Indian research institute places multiple system order with Oxford Instruments

Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, leader in etch, deposition and growth systems, has recently received an order for three plasma etch and deposition tools from the Centre of Excellence in Nanoelectronics (CEN) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, India. The three System100 tools will be situated in the CEN’s state-of-the art nanofabrication facility’s new clean room and consist of two PlasmaPro™ System100 ICP Cobra etch tools and one PlasmaPro System100 PECVD tool.

A flexible and powerful solution for plasma etching and deposition processes, the System100’s load-locked wafer entry allows fast wafer exchange, the widest range of process gases and an extended process temperature range.  Allowing maximum process flexibility for compound semiconductor, optoelectronics, photonics, MEMS and microfluidics applications, the PlasmaPro System100 plasma etcher and deposition tool can have many configurations, including the ICP and PECVD options ordered by IISc.

The two ICP-RIE systems and the PECVD systems have been configured for the widest range of processes required at CEN, IISc, which is a multi-user national facility.  The etch chemistries include the capability to etch poly-silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride and a variety of metals. In addition to the silicon processing, the tools are also configured for GaAs and GaN process capability for high speed, high frequency power transistors. The PECVD system enables stress engineered nitride for MEMS sensors, low temperature oxide and very thick poly-silicon membrane as a structural material for inertial sensors.

Comments Prof.Navakanta Bhat from the Department of Electrical Communication Engineering at IISc, “We chose to order Oxford Instruments’ systems for their superior process uniformity, and the high level of support offered by the company.  We were particularly impressed by the technical capabilities of the staff and their willingness to work with their customers, considering the customer as a partner. 

Our new facility will be one of its kind in the country with a 14,000 sq.ft clean room in a new building (90,000 sq.ft) for the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE).  The state of the art clean room will house the best tools, catering to the diverse needs of researchers, and the Oxford Instruments’ systems offer the breadth of processes and leading edge technology we need. Oxford Instruments’ systems will enable IISc to carry out frontier research in a number of areas, including Nanoscale electronics and MEMS and help achieve our aim of creating technologies that can be commercially exploited by industry.”

Mark Vosloo, Sales & Customer Support Director for Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology is delighted with this order, “This second order in a year from an important Indian Research Institute results from our ability to meet our customers’ needs through advanced technology and service, while having the experience for them to be able to rely on our innovative world class products.”