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Location Duisburg 

The laboratories of the Department of Nanostructure Technology are located on the second and third floors of the BA building on Bismarckstraße in Duisburg.

On a laboratory area of more than 450 m², more than 20 scientists are currently working on the development of new functional layers and devices.

A selection of some of the measuring equipment and methods is shown below.

JEOL JSM-7500F high resolution field emission scanning electron microscope 

• Resolution: 1 nm 
• Magnification: x25 bis x1.000.000 
• Accelerating voltage: 0.1 kV bis 30 kV 
• Transmission electron detector 
• Bruker EDX detector 

Nitrogen glovebox (MB 200 B, MBRAUN)

A glove box is an area that is hermetically sealed and gas-tight to the surrounding laboratory. A defined atmosphere is maintained inside, consisting of inert gases such as nitrogen (or argon). A glove box is used to protect samples and materials from reacting with oxygen or water from the laboratory air.

• Size: 2x 1250x780 mm
• 1 T-antechamber, 2 mini-antechambers

Vacuum evaporation system

This evaporation system is a high vacuum system. It is used to deposit materials (metals, dielectrics, semiconductors) onto substrates. The evaporation process takes place in a high vacuum.

Magnetron Sputter Cluster Facility, Aurion Anlagentechnik

This facility utilizes the sputtering principle to coat substrates with metals, semiconductors or insulators. Ar atoms are ionized and accelerated towards a solid state target, where their kinetic energy leads to a removal of target atoms, that are subsequently deposited onto the substrate, producing homogeneous thin films in nanometer to micrometer range. By reactive ion etching, different materials such as photoresists can be etched.

Pulsed KrF-Excimer Laser ATLEX-300SI, ATL Lasertechnik GmbH 

The short pulse excimer laser ATLEX-300SI is a compact, air cooled UV-laser. For the sample processing it is integrated into an overall system of Lissotschenko Mikrooptik GmbH (LIMO). Both the focus (z-axis) and the processing area in the x-y plane can be adjusted via a traversing unit and can be controlled during the laser process. 

In our groupt it is used to laser modify silicon nanoparticle (Si-NP) thin films, leading to a self-organized formation of crystalline μ-cone shaped structures. 

Technical Data 
Wavelength: 248nm 
Max. pulse energy: 14mJ 
Max. average rate: 4W 
Max. rep. rate: 300Hz 
Puls duration: 6,2ns 
Beam dimensions: 10mm x 29µm (Top-Hat x Gauss) 

Inkjet printer PiXDRO LP50, Meyer Burger  

The PiXDRO LP50 allows for micrometer-precise deposition of functional materials. To accommodate inks with different rheological and chemical properties, a series of print heads can be installed, enabling the deposition of varying materials, for example dispersions of metallic or semiconducting nanoparticles, starting at only a few picolitres (10^-12 litres). 

Semiconductor characterization system

Four-probe measurement system with system-source meter unit (SMU) Keithley 2612.
The Model 4200 Semiconductor Characterization System (4200-SCS) is an automated system that provides IV-, pulsed IV-, and CV-characterization of semiconductor devices and test structures.  

Keithley 4200-SCS with Four-probe measurement system 

• 4 x SMU (2 x High Power SMU) 
• Ultra-Low-Current Switch Matrix 8x12 
• Dual-channel digital oscilloscope 
• Dual-channel pulse generator

Profilometer (XP-200 High Resolution Stylus-Type Surface Profilometer, Ambios Technologies)

A profilometer can be used to determine topographies of specimen surfaces at the microscopic level. For this purpose, a thin diamond tip is dragged over the sample on a lever arm in contact mode. The deflection of the lever arm is detected by a laser beam. The deflection can be used to infer the roughness of the sample surface. When measuring edges, layer thicknesses can also be determined.

• Scan length: 55 mm
• Sample thickness: 30 mm
• Vertical resolution: 0.38 Å
• Lateral resolution: 100nm
• Vertical range: 1200μm max.
• Radius of measuring tip: 2 μm & 0.2 μm interchangeable
• Compressive force of the measuring pin: 0.03-10mg (programmable)

Ar-Glovebox und battery test systems

Left Side: MBraun "UNIlab pro" Glovebox  with Argon atmosphere for the manufacturing of batteries/electrochemical test cells and for the storage of battery components, such as Lithium, electrolyte, cathode and anode materials.

