This laboratory focuses on the nanostructuring and characterization of thermoelectrics and photovoltaics materials. The aim is to contribute to the development of new, highly efficient components for environmentally friendly energy generation. A class 100 clean room has been available since mid-2007, which is shared with the Max Planck and Fraunhofer Institutes. The ever expanding common equipment includes e.g. Currently plasma etchers, etching benches, vapor deposition systems, tempering ovens.
Methods of optical solid-state spectroscopy and analysis are used at the IZM in close connection with electron microscopy. Independent projects are being worked on on the subject of extensive defects in compound semiconductors. In addition, there are cooperation projects on functional polymer and thermoelectric layers.

The following examination techniques and devices are available:

• 200 m² cleanroom of class 100
  Wet benches with heatable quartz and plastic basins for cleaning, processing and drying 4", 6" and 8" wafers, heating plates and spin coaters

• Raman microscopy (Dilor LabRam)
  Determination of the chemical composition, crystallinity, doping, relaxation etc. of Raman-active samples; Excitation laser: 633 nm, spatial resolution: 1…10 µm, spectral resolution: 2…6 cm-1
• Atomic Force Microscopy (Pacific Nanotechnology Nano-R & DME Nanotechnologie DS95-50)
  Multimode-AFM (contact mode, close contact modes, phase contrast, STM-mode), Imaging of atormar steps, SNOM extension
• Spectroscopic ellipsometry (J.A. Woollam M-2000V)
  For the determination of layer thickness, homogeneity, roughness and complex refractive index of thin single and multi-layers, wavelength 370…1000 nm
• Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy GDOES (Spectruma GDA 750 HR) [*]
  Glow discharge spectrometer with DC and pulsed HF plasma generator for element analysis in the depth profile. Diameter of the measuring spot 2.5 mm². Optical spectrometer for the detection of the element lines excited in the plasma, equipped with photomultiplier channels, CCD detector and monochromator
• Luminescence measurement [*²]
  Photoluminescence, electroluminescence, photoluminescence emission for temperature-dependent measurements, He – Ne laser, He – Cd laser, high-resolution monochromators SP2357, SP2558, NIR detectors Ge, InGaAs, CCD
• Linear coating
  Blade coating system for thin polymer films with radiation and convection dryer

• Argon ion beam etching [Access via Institute for Physics, AG Nanostrukturierte Materialien]
  with beam neutralization, substrate rotation and cooling as well as SIMS end point detection
• UHV cluster tool [Access via Institute for Physics, AG Nanostrukturierte Materialien]
  Special system for smaller samples with a total of 4 UHV chambers and central manipulator for combining different materials with:
  pulsed laser deposition for complex oxides with resistance and laser heating (TSST); organic molecular beam epitaxy for max. 4 organic semiconductors with in-situ metallization; Magnetron sputtering chamber for magnetoelectronic applications with a total of 9 magnetrons; Electron beam evaporator with five crucibles (6 kW) and two different evaporation positions for low thermal loads
• Atomic Layer Deposition (Beneq ALD TFS 200) [Access via Institute for Physics, AG Mikrostrukturbasiertes Materialdesign]
  Thermal and plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition for the deposition of ZnO and Al2O3, wafers up to 8"
• PECVD (Oxford PECVD Plasmalab 100) [Access via Fraunhofer CSP]
  Deposition of silicon nitride and oxide, wafers up to 8"
• Glove box [Access via Institute for Physics, AG Nanostrukturierte Materialien/AG Photovoltaik]
  For working with solvents; with a deposition pump stand (Korvus Hex) for thermal vaporization and sputtering inside the box

* in cooperation with the group Photovoltaik of the Institute of Physics
*² in cooperation with the group Nichtlineare Nanophotonik of the Institute of Physics

contact: Privatdoz. Dr. Hartmut S. Leipner