant panels, Isopad also offers the vacuum process industry silicone jackets for gas lines and filters. Isopad is a brand of Tyco Thermal Controls, headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., for industrial electric heating solutions up to 1000°C.

http://www.azobuild.com/news.asp?newsID=5115

SOURCES: AZoBuild, Semiconductor Today


ArcelorMittal inaugurates vacuum plasma steel coating line


This month, global steel maker ArcelorMittal introduced Arceo, its industrial prototype for a vacuum plasma steel coating line located in Liège, Belgium.

The breakthrough technology, developed as a world first in partnership with the Walloon Region, will open up a host of new uses for flat steel products. With the new process steel can be a sensor, a reflector, a source of light, an anti-bacterial or self-cleaning surface, or just simply more aesthetic or endowed with better anti-corrosive properties.

The vacuum plasma process was developed with the health of the environment in mind. It does not use solvents or chemical preparations; neither does it generate effluents or gases that require treatment. Furthermore, it enables the production of environmentally friendly products that allow for sustainable development.

After successfully developing the first investment phase, Christophe Cornier, EVP Flat Carbon Western Europe, announced the launch of a second phase specifically devoted to increasing the anti-corrosive properties of steel.

“ArcelorMittal can be proud of its faith in this project. Developments so far have proved that the process is robust and respectful of the environment. Several tests are currently being carried out for clients interested in the process,” says Cornier.

http://www.azom.com/news.asp?newsID=11111

SOURCE: A to Z of Materials


New vacuum controller suitable for variety of lab tasks


Starting this week, John Morris Scientific is carrying Vacuubrand’s new generation vacuum controller, the CVC 3000. The CVC 3000 features a corrosion resistant, gas type independent vacuum sensor and Vacuubus communication technology.

The CVC 3000 is designed for rotary evaporation, vacuum concentration, vacuum drying, gel drying, general distillations and even filtration.

The digital display comes with analogue trend indication and features an intuitive settings menu. The controller is able to control vacuum, cooling water for solvent recovery systems and venting of the vacuum system. A 10-place program memory allows users to preset parameters for repeat jobs. The software further includes presets for common applications like vacuum drying or filtration. When combined with VARIO NT pumps, the CVC 3000 detects the optimum process pressure and tracks process parameter changes.

Vacuubus technology ensures automatic pump, valve and gauge head recognition. Data communication is possible via the integrated RS-232C serial interface.

http://www.johnmorris.com.au/ssl/store/

SOURCE: John Morris Scientific


Westinghouse’s new vacuum annealing furnace to process zirconium tubes


Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant in Blairsville, Penn., has purchased a high vacuum retort annealing furnace from Seco Warwick to process zirconium tubes. Westinghouse is increasing their plant capacity to meet the needs of customers in both China and the United States.

The Vacuum Annealing furnace is custom-engineered to meet tight uniformity hot zone standards. The furnace is rated for 649ºC and will be equipped with a cold cap high vacuum diffusion pump.

http://www.azom.com/news.asp?newsID=11140

http://www.secowarwick.com/

SOURCE: Westinghouse


Swagelok Company announces Japan growth strategy


Swagelok Company’s authorized distributors in Japan will be combining to form one single organization named Nippon Swagelok FST, Inc. The new entity will become Swagelok’s largest independent distributorship in the world with more than 25 sales offices and 350 associates countrywide.

“Japan is our second largest market,” says Arthur F. Anton, president and CEO of Swagelok Company, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. “We foresee major growth in this market by leveraging our resources, enhancing our customer service offerings and strengthening our market presence in Japan.”

Tatsuya Tamura, president of Koshinetsu Valve & Fitting Inc., one of Swagelok’s current distributors in Japan, will become managing director of Nippon Swagelok FST. Prior to his appointment at Koshinetsu V&F in 2001, Tamura spent 25 years with Nichimen Corporation, a leading Japanese trading company (currently Sojitz Corporation), where he most recently was assistant general manager responsible for chemical and petro-chemical investment projects in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Swagelok Japan, Inc., a subsidiary of Swagelok Company since 1976 and located in Nishinomiya, will support the new distributorship and continue to develop fluid systems solutions for Asia and the rest of the world.

For more information, go to: www.swagelok.com.

