S.M.A.R.T. Lab -

Room 01A - Semiconductor Materials Analysis Laboratory (SMAL)

The Semiconductors Materials Analysis Laboratory (SMAL), located in room 1A Ward Hall, is equipped with analytical tools to assist with the characterization of the materials and devices fabricated in the SMART Laboratory. These tools include a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Auger electron analyis microscope, an ellipsometer, a CV/IV probe station, a four point probe and a profilometer. Although the SMAL Lab is part of the SMART Lab, it is also a campus user facility that is open to all faculty and students that have been properly trained on the equipment.

The scanning electron microscope is used to investigate materials and surfaces at the microscopic level. It has secondary and backscatter electron imaging capability. It also has X-ray flourescence capability that allows for the identification of the elemental constituents of a substance.

The Auger electron analysis system is used to excite characteristic Auger electrons from a material surface. These Auger electrons carry unique information that allows the operator to identify surface elements. The system comes with a sputter gun that allows the user to etch the surface during analysis, thereby allowing for depth profiling of a contact or surface layer.

The DekTak profilometer is used to measure the surface morphology of a device or sample. The profilometer operates by dragging a sensitive stylus across a surface and measuring the vertical changes in height. It can measure small changes of less than 1000 angstroms (0.1 micron).

The IV/CV probe station is used to measure current voltage characteristics, device capacitance and sheet resistance of devices and materials.