Gold-Silicon Focussed Ion Beam System with Scanning Electron Microscope

• Subject Area: Condensed Matter Physics
• Term: Funded in 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 433703179

For complementary nanofabrication with ions a high resolution instrument is needed which allows for precise nanostructuring across large areas with a high degree of automation. For this purpose, an ion beam system with good long-term stability is needed to enable reliable nanostructuring on waferscale templates. Structuring with gold and silicon ions is needed for planned research activities in silicon photonics, 2D materials, material physics and plasmonics. The system will further enable local ion implantation into pre-fabricated nanostructures. Because waferscale substrates with diameters up to four inch will be processed, laser-interferometric controlled positioning of the milling process with minimal stitching errors is needed. With the instrument smallest features will be realized without proximity effects. The system will be employed in a multi-user environment spanning several departments. By installing the system in the Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), the instrument will be made available to a diverse user base. The planned research projects in nanophotonics, nanoplasmonics and interdisciplinary projects in photochemistry and biology rely on reproducible nanostructuring and will lead to further synergies in SoN. The instrument will provide nanostructuring capability complementary to existing technologies and will in particular be compatible with currently available instruments through marker alignment and automatized fabrication.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Gold-Silizium Ionenstrukturierungssystem mit Rasterelektronenkontrolle
• Instrumentation Group: 0930 Spezialgeräte der Halbleiterprozeßtechnik
• Applicant Institution: Universität Münster
• Leaders: Professor Dr. Wolfram Hans Peter Pernice, until 6/2023; Professor Dr. Carsten Schuck, since 7/2023