Overview
Outside corporate, non-profit, and academic users can partner with NASCENT to obtain, for a fee, standard or custom Large-Area Nanopatterned Substrates (LANS). These substrates are fabricated using NASCENT’s Nanodevice Manufacturability Fabrication facility (the nm-Fab). NASCENT’s nanofabrication tools and capabilities are not directly available to outside users. Instead, partners obtain LANS which are fabricated by NASCENT nm-Fab staff.
nm-Fab Capabilities and Substrates
The nm-Fab consists of a variety of nanofabrication capabilities on both wafers and roll-to-roll substrates. These capabilities are summarized in the table below. Particle-sensitive processes are carried out in the NASCENT Center’s clean room space.
| Unit Process | Wafer Substrates | Roll-to-Roll Substrates |
| Substrate type | 3", 4" and 6" diameter wafers (silicon, glass, flex polycarbonates, others upon request) | Flex polycarbonate substrates, widths ranging from 80 to 350 mm. |
| Initial Substrate Prep | Wet wafer clean | Linear ion source for oganic contaminant removal |
| Patterning | Nanoimprint Lithography | Nanoimprint Lithography |
| Vacuum Deposition of Thin Films | E-beam and sputtering deposition of metals and dialectrics | E-beam and sputtering deposition of metals and dielectrics |
| Wet Processing of Thin Films | Spin Coating, Ink-jetting | n/a |
| Etch | Wet etching and reactive ion etching | Wet etching and reactive ion etching |
| Final Substrate treatments | Wafer Dicing available | Roll slitting, protection of patterned surfaces with polymer interleaf layers |
Fees
Partners are charged a fee for fabrication of their Large-Area Nanopatterned Substrates (LANS). There are different levels of fees based on the classification of partner – Academic/Nonprofit/National Lab partners, NASCENT Member Companies, and Corporate Partners who are not NASCENT member companies. The fees charged for fabrication of any LANS are determined based on the number of hours of tool usage time, the number of hours of staff time needed, and whether or not a custom nanoimprint lithography template is needed for fabrication of the LANS. Please complete an nm-Fab Project Request Form to be contacted by a NASCENT staff member regarding your interests.