SHyNE combines and streamlines access to the nanofabrication facilities at Northwestern and UChicago. Dedicated and experienced micro/nanofab staff and researchers are available to help you design and execute your projects. With a combined cleanroom footprint of nearly 18,000 square feet and expertise in silicon, III-V, MEMS and emerging nanotechnology applications, we are eager to take on your project. Below you will find an abbreviated list of some of our capabilities, but please feel free to contact us to discuss your project in detail.

Patterning
At the core of any micro/nanofabrication processing lie lithographic processes and SHyNE offers a wide array of patterning tools. From standard contact aligners to high throughput steppers and electron beam lithography (EBL) systems, we can pattern features from several nanometers to micrometers on a range of different substrates. Several unique capabilities include maskless laser aligners for direct patterning from digital patterns with sub-micron resolution, a focused ion beam (FIB) system with a sophisticated pattern generator and both SEM-based EBL for prototyping and dedicated, wafer-scale EBL.
Photolithography
- Contact aligners, I-line stepper, laser maskless aligners, UV flood exposure
Electron beam lithography
- SEM-based, dedicated beam writers
Focused ion beam lithography
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Thin Film Deposition
SHyNE facilities offer standard semiconductor thin film deposition for silicon, III-V and MEMS processing as well as novel, next-generation capabilities. These include multiple physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems for metal and dielectric deposition as well as reactive sputtering and co-sputtering capabilities. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes allows for standard oxides, nitrides and amorphous silicon as well as low stress (LPCVD) nitride and stress-controlled silicon nitride (PECVD). In addition, both parylene coating and state-of-the-art atomic layer deposition (ALD) is available.
PVD
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Sputter coating, electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation
CVD
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PECVD, LPCVD
Parylene coating
Atomic layer deposition
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Dry Etching
Pattern transfer and substrate cleaning by dry etching is a key nano/microfabrication process. A number of different dry etch processes are available with chemistry compatible with silicon as well as III-V, MEMS and other processes. Hydrocarbon removal is also available by plasma ashers and oxygen RIE.
Reactive ion etching
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ICP Chlorine, ICP Fluorine
Deep RIE
Xenon difluoride etching
Plasma ashing
Downstream ashing
HF vapor etching
UV Ozone
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Thermal Processing
Several thermal processing capabilities are offered within SHyNE including state-of-the-art furnaces for oxidation and annealing processes and rapid thermal processing (RTP).
Furnaces, RTP
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Wet Processing
Wet benches are available for a range of different processes including dedicated KOH, HF and TMAH capabilities. Critical point drying is also available as a release process for MEMS devices and ultra/megasonics baths are available for substrate cleaning.
KOH, HF, TMAH wet processing
Critical point drying
Ultra and megasonics
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Back-end and Others
In addition to front-end processing, SHyNE also offers capabilities for back-end processing including dicing, wire bonding and packaging.
Dicing saw
Vacuum packaging
Wire bonding
Wafer bonding