Ultra-high-vacuum chamber for thin-film synthesis

The Helsinki Accelerator Laboratory (HAL) at the Department of Physics of the University of Helsinki (UH) is going to acquire a multi-source ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) chamber for thin-film synthesis using magnetron sputtering and thermal evaporation. The magnetron sources will be capable of operating in direct-current magnetron sputtering (DCMS), radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS), and high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) modes. Moreover, the chamber layout will allow for performing in situ and real-time measurements of film optical properties (via spectroscopic ellipsometry) and mechanical stresses (via laser deflection techniques). RFMS and HiPIMS power supplies, as well as instrumentation for spectroscopic ellipsometry and mechanical stress measurements are not part of this tender.

HAL is a leading materials science environment in Finland. The current research at HAL focuses on materials of importance for nanotechnology, micro- and optoelectronics, spintronics, fusion technology, and particle detectors. Material properties are studied by applying various ion beam-based techniques, as well as by computational means. With regards to thin-film synthesis, the HAL laboratory installations presently feature one high-vacuum magnetron sputtering system and one cluster deposition chamber used by faculty members, post-doctoral researchers, Ph.D. students, M.Sc. students, and B.Sc. students for fundamental and applied research in the core areas of interest for HAL. With the UHV deposition system described herein, HAL seeks to expand its capabilities with regard to synthesis of thin-film materials via magnetron sputtering and thermal evaporation. The UHV deposition system will primarily be a research tool to synthesize elemental and multicomponent thin films, including metals, metallic glasses, magnetic materials, metal nitrides, metal oxides, and metal carbides. Moreover, the deposition system will provide full flexibility for tuning temporal profile of the deposition flux, deposition flux energy, gas flow, substrate temperature, substrate rotation, and deposition geometry. These features will enable to control growth kinetics and understand its effect on thin-film microstructural evolution. Also, ability to perform in situ film characterization by means of e.g., spectroscopic ellipsometry and stress analysis will be prioritized. Moreover, possibility for in situ plasma analysis is an option. The system will be used by faculty members, senior researchers, post-doctoral researchers, PhD students, M.Sc. students, and B.Sc. students, as well as other researchers who have a professional connection HAL and its ongoing research activities. A detailed technical specification, stating the minimum requirements for the deposition system to fulfill its scope is given in Appendix 2. Manufacturers are, however, encouraged to suggest additional features to better fulfill the scope of this tender.