Clean Room & Nanofabrication Facility

An Open User Facility at Boston College

Open to both Boston College and External Users, this laboratory is home to over 30 high-end micro and nanoscale instrumentation systems worth several million dollars.

Comprised of 1,500 square feet of Class 1,000 and Class 10,000 cleanroom spaces, the lab enables highly sensitive materials and devices to be fabricated free from contaminants. In addition, there is over 2,000 square feet of service and support space. The lab is supported by an air handling unit that completely cleans and renews all the air in the facility every 45 seconds.

  • 1500 sqft of class 1,000 and 10,000 clean room space
  • 2,000sqft of service and support area space
  • 10,000 CFM air handling unit with approximately 75 air changes per hour
  • Room temperature between 65-70°F
  • Relative humidity of 50-60%
  • 18.2 MegOhm deionized water
  • House nitrogen (N2) from liquid nitrogen boil off, 35-45 psi
  • Compressed Dry Air (CDA) delivery pressure 90-100 psi
  • 30+ Capital equipment systems
  • Safety eyewash and safety shower inside and outside of cleanroom
  • 3 exhaust hoods for chemical work.
  • Gowning is required before entering the cleanroom to protect the environment and samples in process. Particulate-free bouffant caps coveralls, shoe covers, gloves, and safety glasses are provided.
  • Face shields, chemical resistant aprons, protective sleeves, and heavy chemical resistant gloves are provided for chemical work.
  • All high voltage equipment has at least one EMO for emergency shut down should problems arise
  • There are no highly toxic gases.

 

Every user receives training from our staff. The staff is there to assist users in troubleshooting and offer support when necessary.

 

  • State of the art facility and equipment
  • Perfect for small start-up companies and colleges
  • Easy set-up for new users
  • Cost effective/affordable rates
  • One-on-one training

Laboratory


Equipment and Rates

GeneralInternal Rates
(Boston College)
External Academic Rates
(non profit)
External Commercial
Rates
Cleanroom Use$32/hr
$32/hr
$60/hr
Remote Staff Assistance$100/hr$100/hr$100/hr

 

 

EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial
Rates
Scanning Electron MicroscopeJEOL
JSM-7001F
$44/hr

$44/hr

$105/hr

EDX (on SEM)Oxfordincluded in
SEM rate

included in
SEM rate

included in
SEM rate

Focused Ion Beam SystemJEOL
JIB-4500
$45/hr

$55/hr

$115/hr

Nanomanipulation and Electrical Probing
Micromanipulator
Kleindiek 
MM3A
included in
FIB rate
included in
FIB rate
included in
FIB rate
   

 

 
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial
Rates
Mask AlignerKari Suss MA6--

--

--

E-Beam Writer (on SEM)Nabity$44/hr

$44/hour

$105/hr

Resist Spinner Fume Hood

Reynolds Tech

FWS-196-SS

--

--

--

Resist Spinner (2)

Brewer Science

Cee 100

------
Resist SpinnerLaurell WS-400E--

--

--

Hot Plates (2)--------
Photoresist Stabilization SystemOptical Associates PL-16-100 UV------
Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography (t-SPL) system

Heidelberg Instruments

Nanofrazor Scholar

------
Direct Write Maskless Aligner

Heidelberg Instruments 

µMLA

------

*If the Heidelberg Nanofrazor Scholar was used for data collection that was later used in any publications, posters or presentations etc., please make sure to acknowledge the support from the National Science Foundation by citing the funding grant with the following statement: “The research reported in this [publication/talk/poster] was supported by the NSF MRI Program under the award number 1S10OD026910-01A1.”2117711"; Principal Investigator: Kenneth, Burch

EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial
Rates
Sputter Deposition SystemAJA International
Orion 8
$40/hour$40/hour$95/hr
Benchtop Sputter DepositionAnatech Hummer 6.6$10/run$10/run$25/run
Atomic Layer DepositionUltratech$15/hr$15/hr$50/hr
E-Beam Deposition SystemKurt J. LeskerPVD-75$35/run$40/run$75/run
Thermal EvaporatorKurt J. LeskerPVD-75$10/hr$10/hr$45/hr
Sputter Deposition SystemKurt J. LeskerPVD-75$35/run$35/run$75/run
PE-CVDPlasma-Therm
Vesaline LL
$40/run$40/run$95/run
E-Beam/Thermal EvaporatorSharon Vacuum$35/hr$40/hr$75/hr
Electroplating SystemReynolds Tech------
Atomic Layer
Deposition System
Arradiance
GemStar 
ALD System
$15/hr$15/hr$50/hr
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
Optical Microscope
(High Power)
Olympus
BX61
------
Optical Microscope
(Low Power)
Carl Zeiss, Inc.------
ReflectometerMission Peak Optics MP100-S------
Surface ProfilometerVeeco 
Dektak 150
------
Spectroscopic EllipsometerJ.A.WoollamVertical VASE------
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
ICP RIEPlasma-ThermVersaline LL ICP$40/hr$40/hr$95/hr
Acid Etching Fume HoodReynolds Tech
FWS-196-4910
------
UV-Ozone StripperSamco UV-1------
Microwave Plasma EtchPVATePla PS-210------
XeF2 Etch SystemXACTIX X-SYS-
EXP Xetch
$15/hr$20/hr$50/hr
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
Solvent Cleaning Fume HoodReynolds Tech
FWS-196-SS
------
Critical Point DryerTousimis
Autosamdri-815B
$8/run$15/run$25/run
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
Atmospheric FurnaceLindberg/Blue M 3-Zone Tube Furnace STF55666C$15/hr$20/hr$50/hr
Oven, general purpose (2)--------
Vacuum Oven (2)--------
Rapid Thermal ProcessorAllwin21 RTP 
$5/run$10/run$20/run
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
Bead BlasterEconoline Abrasive Blasting Cabinet$15/hr$15/hr$40/hr
Dicing SawDiscoUSA
DAD3220
$16/hr*$20/hr*$65/hr*
Diamond Wheel SawSouth Bay TechModel 650------
Wire BonderWest-Bond
Model 747630E
$10/hr$15/hr$35/hr
EquipmentVendor
& Model
Internal RatesExternal Academic RatesExternal Commercial Rates
RF LCR MeterAgilent 4287A------
Probe/Test StationCascade Microtech M150------
Four Point Probe StationJandel
MHMP/RMS-AR
------


Frequently Asked Questions

 

Examples of Work Being Done in the Facility

Suppression of crosstalk in multielectrode arrays with local shielding, J.R. Naughton, J.A. Varela, T.J. Connolly, S. Shepard, T.E. Dodge, K.Kempa, M.J. Burns, J.P. Christianson, and M. J. Naughton, Frontiers in Nanotechnology.DOI:10.3389/fnano.2022.84337.

In Situ Probing of Mass Exchange at the Solid Electrolyte Interphase in Aqueous and Nonaqueous Zn Electrolytes with EQCM‐D, Saida Cora, Suzalmurni Ahmad, and Niya Sa, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2021 13 (8),10131-10140 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c00565.

Wireless communication system via nanoscale plasmonic antennas, J. Merlo, N. Nesbit, Yitzi Calm, A. Rose, L. D’Imperio, C. Yang, J. Naughton, K. Kempa, M. J.  Naughton, Scientific Reports 6.31710 DOI: 10.1038/srep 31710 (2016).

Droplet-Tn-Seq combines microfluidics with Tn-Seq identifying complex single-cell phenotypes, D. Thibault, S. Wood, P. Jensen, T. van Opijnen, bioRxiv, DOI: 10.1101/391045 (2018).

Hydrogen bonding steers the product selectivity of electro-catalytic CO Reduction, J. Li, X. Li, C. Gunathunge, M. Waegele, PNAS, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1900761116 (2019).

Nanocoax-based electrochemical sensor, B. Rizal, M. Archibald, T. Connolly, S. Shepard, M.J. Burns, T.C Chiles, M.J. Naughton, Analytical Chemistry, DOI: 10.1021/ac402411x (2013).


All-solution-processed micro/nanowires with electroplate welding as transparent conducting electrodes, C. Yang, J. Merlo, L. D’Imperio, A. Rose, Y. Calm, B. Han, J. Gao, G. Zhou, M. Burns, K. Kempa, M.J. Naughton, Physica Status Solidi-Rapid Research Letter. DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201900010 (2019).

Arrays of electrically-addressable, optically-transmitting 3D nanostructures on free standing, flexible polymer films, L. D’Imperio, A. McCrossan, J. Naughton, J. Merlo, Y. Calm, M. Burns, M.J. Naughton, Flexible Printed Electronics, DOI: 10.1088/2058-8585/aac8fc (2018).

Label-free capture of breast cancer cells spiked in buffy coats using carbon nanotube antibody microarrays, Farhad Khosravi, et al, Nanotechnology, DOI: 0.1088/0957-4484/27/13/13LT02 (2016).


Cuddalorepatta, G. K., van Rees, W. M., Li, H., Pantuso, D.,Mahadevan L.M. & Vlassak, J.J.," Poisson’s ratio and residual strain of freestanding ultra-thin films", Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids.  http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2019.103821

Cuddalorepatta, G. K., Li, H., Pantuso, D., & Vlassak, J.J. "Measurement of the stress-strain behavior of freestanding ultra-thin films", Materialia,Vol. 9,100502, 2020.  http://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtla.2019.100502.

Cuddalorepatta, G. K., Sim, G., Li, H., Pantuso, D., & Vlassak, J.J. "Residual stress–driven test technique for freestanding ultrathin films: Elastic behavior and residual strain" Journal of Materials Research, 34(20), 3474-3482, 2019.   http://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2019.278

 

Nanofabrication & Cleanroom Facility
Chris Gunderson
Boston College
245 Beacon St.
Room #005 C
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

617 552 0049
gunderch@dos5.net