Ansin

• FEI F20 high resolution transmission electron microscope with STEM, EDX, and HAADF detectors – 0.15nm spatial resolution, 0.5nm spatial resolution on chemistry
• FEI FIB200TEM single beam focused ion beam microscope – 50nm imaging and machining with Pt and SiO deposition
• FEI Nova 600 dual beam focused ion beam microscope – 6” wafer stage, FEGSEM resolution 1.1nm, ion optics 7nm. Ga line width of Pt 50nm, 20nm with electron beam, Pt and W deposition sources
• IMAGO LEAP 3000 Atom Probe microscope 0.2nm lateral and 0.1nm depth resolution, 1 – 200amu
• JEOL 6500F field emission scanning electron microscope with EDX, WDS, and backscatter electron detector – to 4” sample, with 2nm imaging and chemical resolution and 0.5% atomic mass resolution
• Bruker D8 four–circle high resolution X–ray diffractometer – 6” wafer stage, reciprocal space mapping, low angle reflectometry
• Veeco Nanoscope IV multimode AFM with 4” wafer stage
• Varian Spectra AA–220FS – Fast Sequential Atomic Absorption Spectrometer
• KLA–Tencor, P–15, Profilmometer

• Quantum design MPMS XL SQUID Magnetometer, 7T and 1.9 to 500K
• Princeton Instruments 5900 Vibrating sample magnetometer 1.5T and ambient to 600°C
• Oxford Instruments optical cryostat with 11T magnet 1.9 to 450K (to be integrated with Kerr optics)
• Low field Magneto–optic Kerr Effect Looper
• Kerr polarimeter, to 1T and in range 400 – 850nm

• SFI dual chamber cluster PVD system each with 6 × 3” s–gun magnetrons, (RF and DC) ion beam source, 6” wafer, thickness uniformity – 1%
• Lesker UVH Co–sputter system with 6 × 3” magnetrons (RF, DC and 2 Sparcle), 6” wafer substrate plasma bias and variable temperature (150 – 800 °C), analytics
• Neocera Laser Deposition System for large area with 4 × 2” targets, <2% thickness variation on 4” wafer, novel materials
• Prototyping Laser Deposition system with CompEx 205i Excimer laser – 6 × 1” multi–target holder, 1cm² substrates
• Steag/AST–Elektronic 100CS 6” Single Wafer, Rapid Thermal Processor 1050°C
• Matrix One Plasma ashing/etching – 12 × 6” wafers with O2 or O2/Ar mix
• Despatch Magnetic anneal oven – 12 × 6” wafers at 300°C and 0.2T, variable gas environments
• Lenton UAF 17/4 1750°C general purpose oven
• Carbolite 1000°C general purpose oven x 2
• Carbolite 1500°C general purpose oven
• Lenton 1000°C 2” tube flowing gas furnace (O2, N2, Ar)
• Bulk reagent ceramic processing, inc. Mill and 1” die press (25tons)

• Class 10,000 110m² cleanroom with Class 10 work–benches, wet–benches and fume cupboard
• Suss MJB4 mask aligner – wafers up to 4” and resolution up to 0.8μm
• Optical inspection microscope (to x1000, polarising, differential interference contrast) – 6” wafer
• Moorfield T60M Thin film thermal evaporator for Au etc.
• Laurell Technology spin processor
• NV sputter system with 2 × 2” magnetrons
• Lesker HV sputter system with 4 × 2” and 1 × 3” magnetrons (RF and DC)
• Lesker Ar ion milling system for up to 4” wafers with Hiden Analytical SIMS end–point detector
• K&S 4526 ultrasonic wedge wirebonder (18 – 75μm Al or Au wire)

• Impedence analysis systems (dc–500MHz variable temperature and to 6GHz at RT)
• Micoprobe stations inc. one based on x1000 optical microscope
• Range of HP/Agilent/Keithley Test and measurement power supplies, e.g. nV multimeters and pA ammeters and lock–in amplifiers. HP VEE programming environment
• Lakeshore close cycle cryostat for electric test and measurement 12 – 330K
• Oxford Spectrostat DN cryostat test and measurement 77 – 330K
• Oxford static optical cryostat for electric and optical test and measurement 77 – 330K
• Veeco Nanoscope IV multimode AFM configured for conducting tip piezoforce microscopy 4” wafer stage

• JA Woollam HS 190 ellipsometer – 250–1700nm and 6” wafer
• Nicolet 760 FTIR microscope 5–25 microns and 6” wafer
• Andor Shamrock sr303i spectrometer – 400–950nm
• Perkin Elmer Lambda 950 UV/VIS spectrometer – 250–3000nm
• Spectrometer – 400–1600nm
• Open bench Raman system (input wavelengths, 532, 594, 633, 671, and 780nm)
• Veeco/Wyko, RT6100, Laser Interferometer/Optical Testing System
• Scanning near–field optical microscope – Detection modes: Reflection; transmission; photoluminescence; second–harmonic generation; optical resolution: apertured mode >50nm, apertureless mode <20nm, spectral range: 500–900nm (hyperspectral mode), 1350nm, 1553nm

Based in Springtown, Northern Ireland, Seagate Technology undertakes R&D and manufacture of read/write heads for magnetic data storage (hard disks), producing 25% of global supply to the storage industry.

