Inductively Coupled Plasma Chemical Vapour Deposition (ICP-CVD)

• Subject Area: Chemical Solid State and Surface Research ; Materials Science
• Term: Funded in 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 519196594

We apply for an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) system for the deposition of very high-quality silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride thin films. This device will significantly extend the existing infrastructure at the Institute of Nanostructure Technology and Analytics, especially by room temperature processes and high temperature processes at 400°C. The new processes would be used by several research groups in numerous projects, thus opening up areas that we could not investigate before. For many scientific research aspects of the applicants, high-quality SiO2 layers play a key role, e.g. when used as isolation layers within the technology platform of micromirror or microshutter arrays. In addition, for temperature-sensitive substrates or surfaces (e.g., patterned polymers or magnetic thin film systems), deposition at very low temperatures is crucial to avoid damaging of the structures. The same applies to lift-off processes, which are usually carried out via photoresists, were low process temperatures are essential so that the patterns generated lithographically will not get lost.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Chemische Gasphasenabscheidungsanlage mit induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma (ICP-CVD)
• Instrumentation Group: 0920 Atom- und Molekularstrahl-Apparaturen
• Applicant Institution: Universität Kassel
• Leader: Professor Dr. Hartmut Hillmer