Ground breaking research into graphene and other 2D materials will take place at The University of Manchester’s new National Graphene Institute using multiple, recently purchased, plasma etch and deposition systems from Oxford Instruments.
These semiconductor processing tools will facilitate the potential applications of these materials in novel electronics and optoelectronics applications. As leaders in the manufacture of high performance, flexible tools to semiconductor processing research customers, and after a rigorous tender process, Oxford Instruments was chosen to supply their PlasmaPro® PECVD and ICP-CVD deposition tools and PlasmaPro ICP etch tools. These tools will enable the fabrication of tailored substrates for graphene such as SiN membranes which are useful for both fundamental and applied research on graphene and 2D materials.
“Our £61 million facility is being designed with the goal to be the world-leading research and incubator centre dedicated to the development of graphene, helping the UK to remain at the forefront of the commercialisation of this revolutionary material”, comments Dr Ernie Hill, Senior Lecturer & Assistant Director of The Manchester Centre for Mesoscience & Nanotechnology, “We decided on Oxford Instruments’ tools as they could provide the breadth of high technology process solutions and hardware that our users will require to fulfil their research. The excellent support offered will ensure maximum uptime of the systems, which is critical for our users.”
“The new National Graphene Institute at The University of Manchester requires cutting-edge technology to deliver its landmark research and chose Oxford Instruments”, said Dr David Haynes, Sales & Marketing Director at Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, “As a global supplier of high technology tools and systems for research and industry, specialising in equipment that can fabricate, manipulate, and analyse matter at the nanoscale, our innovative toolbox of techniques and products is instrumental in opening the world of graphene and other 2D materials, and assisting our partners to reveal even more of the nano-world.”
About Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology
Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology offers flexible, configurable process tools and leading-edge processes for the precise, controllable and repeatable engineering of micro- and nano-structures. Our systems provide process solutions for the etching of nanometre sized features, nanolayer deposition and the controlled growth of nanostructures.
These solutions are based on core technologies in plasma-enhanced deposition and etch, ion-beam deposition and etch, atomic layer deposition, deep silicon etch and physical vapour deposition. Products range from compact stand-alone systems for R&D, through batch tools and up to clustered cassette-to-cassette platforms for high-throughput production processing.