About The Shimadzu Institute Nanotechnology Research Center

The University of Texas at Arlington is home to the preeminent university-based nanotechnology research, development and teaching facility in North Texas.

The Nanotechnology Research & Education Center is an interdisciplinary resource open to scientists within and outside of the University. Research activities are conducted through mutually-beneficial associations of chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, materials science and physics faculty, graduate students and research assistants at UTA, as well as collaborative efforts with investigators at other universities and in the private sector.

The Shimadzu Institute Nanotechnology Research Center provides a variety of specialized research and teaching labs. The facility includes a 10,000 square foot, class 100 cleanroom including wet chemical labs. Additional space is devoted to laboratories containing a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), a scanning tunnel microscope (STM), a focus ion beam (FIB), and an E-Beam writer.

Research activities are conducted through mutually beneficial associations of faculty, students and researchers from the departments of chemistry, electrical engineering, mechanical and aerospace engineering, materials science, bioengineering, and physics at the University of Texas at Arlington. Furthermore, the center also hosts research investigators from other universities and industry.

Facility users are dedicated to furthering knowledge and promoting development across all sciences and engineering disciplines in the micrometer and nanometer scale. Among the research topics pursued within the center are:

Healthcare

• Biomedical Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems (Bio-MEMS)

• Optical Bio and Chemical Sensor

• Nanopores and Micropores for molecule and cell identification

Renewable Energy

• Advanced Solar Cell Materials/Energy

• Plasmonic Nanostructures

• Vibrational Energy Harvesting Devices

• Micros-scale Heat Transport/Dissipation/Conversion

Wide Application Sensor Systems

• Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems

• Flexible Nanoelectronics

• Single Electron Devices

• Quasi-Optical Wireless Communication/Radar Components and Systems

• Semiconductor Lasers

Our Instrumentation

Electron Microscopy

is a method for obtaining high resolution images of wide variety of research specimens at high and low magnification without sacrificing depth of focus. It is used in electromechanical research to investigate the detailed structure of cutting edge fabrication processes and forensic research applications, encompassing a diverse range of practical applications. The high resolution of EM images is a proven technique in modern materials science, investigations into nanotubes and nanofibres, high temperature superconductors, mesoporous architectures and alloy strength, all rely heavily on the use of electron microscopy for research and investigation. Researchers from any material science industry, from aerospace, chemistry or electronics and energy usage, have the ability to examine a wide range of materials to help gain insight into the effectiveness of new production and fabrication methods.

Photolithography

is a process used in microfabrication to pattern parts of a thin film or the bulk of a substrate. It uses light to transfer a geometric pattern from a photomask to a light-sensitive chemical "photoresist", or simply "resist," on the substrate. A series of chemical treatments then either engraves the exposure pattern into the material or enables deposition of a new material in the desired pattern upon the material underneath the photo resist. For example, in complex integrated circuits, a modern CMOS wafer will go through the photolithographic cycle up to 50 times.

Ion-beam & Electron-beam lithography

Ion-beam lithography is the practice of scanning a focused beam of ions in a patterned fashion across a surface in order to create very small structures such as integrated circuits or other nanostructures. This technique has been found to be useful for transferring high-fidelity patterns on three-dimensional surfaces. Ion-beam lithography offers higher resolution patterning than UV, X-ray, or electron beam lithography because these heavier particles have more momentum. This gives the ion beam a smaller wavelength than even an e-beam and therefore almost no diffraction. The momentum also reduces scattering in the target and in any residual gas. There is also a reduced potential radiation effect to sensitive underlying structures compared to x-ray and e-beam lithography.

Electron-beam lithography is the practice of scanning a focused beam of electrons to draw custom shapes on a surface covered with an electron-sensitive film called a resist (exposing). The electron beam changes the solubility of the resist, enabling selective removal of either the exposed or non-exposed regions of the resist by immersing it in a solvent (developing). The purpose, as with photolithography, is to create very small structures in the resist that can subsequently be transferred to the substrate material, often by etching. The primary advantage of electron-beam lithography is that it can draw custom patterns (direct-write) with sub-10 nm resolution. This form of maskless lithography has high resolution and low throughput, limiting its usage to photomask fabrication, low-volume production of semiconductor devices, and research and development.

