Focused Ion Beam System

The company offers the Nano 150, the first focused ion-beam (FIB) machine to combine 150 kV acceleration with mass separation and a high-speed, fast-settling X-Y stage, that will enable semiconductor manufacturers and researchers to modify and create sub-micron features at greatly improved throughputs. The powerful "write on the fly" capability provides a faster alternative to the step and repeat processing because it eliminates stage settling time. The combination enables higher energy processing to be conducted in a continuous mode which speeds production and improves yield management.

The NanoFab 150 uses a variable voltage FIB column (from 5 kV to 150 kV) to direct an ion beam to etch, mill, implant or deposit materials for a wide variety of applications. It can separate the desired ion species from an alloyed source, resulting in unprecedented flexibility for microfabrication. The Nano 150 achieves spot sizes of less than 50 nanometers (0.05 microns). By comparison, laser repair reaches its limit at 2 microns and optical lithography at 0.18 microns.

Standard features of the Nano 150 include an energy range from 5 keV to 150 keV for single charged ions, mass separated column, high speed/fast setting X-Y stage, laser interferometer X-Y metrology and highly automated software.

The Nano 150 is operated via a Pentium processor-based computer console running a single Windows NT-based program that controls all aspects of the machine. The user interface features three main control screens: the system screen, the column screen and the vacuum screen. Every parameter of the system is easily manipulated through this graphical user interface.

NanoFab, Inc., 6480 Dobbin Rd., Suite A, Columbia, MD 21045. Tel: 410-715-1530. Fax: 410-715-1659.