Instruments - Centralized Research Facilities, College of Engineering, Drexel University

Allows rapid, non-destructive chemical and structural analysis with easy or no sample preparation (solids, liquids, gases)
Choice of 514.5 nm, 633 nm, 785 nm excitation for resonance signal enhancement and fluorescence suppression
Research grade microscope with image capture capability
100 cm-1 cutoff notch filter
High Spectral/Spatial resolution
High sensitivity ultra-low noise RenCam CCD detector
Powerful WiRE™ 2.0 software for intuitive operation and data manipulation
Heating/Freezing stage
Raman Mapping
Raman Global Imaging with narrow-band dielectric filters
Combined Raman/AFM capability with Nanonics MultiView 1000™ system allows direct correlation of AFM topography with Raman maps

UV Raman Microspectrometer (Renishaw RM1000)

Important Features

Allows rapid, non-destructive chemical and structural analysis with easy or no sample preparation (solids, liquids, gases)
Choice of 244 nm, 325 nm, 488 nm, 514.5 nm excitation for resonance signal enhancement
Research grade microscope with image capture capability
100 cm-1 cutoff notch filter
5 cm-1 NeXT cutoff filter for study of near-excitation bands
High Spectral/Spatial resolution
High sensitivity ultra-low noise RenCam CCD detector
Powerful WiRE™ 2.0 software for intuitive operation and data manipulation
Heating/Freezing stage

FTIR Spectrometer with Microscope (Varian Excalibur FTS-3000)

Important Features

Optical Resolution: 0.025 cm-1
Unapodized Resolution: 0.18 cm-1
IR Power: 40 mW at the sample
Choice of standard DTGS and sensitive MCT detectors
Kinetic Scan Rates: 40 spectra/second
High-throughput optics for faster scanning
Spectral range: < 50 cm-1 to 7500 cm-1
UMA 600 FTIR Microscope Attachment with sensitive MCT detector
Pellet making accessories (press and die kit) for transmission studies
Liquid cell for transmission studies
Diffuse Reflectance Accessory for studies of powders with no sample preparation
Horizontal ATR Accessory for studies of highly absorbing liquids and films with easy sample preparation
External (Specular) Reflectance Accessory for study of thin solid films and monomolecular films on liquid surfaces, variable incidence angle (8º - 85º)
Diamond Single Reflection ATR prism for high spatial resolution studies
Polarization measurements

Scanning Electron Microscope (Zeiss Supra 50VP) with EDS

Important Features

Schottky Field Emission Electron Gun
Everhart-Thornley and In-Lens Secondary and Solid State Backscatter Imaging Detectors
High Vacuum, Variable Pressure, and High Current Modes
Simultaneous acquisition of EDS, SE, BSD, and specimen current signals
Oxford Energy-Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis
IR Chamber View

Environmental SEM (FEI XL30) with EDS and EBSD

Important Features

Schottky Field Emission Gun
Everhart-Thornley Secondary, Gaseuos Secondary and Solid State Backscatter Imaging
High Vacuum, Variable Pressure, and Wet modes
Peltier cooling stage
EDAX Energy-Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis
TSL Electron Back Scattered Diffraction (crystallography)
IR Chamber View

Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam - SEM (FEI Strata DB235)

Important Features

Site specific precision ion milling and metal deposition for 3D nanomachining, materials characterization, nanopatterning and nanofabrication.
High brightness gallium ion beam
Gas injection systems for platinum and insulator deposition
Secondary electron and secondary ion imaging
High-resolution in-lens secondary electron detector
Omniprobe in-situ micromanipulator for preparation and manipulation (lift-out) of TEM samples
Integrated X-ray fluorescence analyzer with a separate X-ray source providing high sensitivity for trace analysis of elemental composition (IXRF)
Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) with e-beam
Combined XRF-EDS spectral and mapping capabilities

Transmission Electron Microscope (JEOL JEM2100)

Important Features

200 keV TEM/STEM equipped with LaB6 electron gun, EDS detector for chemical analysis, bright-field STEM detector and imaging system, and high-resolution objective-lens pole piece
Capable of < 0.2 nm high-resolution imaging, nano-beam and convergent-beam electron diffraction, and EDS compositional mapping
Computer-controlled operation using intuitive and easy to use MS Windows™ based software
Specimen holders include single and double tilt, high-tilt tomography, biasing, and heating
TEM sample-preparation equipment available: ion mill, jet electropolisher, cryo-ultramicrotome, and other sample sectioning, grinding and polishing equipment

