Tool #417  Oxford Ionfab 300 Ion Beam System

The Oxford Ionfab 300 Ion Beam System is your tool-of-choice for simple, manually controlled, inert ion-milling.

The Oxford Ionfab 300 Ion Beam System is equipped with a 7.5 cm Kaufmann ion source generating an Argon plasma. The Argon ions are accelerated and directed towards a water cooled sample holder, that can be tilted for directional etching at oblique angles. A Tungsten filament electron emitter neutralizes the ion beam space charge.

Tool #417 is not equipped with a load-lock. However, the wafer can be loaded via a small port while nitrogen flows out of the chamber. This procedure ensures a short pump-down time.

The ion source is interlocked to the chamber vacuum and can’t be turned on, until the pressure is below 1x10^-5 mbar. The typical pump-down time for 1x10^-5 mbar is 10min, and for 1x10^-6 mbar 60min.

Specifications:

Beam current:
0-40 mA

Beam voltage:
200-1500 V

Gases:
Ar

Base pressure:
~ 2x10^-7 mbar

Process pressure:
> 9x10^-5 mbar

Wafer size:
Pieces attached (with tape or clamps) to a 75mm sample holder.

Beam diameter:
75 mm