NanoWiki

User Tools

Site Tools

Trace: • z-400
z-400

This is an old revision of the document!

Table of Contents

Description

The Leybold Z-400 is an RF diode sputtering system equipped with 3 3“ targets. It has a background pressure of 1e-6 mbar and a deposition pressure of ca. 3e-2 - 8e-2 mbar. The 2 substrate tables are water cooled and can hold substrates up to 3”. The system is equipped with 3-channel gas blending for Ar, N2 and O2. H2S can also be mixed in. The turbo pumping system is automated. The substrate tables can be RF-biassed for RF bias sputtering or ion etching.

Manual

WARNING! there is only 1 way to damage the Z-400, that is by changing the HV target selector while HV is on. This will destroy the klystron tube and literally explode the capacitors surrounding it resulting in many months of downtime due to the very long delivery time of these expensive components.

Contact me if the target you need is not in the system.

Switch off the pumps

  1. Check that the mass flow controller valve is closed (indicated by Close in the software).
  2. Close the green valve while holding the tubing (until the arrow points in the middle of the red marker). It needs to be tight, the valve has a end stop.
  3. Verify that cooling water is switched off (blue shower button is not illuminated).
  4. Check that the HV is off (two on/off buttons) and the power supply is off (red turning knob).
  5. Switch off turbo and rotary pump (1 switch).

Vent the chamber

  1. Decelerate the turbo by slowly venting to 5 mbar using the needle valve and closing it at 5 mbar. WAIT 5 MINUTES.
  2. Now, vent the chamber completely to atmospheric pressure and close the vent valve.
  3. Open the flip-top lid.

Mount substrates

  1. The right substrate table is preferred, use the one at the left if needed.
  2. You can use silver paint for thermal contact (dry time: >15 minutes), remove sample with a thin Gilette™ razor when you're done and clean substrate table with acetone.
  3. SEM stubs with samples on them can be loaded on the right table if your sample is not too thick (1 mm max).

Pump down

  1. Close the flip-top lid.
  2. Open the rotary pump valve ('Vor-Vakuum' button).
  3. When the pressure drops below 1e-2 mbar, open the green valve (use both hands) to keep the gas line clean.
  4. Pump down to the desired pressure (but always <1e-5 mbar).

Sputter

  1. Note background pressure in logbook.
  2. Switch on cooling water (blue button).
  3. Manual Process
    1. Select target with HV target selector knob (left of the chamber).
    2. Switch on power supply (red turning knob). It takes 2 minutes for the RF generator to warm up.
    3. Check the timings and positions for the (pre) sputtering, note this in the logbook.
    4. Set the target to the pre sputter position.
    5. Set the Argon flow setpoint (using the software, usually around 30-50 sccm) and set the MFC valve to 'Normal'.
    6. Check that the desired pressure is reached (typically 5E-3 mbar), if not adjust the flow accordingly.
    7. Set the DC voltage meter to 1 kV full scale (right display).
    8. Turn the HV setpoint to zero (black knob on power supply).
    9. Turn HV on (two on/off buttons).
    10. Set 500 V RF (2nd display from the left, 5 kV scale).
    11. Increase the flow setpoint temporarily to 75 sscm and check that the pressure rises.
    12. Wait until the plasma ignites (right display shows non-zero value).
    13. Quickly check that the ignited target is at pre sputter position (look through window, purple glow at front position).
    14. Next set the flow to the original value and check that the pressure stabilises at 5E-3 mbar.
    15. Set the DC potential to the desired value (typically 1 kV).
    16. With the pressure and the plasma stable, start your process (pre sputtering, sputtering with the correct timings and positions).
    17. When the process is finished (ignited target again at pre sputter position) set the HV setpoint to zero.
    18. Switch off HV (red HV off button).
    19. If you want to sputter a different material now, redo the procedure from step I.
  4. Automated Process (currently not implemented)
    1. …
    2. …
    3. …

End

  1. Close the MFC ('Close' button in software, read dialog, press OK).
  2. Switch off HV power supply (left red turning knob).
  3. Switch off cooling water.
  4. Check that the mass flow controller valve is closed (indicated in the software by 'Vlv: C').
  5. Close green valve (use both hands).
  6. Let the cooled substrates warm up before venting the chamber with N2 (see start of the manual).

