Hybrid materials and devices facility

Capabilities and Equipment  

Hybrid materials processing  

This is a wet lab with workbenches and two fume hoods suitable for the following processes:  

• preparation of solutions from organic, inorganic or hybrid materials, including nanoparticles 
• substrates cleaning using solvents and UV-ozone 
• thin film deposition via spin-coating or drop-casting the solution on rigid or flexible substrates
• electrochemistry workstation with electrochemical cells and potentiostat for battery characterisation

Deposition glovebox  

The glovebox is filled with N₂ gas and the O₂ and H₂O levels are constantly kept <0.1 parts per million (ppm). It is mainly used for:

• thin film deposition via spin-coating and thermal annealing (up to 300°C) suitable for up to 160 millimetre (mm) wafers or 100x100mm square substrates
• safe storage of anhydrous and/or toxic solvents
• encapsulation of air-sensitive samples before taking out to ambient for further measurements

Thin film surface characterisation  

We provide microscopy and spectroscopy tools for the characterisation of thin films surface properties:  

• thin film and battery research configured atomic force microscopy (AFM) integrated into an argon-filled glovebox for high resolution measurements, while the environment is maintained at <0.1ppm oxygen and water
• Kelvin probe with ambient photoelectron spectroscopy for measurement of work function and ionisation potential of metal or semiconductor films and surface photovoltage spectroscopy performed in solar cells
• Raman microscope for Raman spectroscopy measurements and chemical analysis of thin films

Bruker Electrochemical Atomic Force Microscope (EC-AFM) in glovebox  

Dimension ICON scanning probe microscope (SPM) that performs all major SPM imaging techniques including:  

• PeakForce tapping, ScanAsyst, tapping mode (air), contact mode, lateral force microscopy, phase imaging, surface potential, piezoresponse microscopy and force spectroscopy, magnetic force microscopy 
• scanning capacitance microscopy, tunnelling/conductive AFM (TUNA/CAFM), PeakForce scanning electro-chemical microscopy (SECM) and electrochemistry (EC) modes

Glove box with spinner for materials affected by exposure to air. Renishaw Raman microscope in background.

InVia Renishaw Raman microscope  

Includes:  

• research grade Leica microscope
• alignment optimisation and system validation

Kelvin Probe APS04 system  

KP Technology uniquely offers the combination of all energy level (Φ, IP, E_f, E_g) measurements in one unit via the following capabilities:  

• ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy (APS)
• scanning Kelvin probe
• surface photovoltage
• surface photovoltage spectroscopy

Kelvin probe tool for photoelectron spectroscopy 

G3P SPS Spin-coater  

Spin-coater used for thin film deposition on rigid or flexible substrates:  

• rotational speed 0 to 9,999 revolutions per minute (RPM) 
• acceleration/deceleration time 0.1 to 25.5 seconds

Ossila UV-Ozone cleaner  

• provides a simple, inexpensive, and efficient method of obtaining ultra-clean surfaces free of organic contaminants
• can clean a wide range of substrates, such as quartz, silicon, gold, nickel, aluminium, gallium arsenide, aluminium oxide, and glass slides
• produces an atomically clean surface in only a few minutes

Optima™ MAX-XP tabletop ultracentrifuge  

• delivers fast, efficient separations from samples as small as 175 microlitres up to 32.4 millilitres and at speeds of up to 150,000RPM and more than 1,000,000 relative centrifugal force (x g)

M-Braun Unilab Pro Glovebox with Eco-Mode 

Glovebox with gas purification system for the work under controlled atmosphere with <0.1ppm oxygen and moisture and unit for removal of solvent contaminations (LMF), including:  

• spin-coater type SPIN150i-NPP for cleaning, drying, coating and/or etching of up to 160mm substrates or 100x100mm square
• MB-HPL 150 ECO hotplate system for heating and curing of rigid substrates with max 150x150mm up to 300°C

M-Braun Unilab Pro glovebox with eco-mode