Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The goal of this proposal is to acquire a reactive sputtering system (RSS) to replace an old evaporator which is not functional and to enhance our thin-film deposition capabilities. This RSS will restore our ability to deposit metallic thin-films that are critical to our research activities and will open the door to the deposition of other strategic materials for the fabrication of novel microsystems with applications in integrated microwave devices, microelectromechanical systems, integrated photonics, microbatteries, and organic optoelectronics. The RSS will be primarily used by researchers of UQAM and the École Polytechnique de Montréal. It is urgently needed at UQAM since our current evaporator system is inoperative since fall 2013, precluding the deposition of any metallic films. Moreover, such a system will provide us with the ability to deposit piezoelectric materials, nitrides, oxides and carbides at either high or low temperatures, many of which are currently unavailable in research facilities in our area. The RSS is configured to allow for thin-film deposition using various types of power sources, and includes a heated substrate to improve film quality. Notably, the RSS will enable reactive pulsed-DC sputtering of piezoelectric materials such as aluminum nitride or zinc oxide, which are pivotal to the fabrication many microsystems such as high performance integrated filters, and which are not available to us at this time. Accordingly, the RSS will restore our ability to deposit metals and will significantly complement our research infrastructure by enabling the deposition of other key materials. The RSS will directly support research activities focusing on the fabrication of innovative microsystems by enabling the deposition of metals and of a wide range of strategic materials. Its acquisition is thus critical to the success to our current research activities and of planned activities described herein. Notably, it will significantly increase the impact of the co-applicants' research in Canada and abroad. The RSS will be a critical element for HQP training in micro-fabrication and material science at both institutions, with an expected yearly minimum of 30 HQPs trained in the deposition of different materials.