Instrumention Links

Deposition & Growth Platforms

CHA Electron-Beam Evaporator
CHA Electron-Beam Evaporator Solution
AJA ATC ORION Series Evaporation System
Kurt J Lesker (KJL) Lab 18 Sputtering System
LPCVD Nitride-Tystar
Nickel Electroplating Deck
TYSTAR TYTAN Mini 3600
Lindberg Oxidation Furnace
TRION ORION II PECVD/LPCVD System
Neocera Pulsed Laser Deposition Facilities
AJA ATC ORION Series UHV Sputtering System
Home-Built Sputter System
AJA ATC ORION Series Thermal Evaporation System
NRC Thermal Evaporator
Linberg/Blue HTF55000 N-Type, P-Type Diffusion and General Purpose Annealing Furnace
Cressington Gold Sputtering Deposition
Nickel Electroplating

Etching & Ashing Platforms

Diener Electronics Asher
TRION Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) System
NORDSON MARCH PX-1000 Plasma Asher System
Plasma-Therm 500 Plasma Etcher Asher
TRION MINILOCK II RIE System
Technics Macro-RIE Series 8800 Plasma System
Plasma-Therm DSE Etch System
Supercritical Point Dryer
Technics Micro-RIE Series 800 Plasma System

Click the button to view a full listing of our instruments or to schedule instrument use!

All users must have a completed and signed user application before scheduling instrument time.

Nanotechnology Research Center Equipment

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User Information

User Policies

User Fee Schedule

Internal Use Application

Extrenal Use Application

SEM Application

Undergraduate Student Application

SEM FIB Ebeam User Policy

Group Equipment Policy

Equipment Contacts

Equipment PM Schedule

Equipment Status

Cleanroom Rules

Cleanroom Violation Form

Voyager Ebeam Application

Safety Training Materials

Safety Training Schedule

Wet Lab Policy

Nanotechnology Research Center Information Form

Please complete the steps below for access the Nanotechnology Research Facility

1. Project Meeting or Usage Assesment with NanoFAB Staff:

Email to nanofab@uta.edu with availability and project description with the following information:1. Your name and department and the name of your faculty advisor (if applicable).

2. A brief description, in Word format, of your project.

3. A list of materials that you currently have; i.e., samples, lithography masks, glassware, tweezers, etc. Write 'none'?if you have no materials at this time.

4. A timeline for the proposed work. If a timeline does not apply, give an approximate date you would like to start the project.

5. In a PowerPoint presentation, provide details of the processes that you want to accomplish using NanoFab facilities. Use illustrations with the description, especially if you are planning to do fabrication.

2. NRC New User Application Forms

3. Safety & Protocol Training Schedule

4. General Hazcom Online Training

5. Characterization Labs Access & Training

6. Hands-on Chemical Training & Clean Room Access

Hands-on Chemical Training & Clean Room Access

9:15 AM to 12 PM

Meet in NanoFAB’s 1st Floor Lobby no later than 9:15 AM

Offered on 3rd and 4th Tuesdays or Wednesdays (alternating) of Every Month*. Please see the Training Schedule.

Requirements:
Registration, Approved Application, NanoFAB Safety & Protocol Training, Successful Completion of the NanoFab Safety Exam and the General HAZCOM Training.
Send an email at least 3 working days in advance with your name, current email address, department, faculty advisor's name, and the desired session to nanofab@uta.edu.
Items to bring with you:
Safety glasses, Mav ID, proper glassware, Chemical Training for NanoFAB

7. Photolithography Training

8. Equipment Reservation and Status

Equipment Reservation Rules!

Reserve for the time needed up to the maximum time allowed. If in unusualcircumstances you need it for longer than the maximum hours allowed, contact the staff member in-charge to reserve the equipment for you online.

Only one slot can be reserved for any piece of equipment. It must be utilized or cancelled before booking another slot.

If your plan changes, cancel your reservation.

If you are more than 20 minutes late for your reserved slot, other users have the right to use. If you are taking over another persons slot because he is late, please send an email to nanofab@uta.edu staff member in-charge of that equipment before starting to use the equipment.

Do not reserve for the others.

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Visit The Center

Shimadzu Institute Nanotechnology Research Center at The University Of Texas at Arlington

The center is located on the UTA campus at

Nanofab Building (NANO)
500 South Cooper St.
Arlington, TX 76019- 0065

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About The Shimadzu Institute Nanotechnology Research Center

Our Instrumentation

Electron Microscopy

Photolithography

Ion-beam & Electron-beam lithography

Instrumention Links

Metrology & Inspection Platforms

Dicing, Wire & Wafer Bonding Platforms

Deposition & Growth Platforms

Etching & Ashing Platforms

Lithography & Pattern Printing Platforms

Anealing & Heating Platforms

Electrical Testing Platforms

Click the button to view a full listing of our instruments or to schedule instrument use!

User Information

Nanotechnology Research Center Information Form

Please complete the steps below for access the Nanotechnology Research Facility

Equipment Reservation Rules!

Visit The Center

Shimadzu Institute Nanotechnology Research Center at The University Of Texas at Arlington