November 1, 2006
Introduction

The MicroFabrication Facility (MFF) consists of Thin Films, Plasma etch, Lithography equipment, and Temperature processing equipment. The tools are housed in 432, 431,429,428, and 312 of the MME building. This non-academic service facility was established to primarily serve the needs of Michigan Tech’s micro and nano research community. MFF operation expenses are offset use fees these fees are revised and established each fiscal year.

The MFF Director will handle daily management and operation of the MFF. A MFF Oversight Committee, comprised of primary facility users, will provide guidance to the MFF Director. As such, this document reflects policies devised for the efficient and cost effective use of the MFF and the Director’s time. Concerns about MFF policy should be brought to MFF Director’s attention who will forward the issue to the Oversight Committee.

Considering the diverse needs of our ever-growing user base, this document establishes procedures for the following;

• obtaining permission to use the facilities;
• obtaining the necessary training to insure safe operation;
• signing up for the equipment and keeping of records of instrument use;
• paying for engineer support time and equipment use;

Personnel

The MFF Director is charged with the management and daily operation of the MFF. These tasks, explained below, are ranked in order of importance. The Director will use this hierarchy in daily operation of the MFF.

1. Ensure that MFF equipment is operational. This will include maintenance and repair of existing MFF tools and efforts required to add new tools to the MFF.
2. Train MFF users.
3. Assist researchers/students with their use of MFF tools. This may include assistance with operating the tools as well as experiment design.
4. Assist in course laboratories that utilize the MFF.

The Director’s skills are available for non-MFF tasks when time permits. Use of the Director’s time will be charged at salary + fringe for all non-MFF work. All MFF supplies and materials used in any non-MFF tasks will be invoiced at actual cost. A valid MTU account index will be required for invoicing these costs.

Use by Authorized Users

As per the MFF Oversight guidelines, only authorized users will be permitted to use the tools. Users can only be authorized upon successful completion of the 3 + 3 +1 rule.

• 3 times watching a qualified senior operator.
• 3 times operating the tool with qualified senior operator present.
• 1 final qualification run approved by the Director of the Micro-fabrication facility or appointed qualifying individual.

Each tool will have a sign-up sheet and a log book with an updated list of authorized users along with their current classification. It is the responsibility of each authorized user to sign up for instrument use by the procedure described below, and to record that use in the log book. Enter the beginning date and time in the log book before starting the equipment and fill in all required information for each use. Sign-up for only the time you actually need and cancel as soon as you know you cannot make the scheduled time.

Most tools will also have a set of brief operating instructions for review during use. The booklet will describe basic operations and procedures as well as the standard conditions in which the instrument should be left after each use. Failure to execute the shut-down procedures, as specified, may needlessly confuse the next user and may result in suspension of privileges for 2 weeks.

All non-standard experiments involving any of the micro-fabrication tools must be approved in advance by the MFF Oversight Committee.

If there is a problem with any instrument, record the problem in the log book and report it to the MFF Director immediately. No one will be punished for reporting accidental damage to equipment. However, anyone caught trying to hide damage to equipment or deny responsibility for damage will be dealt with severely. Use of the equipment by unauthorized users, or failure to correctly use the log book will result in disciplinary action.

Training

Unauthorized users must successfully complete training and be certified by the MFF Director before using the facility. The mentor program will require the user to consult his/her advisor or the MFF Director in order to arrange proper mentor assignment.

Authorized users will be classified as either restricted or unrestricted depending on their experience and skill level. The restricted classification is normally reserved for newly trained users but unrestricted users may be reclassified to restricted with lapses in use of six months or more. Restricted users will have access only from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. As restricted users gain (or regain) experience they will be reclassified to unrestricted status at the MFF Director’s discretion.