- CVD diamond key to nuclear fusion efficiency?
- Nanotubes and computers move closer
- Manufacturing hurdles remain for mainstream LED
- Patent for bulk gallium substrates to drop costs
- New epitaxy machine the first of its kind
- Global PVD market booming
- Organic transistors and memory to reach $21.6 billion by 2015


CVD diamond key to nuclear fusion efficiency?


An advanced diamond deposition tool from a Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has been installed recently at Heriot-Watt Univ., Edinburgh, UK. The machine, a Model 650 hot filament CVD diamond deposition reactor from sp3 Diamond Technologies Inc. will aid the Heriot-Watt team in its research to develop technologies for withstanding the immense heat of nuclear fusion reactions. These temperatures are comparable to that existing on the sun, and the Model 650 will be used to protect reactor walls by coating them with a layer of grown diamond.

Heriot-Watt is seen as playing a vital role in the Euro International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) program, a €10 billion research project aimed at developing waste-free nuclear energy without contributing to global warming.

As part of that research, Heriot-Watt has proposed that diamond-coated substrates, because of they’re ability to withstand extreme heat in next generation fusion reactors, will be useful in lining the diverter wall of the reactor. Resistance to radiation and its ability to maintain chemical stability in the presence of hydrogen plasmas were also seen as fundamental characteristics of diamond as a material of choice.

“We believe we are entering an age when the unparalleled qualities of diamond are coming to the fore and we will see more and more applications adopting it as a material of choice,” says Dwain Aidala, sp3's president and COO. “The key to that adoption is the ability to offer large scale thin film diamond deposition and to be able to do that cost-effectively. The patented technology and key engineering in the Model 650 enables both and, as we see it, the reactor is a catalyst to larger scale adoption of CVD diamond in multiple market segments.”

sp3’s Model 650 is designed for large-area deposition of polycrystalline diamond films with a thickness of between 200 nm and 50 µm on a wide variety of substrate materials. The chemical vapor deposition technology is useful for applications such as diamond on wafers in sizes up to 300mm, wear coatings, substrates for thermal management, amorphous silicon deposition for solar cells and other products, electrodes for water treatment and electrochemistry, passivation layers for semiconductor chucks, as well as cutting tools.

The idea of applying this technology to nuclear fusion reactors is a novel approach. The possibilities of nuclear fusion are tantalizing—cheap fuel supply, no air pollution or nuclear waste, and no risk of uncontrolled reactions—but the practical problems of achieving a workable system are considerable. One issue is simply containing the fusion plasma itself, and the Heriot-Watt team, working with colleagues in University College, London, UK, aims to address the pressing problem of wall erosion in fusion reactors. Where the ionised gases touch the container walls the combination of high temperatures and high fluxes of charged and neutral species erode any conventional wall materials. In prototype fusion reactors some internal walls are lined with carbon composite tiles similar to those found on the edges of space shuttle’s wings or the brakes of jet aircraft. This material may not withstand the enormously hot plasmas envisaged for the next generation of commercial fusion reactors, and erosion of the tiles would mean frequent close-downs to replace eroded tiles.

The Diamond Research Group at Heriot-Watt University has developed a unique method of growing diamond film at relatively low pressure and temperature, using gases to lay down the material in a plasma. The group, led by Phil John and John Wilson, plans to add a diamond coating to the inner wall of the nuclear fusion reactors of the future.

“Clearly the use of natural diamond would be both impractical and prohibitively expensive, but our process allows for the production of sheets of artificial diamond at relatively low temperature and pressure. Coating the tiles with diamond would allow the prototype reactor to operate for longer periods before renewal of the tiles,” says Wilson.

The project, worth £1.4 million, is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council with financial support from UKAEA Culham and two UK manufacturers of carbon tiles, Dunlop Aerospace Ltd and Morganite Ltd. The Heriot-Watt team is working in conjunction with materials modellers at University College London (UCL), Dorothy Duffy and Marshall Stoneham, who are studying the physical and chemical changes undergone by the diamond when bombarded by nuclear particles. Their contributions will assist the ITER program in demonstrating the scientific and technical feasibility of fusion power with a prototype fusion reactor to be constructed in Cadarache in the South of France by 2016. The partners in the project are the European Union, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, India, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the U.S.

“The overall challenges involved in producing energy by nuclear fusion are huge, but if we can help to overcome the problem of wall erosion with the aid of diamond coating then we will have made an important contribution to the energy needed by a world facing up to the effects of environmental change,” says Prof. Wilson.