Target Materials

The following materials are available:

  • Ag
  • Al
  • Al2O3
  • Au
  • Co
  • Cr
  • Cu
  • Cu99Bi0.5
  • Fe
  • FeGe
  • GdNi
  • Hf
  • ITO
  • MoGe
  • Mo
  • Nb
  • NbGe
  • Ni
  • Pt
  • Py
  • Si
  • Si3N4
  • SiO2
  • SiO2 Cu
  • Ta
  • TaCu
  • Ti
  • W

Deposition rates

These are the most recent deposition rates, visit Z-400 Deposition Rates for the full list. From March 2014 onwards please use the pressure as the primary process parameter instead of the flow!

Material Date User Pressure DC Potential Flow Time Measurement Result Rate Notes
Cr 20141111 Boltje 3E-5 mbar 1 kV 48 sccm 80 s X-Ray 12.8 nm 9.6 nm/min
Cu99.5Bi0.5 20150429 Boltje 3E-5 mbar 1 kV 50 sccm 120 s X-Ray 22.0 nm 11.0 nm/min
Ni 20140325 Boltje 3E-5 mbar 1 kV xx sccm 5 min X-Ray 43.5 nm 8.70 nm/min
SiO2 20131114 Boltje 5E-3 mbar 1 kV 38 sccm 5 min X-Ray 15.4 nm 3.08 nm/min
Si 20150422 Boltje 5E-3 mbar 1 kV 49 sccm 3 min X-Ray 23.0 nm 7.66 nm/min
Al 20151007 Timothy 4.9E-3 mbar 1kV 49 sccm 3 min X-Ray 30.0 nm 10.0 nm/min
Ti 20160428 Annette 5.1E-3 mbar 1kV 49 sccm 10 minprofilometer30 nm 3.0 nm/min
Py 20170220 Casper 4.8E-3 mbar 1kV 49 sccm xx min X-ray 585 nm 7.8 nm/min
MoGe 20170327 Jean-Pierre 4.9E-3 mbar 1kV 49 sccm 25 min Profilometer 137 nm 5.5 nm/min

Old rates:

Material Date User Process parameters Measurement Result Rate
Al 20120522 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 148 s X-ray 22.5 nm 9.1 nm/min
Al2O3 20120606 Boltje 60 sccm Ar, 10% O2, 1kV, 5 min X-ray 9.2 nm 1.8 nm/min
Ag 20111014 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 2min X-ray 38.2 nm 19.1 nm/min
Au 20120404 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 3min X-ray 45.6 nm 15.2 nm/min
Co 20111207 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 545sec X-ray 63.1 nm 6.95 nm/min
Cr 20090709 Boltje 25% Ar, 1kV, 4min X-ray 30.0 nm 7.5 nm/min
Cu 20120606 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 3 min X-ray 37.6 nm 12.5 nm/min
Cu-etch 20120606 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 60W, 3 min, (37.6-35.5 nm) X-ray 2.1 nm 0.7 nm/min
Co 20120404 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 10min X-ray 68.0 nm 6.8 nm/min
Fe 20100407 Boltje 25% Ar, 1kV, 4min X-ray 22.0 nm 5.5 nm/min
Fe 201204.. Boltje 25% Ar, 1kV, 10min X-ray …. nm … nm/min
MoGe 15042011 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 10min X-ray 55.3 nm 5.5 nm/min
MoGe 2012…. Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 10min X-ray …. nm … nm/min
MoGe* 16082011 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 10min X-ray 51.5 nm 5.2 nm/min
Nb65Ge35 2005 Bas v Leewuwen 25% Ar, 1kV X-ray - 4.89 nm/min
NbN 20111212 Boltje 1.0 kV, 18% Ar, 10% N2, x min, no blend X-ray 71.3 nm 3.56 nm/min
Ni 20110114 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 9min X-ray 58.8 nm 6.5 nm/min
NiGd 20051024 ? 25% Ar, 1kV X-ray 67.5 nm 6.8 nm/min
Pt 20110307 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 0.5kV, 10 min X-ray 15.6 nm 1.56 nm/min
Pt 20120612 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 10 min X-ray 67.9 nm 6.8 nm/min
Si3N4 20120522 Boltje 50 sccm Ar, 1kV, 469 s X-ray 36.0 nm 4.6 nm/min
W 20060116 Vincent 25% Ar, 1kV X-ray 38.5 nm 3.9 nm/min

* repaired target, with a few new Ge pieces

Recipes & Instructions

Z-400 Flat Au on MoGe

Miscellaneous

The digital version of the log sheet: z400logbook.pdf

z-400.1490618861.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/03/27 12:47 by nelk
Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki