(July 6, 2010) — Surrey NanoSystems launched an automated, versatile growth platform, NanoGrowth-Catalyst. Incorporating nine advanced nanomaterial processing techniques, the platform can synthesize a variety of nanomaterials including graphene, nanowires, and carbon nanotubes.

Application versatility is enhanced by a multi-chamber design that ensures the purest processing conditions by continuously maintaining the substrate under vacuum from deposition of catalysts to growth of nanomaterials. This end-to-end vacuum processing is critical for the precursors and catalysts used for nanomaterials, which are easily contaminated by exposure to atmosphere.

Surrey NanoSystems previously introduced a platform combining CVD and plasma-enhanced CVD nanomaterial growth techniques, says Ben Jensen of Surrey NanoSystems. "This new platform takes processing flexibility much farther. It offers the means to support and speed research across the spectrum of nanomaterials, combined with automated handling and control to help developers turn material growth ideas into practical and repeatable production processes."

NanoGrowth-Catalyst will replace multiple pieces of equipment with a single automated system. The processing techniques supported by the new platform are low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) and plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), sputtering, sputter etching and ashing, delivery of solid- or liquid-phase catalysts/precursors, creation of controlled-density nanoparticle catalysts at room temperature, thermal annealing, rapid thermal processing (RTP), and a unique form of rapid thermal growth (RTG) that prevents agglomeration of catalyst particles.

The platform also supports broadband substrate degassing to remove surface contaminants before processing, helping to ensure the optimum adhesion of catalysts and films. An inductively coupled plasma source can additionally be fitted as an option at purchase or during the platform’s lifecycle, to optimize the generation of sensitive materials employed in growth processes.

A graphical user interface (GUI) controls the processing parameters and steps. With its range of techniques users can employ NanoGrowth-Catalyst for creating or delivering growth catalysts and precursors (the sputtering platform’s dual magnetrons also support co-deposition), depositing nanoparticles at room temperature, catalyst or material activation, growing materials, etching, and deposition of active or passive barrier films.

The system has three chambers: a load/lock chamber and two reaction chambers, plus an automatic transport system for moving wafers/substrates. End-to-end atmosphere-free processing ensures the highest purity conditions to minimize contamination and oxidation and ensure consistent and repeatable results. NanoGrowth-Catalyst occupies a cleanroom footprint of 1 × 2 m.

The specification for this platform came partly from requests by users of Surrey NanoSystems’ single reaction chamber NanoGrowth 1000n, and from researchers at Surrey NanoSystems and its research partner, the Advanced Technology Institute at the University of Surrey.

Surrey NanoSystems has received advance orders for the new NanoGrowth-Catalyst, and is currently manufacturing an initial batch of three systems.

In addition to making growth platforms, Surrey NanoSystems is engaged in developing nanoelectronics materials and processes to support the continued scaling of semiconductor devices. The company has already made significant advances in developing practical techniques for fabricating interconnection vias and low-k dielectrics for inter-layer insulation. For more information, visit http://www.surreynanosystems.com. Surrey NanoSystems is represented in the USA by Axiom Resources Technologies, www.axrtech.com