ionLiNE is the first ‘industry standard’ nanofabrication tool which combines all available FIB applications with the uncompromised, precision, stability and automation of a full lithography system.
This is the first of a new class of ion beam instrument based on an EBL nanofabrication platform rather than on an SEM microscope platform. It is specially designed to offer the best patterning performance for creating nano devices over a large area , in an automated, repeatable way.
ionLiNE is also the first three-dimensionallithography system in the world. 2D EBL functionality has been extended to provide true 3D patterning capability. 3D structures can be created and stitched together without edge artefacts, and then inspected or sectioned in 3D for recipe verification and quality control, before being applied automatically to 1000’s of stitched write fields.
Key innovations required for successful IBL applications
A new generation of spot optimised ion beam optics – ultra low beam tails with uniform current distribution within an optimised beam profile (NOT just image res or max current specs)
High accuracy, low distortion deflection and blanking, for optimised write field calibration and field
NEW ion source technology - for stable performance without heating or emission profile changes over hrs/days.
Patterning without imaging – sensitive materials compatible
Ultra low drift – extended patterning times with an error budget of less than 20nm‘s with alignment marks inside or outside the write field
Full automation, for all operations, with automated re-alignments and email progress notification
Full 5 axis capability for 3D patterning and quality control – without compromising the LIS performance
Fully compatible, - 1 file for all Lithography techniques
Up to 2 Cartesian nano-probes for manipulation, electrical probing or signal measurement
5 line gas injection system – and range of pre-cursor materials.
All advanced functions have been carefully integrated into a new software platform making it both user friendly and intuitive. We have accelerated the process of 3D recipe development and automation by adding a ’Live process monitor‘ for dynamic endpointing and our ’DirectAlignDesign‘ rapid prototyping tool. These unique developments are augmented with the new ‘Flexposure‘ beam path and dose control capability, which provides a new level of sophistication for advanced patterning.
All system capabilities have been exhaustively tested with instruments placed at various leading academic institutions over the last 3 years and with 20 academic partners developing results across a wide range of applications for publication in 2011 and 2012.
Why choose IBL over a FIB-SEM?
FIB and FIB-SEM users requiring advanced patterning have routinely upgraded their instruments with Raith Pattern Generators for many years. The latest ‘FIB enabled’ ELPHY MultiBeam attachment provides the most powerful control system upgrade available today. However an analytical system patterning performance is limited but the intrinsic low precision calibration of the scanning hardware and electronics and of the low stability and accuracy of the native tilt-eucentric sample positioning stage.
New applications already achieved with ionLiNE
The first IBL nanopores to show unique DNA molecule transit
The first fully functional Gold 100um diameter hard Xray zone plate
Sub 20nm line width metal depositions
Ultra low grain annealing during grating fabrication in Gold
The first large area ion beam pattern to produce holograms in diamond substrates
Precision patterning of sensitive magentic nanolayers without imaging
Record - sub 15nm feature size HSQ resist exposure
The first ion beam patterned large area photonic and phononic arrays in Gold and Lithium Niobate
The first wafer level patterning of Silicon Carbide membrane devices without imaging.
Raith is pleased to invite you to see the uncompromised performance of our unique IBL system.
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