Doping Materials and Device Fabrication

At the heart of the doping materials and device fabrication technology platform sits the innovative tool, the Platform for Nanoscale Advanced Materials Engineering (PNAME). PNAME is a novel co-beam tool utilising the implantation capabilities of a liquid metal ion source (LMIG) and the positioning accuracy of an SEM. A range of LMIG sources have been developed in collaboration with the NAME programme grant that gives us access to a wide range of ions of interest with a diverse range of applications including spintronics and quantum information devices. Our current selection of ions of interest include Bi, Sb, Au, Er, Ge, Cu, Nd, Mn, Sn, Si, In and Co.

The tool’s ion mass separating Wien filter enables the emission from these sources to be filtered and for implantation of single isotopes of the desired ion. The ability to switch between various ions and isotopes allows for more complex, multistep implantations to be realised.

The beam of these ions is then condensed and focused with resolution of sub-20nm and currents of up to 10nA. The system can be run in two modes: localised area implantation or deterministic implantation.

Technology Platform Lead

Maddison Coke is currently a Senior Technical Specialist at the University of Manchester.

After obtaining an MSci in Chemistry from Imperial College London, she moved to the London Centre for Nanotechnology at the University of Central London to undertake a PhD with Prof Paul Warburton in the electronic properties of zinc oxide and related materials grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. After successfully obtaining her PhD, she then went to work as an Experimental Officer at the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester, focusing on plasma deposition and etching in their state of the art cleanrooms. From here she moved to the Photon Science Institute to work as a senior technical specialist with Prof Richard Curry on the Platform for nanoscale advanced materials engineering with a focus on atomic scale manipulation and detection for applications ranging from Quantum computing to topological insulators.

Capability

The Doping Materials and Device Fabrication Platform sits within the University of Manchester’s Photon Science Institute and supports research aligned with the Royce Research Area for Atoms to Devices.

Localised Area Implantation

For localised area implantation doses as high as 1E19/cm2 can be achieved, and when combined with the SEM capabilities, the implantation of pre-existing device architecture ie nanowire devices or implantation on randomly distributed nanostructures (quantum dots) can be accomplished.

Deterministic Implantation

Single-ion implantation is available with deterministic implantation utilising high-gain electron detectors. These can be positioned into arrays, where the resolution is determined by the spot size of the beam itself. Key to utilisation of the various modes is the expertise of using the tool, which has been developed over the years to provide hands-on knowledge of beam dynamics and experiment design.

Additional Features

Additional features of the chamber also include the capabilities for in-situ electrical measurements and vacuum suitcase compatibility. Alongside PNAME within the platform, there is also rapid thermal annealing (RTA) capabilities to aid recrystallisation post-implantation under a variety of atmospheres including argon and nitrogen.

PNAME sits within the NAME programme grant that supports multiple postgraduate research projects across the UoM and beyond, including PhD students. Our objective is to provide new world-leading capabilities and realise designer materials for quantum technologies and in doing so, shape the UK and international advanced functional materials landscape.