University of Toronto Enhanced Molecular Beam Epitaxy Facility

分子束外延(MBE)是用于制备化合物半导体纳米结构的最先进的工具之一，它提供了实现诸如光电子学、电信、量子光学和量子计算、传感、光伏和光子学等领域的技术应用的手段。MBE是基于使用超高纯度(所谓的超高真空，UHV)环境，在该环境中，组成元素的原子束/分子束射入加热的衬底上，以制备尺寸和纯度可控的材料层、岛或线，并进行单层水平控制。目前，只有一个MBE系统服务于多伦多大学(UofT)的所有用户，使化合物半导体材料能够使用最先进的纳米加工工具进行后续加工-例如，使用ECTI的电子束光刻工具和纳米技术中心。这个MBE系统在过去十年中成功地为广泛的用户群服务，现在需要关键的改进才能继续为外国语大学的研究人员和学生服务。所要求的改进侧重于(I)长期保持超高真空(UHV)的完整性(即使用辅助真空系统和阀门裂解器)和(Ii)实现对MBE生长过程的精确控制(即通过精确的生长温度(Tg)监测来控制物种/生长模式，即使在v.低Tg和先进的电子衍射软件下也是如此)。将UofT的这一增强设施与其他独特的世界级制造/表征设施相结合，实现了独特的纳米结构/设备的端到端实现，并能够在较短的周转时间内调整工艺。

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is one of the state of the art tools used in the fabrication of compound semiconductor nanostructures, and providing the means to realise technological applications in areas such as optoelectronics, telecommunications, quantum optics and quantum computing, sensing, photovoltaics, and photonics, for example. MBE is based on using an ultrahigh purity (so called ultra high vacuum, UHV) environment in which atomic/molecular beams of constituent elements empinge on a heated substrate to prepare layers, islands or wires of material with controlled dimensions and purity, with monolayer level control. Currently there is only a single MBE system serving all of the users at the University of Toronto (UofT) and enabling compound semiconductor materials for subsequent processing using state of the art nanofabrication tools - for example, using the electron beam lithography tools in ECTI and also the Centre for Nanotechnology. This MBE system which has successfully served a broad base of users for over the past decade is now in need of key enhancements to continue to serve the researchers and students within UofT. Requested enhancements focus on (i) maintaining ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) integrity over long periods (i.e., using an auxiliary vacuum system and valved cracker) and (ii) achieving precise control over the MBE growth processes (i.e., by species/growth mode control through accurate growth temperature (Tg) monitoring even at v.low Tg and advanced electron diffraction software). Having this enhanced facility at UofT in conjunction with other unique world class fabrication/characterisation facilities, enables end-to-end realization of unique nanostructures/devices, with the ability to tune processes with short turn-around times.