Multi Chamber Deposition - Henry Royce Institute

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Overview

The Royce Deposition System at the University of Leeds is a multi-chamber, multi-technique facility for thin film growth. Comprised of four deposition chambers connected via ultra-high vacuum transfer chambers, the Royce Deposition System allows for different deposition techniques to be combined. The mission of this Technology Platform is to create multi-layered thin film exploiting interfaces between different types of materials. These interfaces open up new physics and the possibility of new functions for devices.

A key global challenge is to make computing and data storage more energy efficient; we need to reduce the power consumption and associated carbon emissions of our growing digital infrastructure. Current research using the Deposition System studies the physics of thin film-based materials and devices for low-energy computing. The Multi-chamber Deposition Technology Platform is integrated in the Atoms to Devices research theme within Royce.

KEY CAPABILITIES:

Four connected deposition chambers
Preparation chamber with heater and ion miller
Sample sizes up to 2 inch wafers
Substrate temperature from -100°C to 1200°C
Load locks for fast sample turnaround
UHV transfer chambers allow advanced heterostructures to be grown using multiple chambers and techniques
Vacuum suitcase allows transfers to P-NAME (Manchester) for single-ion implantation

SCHEMATIC:

Technology Platform Lead

Philippa Shepley is an Experimental Officer at the University of Leeds. She is based in the Condensed Matter group in the School of Physics and Astronomy, and is a member of the Bragg Centre for Materials Research.

Philippa has a background in physics and materials research with an MPhys degree from the University of Liverpool, a PhD in experimental condensed matter physics from the University of Leeds, and experience from postdoctoral research projects.

Philippa’s expertise includes thin film growth and characterisation with her own research interests focusing mainly on magnetic and ferroelectric materials. Philippa manages the Royce Deposition System and is closely involved with the academic and industrial research that uses the system.

Capability

The Royce Technology Platform for Multi-Chamber Deposition includes a preparation chamber and four deposition chambers linked together via UHV transfer systems, allowing for a range of different materials and growth techniques to be combined. Understanding the properties of interfaces between different types of materials holds the key to designing novel electronic and computing devices.

The Royce Deposition System is the only one of its kind in the world, with five interconnected chambers under UHV for preparation and thin film growth allowing for growth of different classes of materials, deposited by a range of techniques.

Topological Insulator Molecular Beam Epitaxy

This chamber is for the epitaxial growth of thin film topological insulators and topological superconductors. The system allows a wide range of alloys with precise stoichiometry aided by two high-temperature cracker cells.

Four dual-filament effusion cells for deposition of materials such as bismuth selenide
Low temperature effusion cell for deposition of low melting point metals such as indium
Two valved-corrosive-metal-cracker-cells for precise stoichiometric control over materials such as antimony and tellurium
In-situ RHEED to monitor epitaxial growth
Substrate temperature range -100° to 1200°C

Organics Molecular Beam Epitaxy

This system has been purpose built for the deposition of a wide range of molecular and organic materials such as fullerenes, metallo-fullerenes, pthalocyanines and quinolines. Combined with an e-beam evaporator, this enables the growth of hybrid metal-organic devices with multiple organic components.

Four low temperature effusion cells for precisely controlled evaporation of organic molecules
Four pocket e-beam evaporation system for growth of metals
DC/RF magnetron sputtering gun for growth of metals and metal-oxides
Substrate temperature range from -100° to 1200°C

Pulsed Laser Deposition

This chamber is designed for the growth of complex oxides, including dielectrics such as STO, ferroelectrics and multi-ferroics.

Multi-target system for growth of complex multi-layers
KrF, 248 nm pulsed laser
In-situ RHEED to monitor epitaxial growth
Sample temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C

Sputtering

This system is dedicated to the development of complex multi-layer structures for research into fundamental magnetism and skyrmions, and growth of magnetic oxides such as YIG for development of spin-pumping devices.

Eight DC/RF-magnetron sputter sources providing a wide range of magnetic and non-magnetic metals
Off-axis sputter source for low-energy deposition onto sensitive materials
Sample temperature range from -100° to 1200°C