Use Charges

The College of Engineering provides for support of the MFF. Use charges are necessary to help offset equipment maintenance and repair costs. An informal survey of market conditions verified that these rates are comparable to other universities and commercial laboratories. Use charges have been determined on structured and non structured equipment and are accounted for as follows:
Structured Tools;
• CAIBE ECR Plasma Etcher
• Trion ICP/RIE Plasma Etcher
• Arc Evaporation system
• Electron Beam Evaporation system
• EVG Lithography
• 8” RF sputter system
• 6” RF sputter system
All structured tools are subject to an additional baseline consumable/facilitation charge.

Non - structured Tools (baseline charge);
• 2” Diffusion / Anneal Furnace
• Dicing Saw
• Rapid Thermal Anneal
• MELLEN Oxidation Furnace

Course Use of MFF

The MFF is a non-academic service facility. As such, use to the MFF for academic course work, while encouraged, will be accommodated when possible and where such course use will not interfere with campus research in the MFF.

Faculty planning to utilize the MFF and Director’s time will make arrangements with the Director prior to scheduling the MFF use in a course syllabus and never less than 1 month before the semester begins. This planning step will permit scheduling of labs, configuration of equipment, purchase of required materials and any necessary pre-processing of materials. There is no guarantee that either MFF equipment or the Director’s time will be available when advance planning is not carried out.

Faculty will be charged on an hourly basis for MFF tools use in conjunction with MTU course laboratories. Use of materials will be charged at actual cost. Engineer support, if required, will be waived for MTU course work. A valid MTU account index will be required for invoicing these costs.

Campus Research Programs

Campus researcher and consulting work will be invoiced monthly at the approved rates on an attached document. The monthly invoice will include charges for logged instrument time and if utilized, engineer support time, per stipulation in the preceding section. Engineer support, if required, will be charged at the staff member hourly rate + fringes. That rate is available on request.

Additionally, investigators may be asked to submit a brief description of their process path, what systems will be utilized and an estimate of hours of use. System use, under the terms of this provision, will be restricted to studies within the scope of the project description and under no circumstances is such use to include consulting work.

Consulting Projects

All instrument use for consulting projects will be charged at the approved consulting rates on an attached document. Researchers who fail to provide a valid MTU research contract number at the time of use will be charged at the consulting rate. If engineer support time is required, an additional hourly charge will be negotiated with, and paid directly to the engineer. Engineer support of teaching and funded research will take priority over consulting work. The engineer will undertake consulting activities at his discretion, advising the MFF Committee in writing of all such commitments.

Sign-up Procedure (in effect once electronic sign-up is implemented)

1. Unauthorized Users
See the MFF Director for training schedule.

2. Authorized Users
A sign-up procedure has been implemented in which authorized users may sign up to reserve instruments up two weeks in advance. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside each lab.

The following rules will govern the sign-up procedure:
1. You may sign up for;
• up to 8 hour blocks for Thin film tool use
• up to 8 hour blocks for plasma etch tool use
• up to 6 hour blocks for Lithography
2. Allow 1 day between sign-ups to permit others an opportunity to gain access.
3. After satisfying the above procedures, you may sign-up for additional time upon approval by the MFF director. 12 hours notice is required if you must miss a scheduled appointment. If adequate notice is not given or if you are more than 15 minutes late for your time slot, you may loose privileges for 2 weeks. Another user may begin using your block after you are 15 minutes late.
4. Priority for use is as follows:
The MTU research community;
Classes and Laboratories;
Off-campus consulting projects;
5. In the case of conflicting needs for multiple users, scheduling will be arranged in consultation with the MFF Director and the MFF Committee and the Department Chairs, if necessary. Decisions will normally be made based on the above stated priorities.

The following instruments must be reserved by the sign-up procedure:

1. CAIBE ECR Plasma etcher.
2. Trion ICP/RIE Plasma etcher
3. Arc Evaporation system
4. Electron Beam Evaporation System
5. EVG Lithography
6. 8” RF sputter system
7. 6” RF sputter system

*The MFF Policy and Procedure is a moving document, therefore is subject to amendment. All amendments will be made by the MFF committee as seen necessary.

PDF of PROCEDURES AND POLICIES - MicroFabrication Facility