X-Ray Powder Diffractometer (Siemens D500)

Important Features

Qualitative and quantitative crystallographic analysis
Analysis of crystalline films and coatings
Analysis of degree of crystallinity
1500 W Cu (1.54 A) fine focus tube
Jade+ (MDI) analysis software
Computer-based Jade MDI powder diffraction library for rapid, positive phase identifications

Nanoindenter XP (MTS)

Important Features

Displacement resolution: <0.02 nm
Maximum indentation depth: 500 µm
Load application: Coil/magnet assembly
Displacement measurement: Capacitance gauge
Maximum load: 500 mN (50.8 gm)
Load resolution: 50 nN (5.1 µgm)
Contact force: <1µN
Choice of spherical (1.4 µm, 5 µm and 17 µm radius), Berkovich and cube-corner diamond indenter tips,

scratch tip

Programmable and fully automated indentation modes allowing testing along preselected grid or at preferred sites on the sample
Nano CSM module allows continuous stiffness measurements
TestWorks 4 testing software for simple experimental control and complete data analysis including hardness and modulus determination

ICP Deep Reactive Ion Etching (STS)

Important Features

Provides high directional etch
Features down to 0.1 um or less with aspect ratios of at least 10:1
Gases include SF6, C4F8, CHF3, Ar, CF4, O2, CO2, He (for back side cooling)
Controllable sidewall profile
For Si, oxides, and polymers
Oxide, metals, or photo resist may be used as the mask
Etch rates up to 6 µm/min

E-beam Evaporator (BOC Edwards)

Important Features

For physical vapor deposition process under high vacuum
For various metal (Ag, Ag, Al , Ti , Cr, Co) thin film coating
Handles materials with high melting points - good for lift-off
Highest purity; vacuum better than 1x10-7 torr

Thermal Evaporator (Thermionics VE 90)

Important Features

For thermal evaporation of thin metal films with low melting point (Au, Cr, Ag, Al)
Two thermal stations with W boats
Quartz crystal thickness monitor
High vacuum 260 l/sec turbomolecular pump allows pump down within 10 min
Digital ionization gauge for high vacuum monitoring
Digital ammeter for the evaporation current
Evaporation system power: 1kVA, (75 A nominal current)
For evaporation data of metals, alloys and oxides click here

Optical Profiler (Zygo NewView 6000)

Important Features

For non-contact surface structure and thin film thickness measurements
Uses scanning white light interferometry to image and measure the micro structure
and topography of surfaces in three dimensions
Vertical z-scan measurement range from 0.1 nm to 15000 µm
Optical microscope lateral resolution > 0.45 µm to 11.8 µm
Data scan rate of up to 85 µm/sec with 0.1 nm height resolution
Step height accuracies of better than 0.75%
Scan and display areas up to 150 mm x 150 mm

Mask Aligner (Karl Suss MJB-3)

Important Features

For contact exposure processes of wafers and substrates
Manual mask aligner with 0.6 µm resolution and alignment accuracy of 0.1µm
Wafer and substrate handling up to 4" (wafers), 4"x4" (substrates)
3" diameter exposure area
Special substrate chucks for pieces, III-V materials, thick substrates, hybrids and HF components
High precision X, Y, Q alignment stage and microscope manipulator
350 W mercury short-arch lamp at 365 nm and 405 nm
High intensity optical setups for different UV-exposure wavelengths up to 90mW/cm²

Sample Preparation

Important Features

Leica EM UC6 Cryo-ultramicrotome for precision ultrathin sectioning of soft and hard specimens
Fishione 1010 Low-angle ion mill
Slow-speed diamond sectioning saw and slow-speed polishing wheels
Parallel polishers (Fischione and Gatan) and Wedge Polisher (Ted Pella)
Dimple grinders (Fischione and Gatan)
Ultrasonic disk cutter (Fischione)
Optical microscopes and precision measuring tools

This page was last edited on August 28, 2009 2:05 PM EST. Please forward your comments and feedback to Dr. Zhorro Nikolov (znikolov@coe.drexel.edu).