SOURCES: sp3 Diamond Technologies Inc., Heriot-Watt Univ.



Nanotubes and computers move closer


Computers and electronic devices of the future will use technologies not currently available. One hotly anticipated example is the use of carbon nanotubes as interconnects for computer chips. This one-time fantasy is now a step closer to reality with new work from nanotechnology researchers within the Materials Ireland Polymer Research Centre at Trinity College Dublin.

Previous work to develop such junction structure nanotubes used various different methods but this study embraced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as it allows in situ patterning of these structures. The researchers, Rory W. Leahy, Emer Lahiff, Andrew I. Minett and Werner J. Blau used a simple method of growing controllable densities of interconnect type multiwall nanotubes with high proportions of Y-junction and multiple junction nanotubes across etched patterns, using a simple catalyst preparation.

Their research work has been released as part of a special edition of the open access journal, AZoJono, and outlines a method for growing ordered arrays of interconnect type multi-walled nanotubes with the ability to fine tune the proportion of junction structures through control of initial conditions and processing parameters such as trench width and reaction temperature. The results and methodologies of their research is available here: http://www.azonano.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=2036

SOURCE: AZoJono



Manufacturing hurdles remain for mainstream LED


LED component volumes have been driven mainly by mobile phone sales recently, showing a remarkable annual compound growth rate (CAGR) of more than 45% per year. Because of the strong pressure on component prices, however, revenue growth has been moderate: only 8% CAGR over the last 2 years. Yole Developpement and EPIC recently co-authored a report that took a closer look at efforts to break this profit barrier in ultra-high brightness LED (UHB-LED) manufacturing. The market research firms identified key ongoing technologies that will help LEDs generate more light than heat and finally take the competitive lead in lighting markets. These include:

• New substrate materials
• Laser Lift-Off
• Temporary Bonding
• Transparent top contacts
• Binning
• Surface Texturing
• Phosphor composition and deposition

Specific techniques using advanced deposition methods—such as nanopatterning using deep reaction-ion etching—will be crucial in narrowing the gap. These new methods will help overcome critical deficiencies, such as the so-called “green gap” which has resulted in the absence of UHB-LEDs at the 555 nm wavelength.

“It is now clear that LED market needs to expand into new and profitable sectors with higher margins. We believe that this growth will come from three additional application areas: automotive lighting, architectural lighting and general illumination, in addition to the LCD backlighting market,” says Philippe Roussel senior analyst at Yole Développement, in charge of compound semiconductor activity.

To capture the profits in these application sectors, significant improvements are needed in LED performance, especially in dollar/lumen and in lumens/watt at full power. New approaches manufacturing technologies are required at all levels—materials, design, front-end, back-end and packaging—in order to profit from the potential of (UHB-LED).

“Recent announcements from LED manufacturers show very impressive results on the lm/W efficiency parameter. 150 lm/W has been proved in laboratory, but only at low-current, (<20mA) low-power operation,” reports EPIC Secretary General Tom Pearsall.

The difficulty in obtaining both high power and high efficiency simultaneously underscores the immediate need for dramatic improvements in manufacturing technologies. Today, no more than 70 lm/W has been demonstrated with high-power LEDs (> 1 Watt). In other words, LEDs still lag behind the performance of fluorescent lamps for general lighting applications. Today, high power LEDs are generating on the average 75% heat versus only 25% light. Several parameters have to be dramatically improved, such as:

• Internal quantum efficiency
• Electrical losses
• Extraction efficiency
• Phosphor conversion and optics quality

LEDs have a natural advantage in automotive outdoor and backlighting, but a new business model is needed to penetrate the general lighting sector where fluorescent light remains a strong competitor. Today, the incandescent lighting business generates revenues because 30% of the installed base is replaced every year and the manufacturing infrastructure has been amortized for many years. Industry needs to solve the challenge of building a growing market of lighting products with a quasi-infinite lifetime while developing mass production methods for the next-generation of UHB-LED.

SOURCE: Yole Développement



Patent for bulk gallium substrates to drop costs


Technologies and Devices International, Inc., Silver Spring, Md., has recently been awarded the latest in a series of patents that cover new production equipment for the manufacturing of low-defect nitride semiconductor materials, particularly bulk gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) substrates.