The read/write head is a sophisticated multi–function sensor/actuator with critical dimensions as small as 0.8nm.

ANSIN undertakes work at TRL 1–4 and is currently engaged in a £1.7M project with Seagate Technology in support of their R&D effort at Springtown. The project covers the exploration and development of new materials for various recording head functions, as well as design and testing of novel nanoscale optical components for next generation recording heads. The project engages three FTE staff and nine PhDs. In addition to bi–weekly teleconferenced project updates, ANSIN and Seagate researchers routinely visit each other’s sites.

ANSIN provides Seagate Technology with a unique research environment, combining a range of staff expertise with class–leading infrastructure.   This resource is second to none in the UK in terms of the breadth of capability delivered in one site, and it is essential for a high intensity engagement such as this, where a rapid turn–around in making, processing and measuring materials and devices is essential.

Dr Ken Allen, Vice–president Transducer Development at Seagate Technology comments:

“ANSIN provides a unique opportunity to make a long–term difference for Northern Ireland and for Seagate. We believe that this initiative will provide the spark which leads to a stronger base of magnetic and nanotechnology capability in Northern Ireland. We look forward to broadening our strategic partnership through ANSIN and we are also keen to encourage other corporate and academic entities to find out more about ANSIN – how it can help their business or university, and ways in which they can get involved in helping to make it a global success.”

Cirdan Imaging Ltd. is a SME engaged in the design, manufacture and supply of innovative medical imaging solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in surgery, radiology and pathology. 

To facilitate the next stage of growth, Cirdan has partnered with ANSIN to assist in the R&D of a new sensor configuration. ANSIN will provide Cirdan with access to specialist capital equipment in order to develop prototype chips and a manufacturing methodology. To facilitate this programme, ANSIN has also helped Cirdan Imaging to secure a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project. When undertaking work at ANSIN, the associated staff will be hosted in the ANSIN interaction area where they can engage with other ANSIN partners and benefit from pre–competitive idea sharing in a secure environment.

Hugh Cormican, CEO of Cirdan Imaging Ltd. noted: “Cirdan is a relatively new company. We are engaged in the design, manufacture and supply of innovative medical imaging solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in surgery, radiology and pathology.  Our product development involves the use of CMOS imaging sensors for our medical imaging applications. CMOS sensors are destined to become the standard imaging device for medical imaging.  However, when developing our medical imaging applications, we often find that compromises have to be made between sensitivity and resolution.  Our work with ANSIN to develop wafer scale processes, using micro/nano structures developed on CMOS sensors, will dispense with the need for such compromises.  This is certain to be become a major focus for sensor research & development in the coming years. We have been very pleased with the manner in which ANSIN has provided Cirdan Imaging with quick, coherent and effective assistance throughout this venture.”

FEI, the world leader in microscopy solutions, is the second company to enter into partnership with ANSIN.

One immediate effect of the partnership has been the creation of the FEI lectureship in advanced materials microscopy at Queen’s University, Belfast.

The partnership between FEI and ANSIN further strengthens an existing relationship – for the last decade, the ANSIN team has used FEI tools for microscopy and nanostructuring. This new investment sees their relationship develop even further. It means that by having a FEI sponsored staff member on site, FEI and ANSIN will be able to provide additional value to each other’s clients.

ANSIN is host to a £100K Invest Northern Ireland funded ‘Proof of Concept’ Project that seeks to develop scale–up fabrication processes for the creation of a novel surface plasmon resonance biosensor.

ANSIN currently provides the project with access to two different deposition systems as the investigators work to scale an initial one–at–a–time fabrication, based on glass slides to an ultimate aim of fabrication on 6” plates. ANSIN’s services include provision of all necessary facilities for the fabrication of the devices and sub–contracting of some steps, such as wafer dicing.

The project PI observed that: “ANSIN offers access to high quality capital equipment. This allows my team to take our basic fabrication process towards pilot production and will enable more precise determination of factors such as yield and cost/chip to be established. This is essential for the next stage of our aspiration in creating a spin–out”.