GIANTFab - Instrumentation

The GIANTFab core facility provides a set of equipment for fabricating and testing thin-film optical, optoelectronic, and electronic devices inside of series of linked nitrogen-atmosphere gloveboxes. The spin-coaters and vacuum depositors are suitable for a range of uses, while the existing set of testing equipment is optimal for organic, perovskite, and hybrid organic-perovskite solar cells. Users interested in the manufacture and testing of organic or perovskite LEDs, organic light-emitting transistors, or organic thin-film transistors are encouraged to contact us for discussion.

All instrumentation and services are available to researchers at Northwestern and other universities as well as industrial researchers. If you have any questions or comments about the core’s capabilities, are interested in using the lab's equipment, or would like more details about rates, please contact the GIANTFab Operations Director Nathan La Porte.

Access to the core facility is limited to users who have been trained on the equipment. To request training or to reserve the equipment, please visit our NUcore page.

All the services below are contained within a set of nitrogen-filled gloveboxes that maintain an atmosphere of <1 ppm O₂ and H₂O. The spincoaters are housed within one glovebox, the evaporators in a second, and the testing equipment in a third. Each glovebox is accessible from the outside through an antechamber, and materials can also be transferred between boxes without removing them from the nitrogen atmosphere. Access to the systems and billing for usage is managed through NUcore.

For users interested in performing Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on devices fabricated in GIANTFab, we have partnered with REACT, the Reactor Engineering and Catalyst Core Testing Facility, to offer inert-atmosphere transfer in and out of their ALD apparatus. For more information, please contact both the GIANTFab and REACT staff.

Perovskite Spin Coater / Organic Spin Coater

Specialty Coating Systems G3P8 Spincoater

The spincoater glovebox has two Specialty Coating Systems G3P8 spincoaters integrated into it. Each spincoater is contained in a well flush to the floor of the glovebox. Users provide their own substrates and active layer solutions and are charged by the minute with a minimum reservation of half an hour. The spincoaters are equipped with a 3/8 inch diameter chuck. Users are welcome to purchase and use a different size chuck by arrangement with GIANTFab staff. 

Common solvents used for preparation of active layer solutions are available for purchase, and users may store their purchased solvents in the box.

The spincoater box has a UV/ozone substrate cleaner for substrate preparation and a balance and hot plate stirrer for active layer solution preparation. These can be used when the spincoater is reserved at no additional charge.

For annealling of substrates after spincoating, the box also contains a Wenesco HP66U hotplate and LCTech vacuum oven. Each of these can be reserved separately for thermal or solvent vapor annealing.

Vacuum Deposition Systems

The evaporator glovebox has two separate vacuum evaporators that can be used independently. Each evaporator consists of a cube-shaped stainless steel chamber approximately 20 inches (500 mm) on a side, with a sliding front door with a view port and a swing-out rear door. The chamber is evacuated using a turbomolecular pump backed by a dry scroll pump to achieve a base pressure of 1 × 10^–6 mbar.

Each chamber has a rotating stage that holds nine 25 mm × 25 mm substrates. Users may also supply their own substrate holders for different-sized substrates and masks. Consult with GIANTFab staff for details.

Each vacuum depositor has a quartz crystal deposition thickness monitor. Deposition can be controlled manually or automatically using an Inficon deposition controller.

Metal Vacuum Deposition System (LC Technology DS-110 Vacuum Deposition System)

The metal evaporator has four thermal sources with 2 KW power supplies. Each source can be individually controlled and is equipped with a pneumatically controlled shutter. The stage can be cooled to –10 °C, and is protected by a pneumatically controlled source shutter.

GIANTFab has a standard mask that produces six 6.0 mm² devices and is compatible with the custom cell holder in our testing system. Users are also welcome to supply their own masks. ITO-on-glass substrates for this mask are available for purchase.

It is charged by the minute with a minimum reservation of one hour. Common metals and tungsten evaporation boats are available for purchase by users, and users can store their purchased metals and boats in the box. 

Organic Vacuum Deposition System (LC Technology DS-110 Vacuum Deposition System)

The organic evaporator has four organic sources, two with 10 mL capacity (Kurt J Lesker LTE 10) and two with 1 mL capacity (Kurt J Lesker LTE 1). All have a temperature range of 50–600 °C. Each source can be individually controlled and is equipped with a pneumatically controlled shutter. The stage can be heated up to 200 °C, and is protected by a pneumatically controlled source shutter. It is charged by the minute with a minimum reservation of one hour. Ceramic crucibles for the organic evaporator are available for purchase, and users may store their purchased crucibles in the box. 

J-V and EQE Testing

Sciencetech PTS-2 Quantum Efficiency/IPCE Measurement System

The Sciencetech PTS-2 is an integrated system for performing J-V and EQE testing on solar cells. Light is provided through fibers from the class AAA solar simulator and monochromated light sources. It is housed inside its own glovebox. The glovebox contains a sample stage with gold spring-tip probes to allow the user to test any shape of cell. Front or rear illumination is possible, and custom testing jigs can be easily connected. It is charged by the minute, with software and data analysis training in the usage fee.

In addition to the four banana plug passthroughs for the sample probes, the testing box also has three BNC passthroughs and one USB passthrough, allowing users to supply other testing equipment as needed. Please consult with the facility staff to discuss how we can accommodate your testing requirements.

Storage in glovebox

Each glovebox contains a number of plastic bins for medium-to-long term storage of materials in an inert environment. Users may rent storage space on a monthly basis to make use of these bins. Materials found inside the glovebox not stored in bins will be discarded.

Rates and Access Hours

Hourly instrument rates for FY2020 are as follows. Note that the current members of the Chicago Biomedical Consortium, whose students and staff are entitled to the internal academic rate, are Northwestern, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois at Chicago. All other academic users pay the external academic rate.

GIANTFab is open to all users Monday-Friday 8 AM-6 PM. The annealling equipment can be reserved overnight on weekdays by all users at a 60% discount.

Superusers are permitted 24/7 access to all equipment. If you are interested in becoming a superuser, please contact GIANTFab staff.