This newest patent pertains to a crystal growth machine for the fabrication of GaN and AlGaN single crystal materials using a modified hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) process. This new production tool allows a long-lasting high-growth rate process for GaN and AlGaN single crystal materials. GaN substrates are required for the fabrication of high-performance blue and green light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), while AlGaN substrates are needed for optoelectronic devices operating in the ultraviolet (UV) optical spectral region.

“This equipment will enable significant improvements in quality, stability and efficiency of crystal growth technology,” says Vladimir Dmitriev, president and CEO of TDI.

Fabrication of low-cost low-defect GaN substrates, he continues, is the key for rapid penetration of solid state lighting in the global lighting market, and the new technology is intended for multi-wafer applications.

The patent adds to TDI’s intellectual property portfolio which includes more than 30 issued and pending U.S. and international patents and covers crystal growth methods, growth equipment, and materials invented at TDI for various compound semiconductor materials as well as various epitaxial device structures.

TDI has developed and commercialized a variety of compound semiconductor materials, primarily for applications in solid-state lighting, short wavelength optoelectronics and radio frequency power electronics.

SOURCE: Technologies and Devices International, Inc.



New epitaxy machine the first of its kind


The installation of the world’s first nitride molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) production machine for the handling of multi-wafers of 100 mm or single wafers of 200 mm was recently completed at the joint Riber/CNRS laboratory in Sophia-Antipolis, France.

The machine will be used to produce electronic components based on gallium nitride (GaN), and has started its qualification phase for production. Called the MBE49GaN, the device benefits from recent technical advances which enable the combination of high performance epi-wafers and a high level of productivity.

The development began with a Compact21 GaN machine that was used for R&D work on Riber’s GaN processes. The work, which was done jointly by Riber, Bezons, France, and CNRS, concentrated on two main areas: radio frequency (RF) components such as high mobility electron transistors (HEMT), and optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or lasers.

The development of RF devices allowed significant improvements for the HEMT processes, which led to the eventual specifications for the MBE49GaN. The work on the optoelectronic devices was carried out as part of a research program founded by the Agence National de la Recherche (ANR) called the DEMONI project. This effort, which started at the beginning of 2007, focused on development of a production process for white monolithic LEDs.

The market outlook for the electronic components produced from this machine includes:

• Radio-frequencies communication for roaming communications products ;
• Power electronics for industrial products and mass market ;
• Lighting with white LEDs.

In addition to the R&D work, the Riber/CNRS laboratory is also used for demonstrating GaN processes to Riber’s customers. The Riber Group specializes in MBE production machines.

SOURCE: Riber Group



Global PVD market booming


BCC Research, a Wellesley, Mass.-based market research firm, has taken a close look at the future of the physical vapor deposition (PVD) marketplace and projects that it will come close to doubling in the next five years. The world PVD industry is an estimated $9 billion in 2007 and will be $9.9 billion in 2008. It should reach $16.7 billion by 2013, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% over the five-year period.

BCC Research Projects Global PVD Market to Grow 11% over Next 5 Years The market is broken down into applications of PVD equipment, materials deposited and services. Of these segments, the PVD equipment will remain the largest market as shipments grow at a CAGR of 9.6% to reach an estimated $7.1 billion in 2008 and then increase to $11.9 billion in 2013, at a CAGR of 10.9%.

Materials deposited hold the second largest share of the market. Worth an estimated $1.3 billion in 2007, this segment is expected to be worth $1.5 billion in 2008 and $2.7 billion in 2013, a CAGR of 12.4% over the forecast period. The value of services will increase from $1.2 billion in 2007 to $1.3 billion in 2008, and will increase at a CAGR of 9.9% to reach $2.0 billion by 2013. The microelectronics industry, encompassing semiconductors, components and flat panel displays, represent the largest market for PVD equipment, materials and services. The growth of materials in microelectronics will be driven by the demand for dielectric and barrier films, seed layers, and nanofilms.

Data storage is still a rapidly growing industry and PVD equipment shipments are scheduled to grow throughout the forecast period, driven by the need for flexible storage and nanofilms in this industry.

Energy also is playing a major role in the growth of PVD equipment. PVD used to deposit thin films on solar cells and other materials on glass substrates will drive the growth of PVD equipment. The flexible substrates required for many new solar technologies are amenable to deposition by the PVD process.

SOURCE: BCC Research



Organic transistors and memory to reach $21.6 billion by 2015


The growing demand for flexible, large area electronic circuitry from pa