Right Side: Measurement setup for batteries/electrochemical test cells consisting of a PAT-Tester-x-8 (EL-CELL) and a BTS-4000 test system (NEWARE).

PAT-Tester-x-8 by EL-CELL with six test channels 

• Measurements: Galvanostatic/potentiostatic cycling, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, PITT, GITT 
• Voltage: ± 7 V 
• Current: ± 100 mA 
• Frequency range: 100 µHz to 100 kHz 
• Three electrode setup 

BTS-4000 test system by NEWARE with 48 test channels 

• Six test modules with eight channels each
• Measurements: Galvanostatic/potentiostatic cycling 
• Voltage: ± 5 V 
• Current: ± 10 mA (four modules), ± 50 mA (two modules)
• Two electrode setup for coin cells 

ARM-310 Planetary Centrifugal Mixer, Thinky Corporation

The ARM-310 planetary centrifugal mixer enables mixing of various components without a stirrer. Highly efficient mixing is achieved by a superposition of centrifugal and self-rotating motion. The acting centrifugal forces result in an effective degassing of the mixture. The ARM-310 is used by us for the production of highly viscous battery slurries for silicon-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries.

Benchtop centrifuge Sigma 2-7, Sigma Laborzentrifugen GmbH  

Centrifuges can be used to separate components of dispersions and emulsions by utilizing centrifugal force.

Max. Speed: 4000 min-1
Max. capacity: 4 x 100 ml

LFA 457 Microflash, NETZSCH-Gerätebau GmbH 

The NETZSCH LFA Microflash 457 can be used to determine the thermal conductivity of materials. This is a non-contact, transient measurement method. A short infrared laser pulse is used to heat the front side of the sample under investigation, while the temperature development on the back side of the sample is recorded as a function of time using a liquid nitrogen-cooled infrared radiation detector. Thermal diffusivity and specific heat capacity (reference sample required) can be determined from the time-resolved temperature profile. These material parameters can be used, together with the density, to infer the thermal conductivity. The sample is coated on both sides with graphite for uniform absorption and emission of the laser radiation. Up to 3 samples can be measured simultaneously in a temperature range from 25°C to 1000°C.

Available measuring atmospheres: Nitrogen, argon, 5% hydrogen in argon, helium, synthetic air.
Available sample holders: Ø 12.7 mm, 10 mm, 6 mm and square 10x10 mm
Heating rates: 0.1 - 20 K/min  
Available reference samples: Inconel, stainless steel, iron, pyroceram, graphite 

3D-Drucker (LITHOZ-CeraFab 7500)

CeraFab 7500 is a lithography-based 3D printer. During the printing, a thin film of ceramic suspension is selectively cross-linked by a UV source using DLP (Digital Light Processing) principle to form a green 3D workpiece. Followings are the main feature of CeraFab 7500 printer: 

• XY resolution: 25 microns, 
• Z resolution: 10 microns, 
• Available slurries: Alumina, Zirconia, Tricalcium phosphate, Silica, Hydroxyapatite, Silicon nitride, 
• Maximum size of the green body: 60x40x100 mm. 

 A separate heat treatment step is required to convert the fabricated green body to a dense ceramic part. 

Sintering furnace Nabertherm HT16/17 DB50

Nabertherm HT 16/17 DB50 furnace is a high-temperature furnace that can be used for various purposes such as: sintering/pre-sintering of ceramic bodies, solid-state materials synthesis, fabrication of different glass phases, etc. Moreover, its debinding feature makes it suitable for heat treatment of 3D printed ceramic green bodies. The main features of Nabertherm HT 16/17 DB50 furnace are: 

• Maximum operating temperature: 1700 C 
• Atmosphere: air
• Chamber volume: 16 liters  
• Heating elements: MoSi2 
• Controller: up to 50 different programs 
• Ability of controlled cooling

Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS)

TSI

mit DMA 3085

Das Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Spektrometer ist ein Nanopartikelgrößenmessgerät, das die Anzahlgrößenverteilung luftgetragener Partikel im Submikrometer-Bereich mit Genauigkeit und Präzision bestimmen kann. Es kombiniert die Größenbestimmung über elektrische Mobilität mit der Zählung einzelner Partikel und gibt die Konzentrationen der Nanopartikel in diskreten Größenkanälen aus. Das SMPS kann Partikeldurchmesser bis zu 64 Kanälen pro Dekade auflösen und hat somit gesamt bis zu 109 Kanäle.