Author: fubo

The Second MLA 150 is available!

Post author By fubo
Post date September 28, 2026

The Second MLA 150 is available!

Date: 9/25/2026

We are pleased to announce the second Heidelberg MLA 150 maskless aligner at Nano3! The new system offers advanced capabilities and will be available for user training starting the week of 9/28, 2026.

Our existing MLA 150 has become one of Nano3’s busiest tools over the past few years, with reservations often filling weeks in advance. We recognize the scheduling challenges this has created, and the second system will expand access, provide greater booking flexibility, and help you keep your research moving forward.

The new MLA 150 offers the following capabilities:

Fine-feature patterning: Minimum feature sizes down to 0.45 µm in High-Quality Resolution Mode and 0.6 µm in Quality Resolution Mode, under optimized conditions.
Flexible autofocus: Both optical and pneumatic autofocus modes.
Versatile substrate handling: Accommodates substrates from 5 × 5 mm to 150 × 150 mm.
Precision alignment: Frontside overlay accuracy of < 0.5 µm and backside overlay accuracy of < 1.0 µm.

Please submit training requests on FOM and feel free to contact Nano3 staff with any questions or to discuss how the new system can support your fabrication needs.

We look forward to hearing about the research it enables!

Uncategorized

Access External

QI’s 10,000-square-foot Nano3 facility—named for its integration of nanoscience, nanoengineering and nanomedicine—is available for use by academic and industry researchers on an hourly fee-for-service basis. Nano3 has served users from more than 180 academic groups and over 110 companies with nano/micro-fabrication needs ranging from research on electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices to emerging, interdisciplinary, and rapidly growing fields, including biomedical and biochemical devices, heterogeneous integrated devices and circuits, and sensor technology. The facility consists of 7,000 square feet of Class-100 and Class-1000 cleanrooms, surrounded by 3,000 square feet of analytical and design labs for materials characterization. Nano3 instrumentation includes a state-of-the-art electron-beam lithography system with linewidths down to 8 nanometers, which enables major new research in nanomagnetics for data storage, nanophotonics for intra-chip communications, and molecular sensing for biomedical applications. Other advanced equipment includes a nanoimprinting system, a focused ion beam, an atomic-layer deposition system, a laser direct writer, a high resolution transmission electron microscope, atomic force microscopes, field-emission electron microscopes, and much more.

Access Procedure For External or NON-UC System Users

IMPORTANT NOTE: There is a $250 fee per new user to set up a Nano3 account. Email Nano3_Access if you experience problems during the access process.

External academic users (such as those from national labs or academic institutions) are not subject to the terms described below.

Attention Industry Users/Customers: We aim to foster a collaborative and transparent partnership that benefits both parties and minimizes administrative burdens. To ensure a mutually beneficial partnership and a smooth collaboration, we have established the following policies for providing services to you or granting access to Nano3:

Requirement for Getting Access to Nano3 Facility or for Complex Services: Before we can grant access to the Nano3 facility or provide services involving hard-to-estimate process development, we require a minimum PO of $5,000.

Payment Terms for Simple Services: For simple services that do not require process development and can be easily estimated, the minimum $5,000 PO requirement does not apply. Instead, we will provide a quote and request full payment before work begins.

Complimentary Consultation Services: We offer prospective customers up to 1 hour, or 2 sessions, of free consultation to answer questions regarding their projects or process feasibilities before entering into a service agreement with Nano3. This allows us to assess the feasibility of your project and provide guidance on how to move forward.

Additionally, once you have a service agreement with Nano3, you may use another up to 1 hour, or 2 sessions, of free consultation to receive answers to further complicated questions and/or additional guidance from Nano3 staff.

Additional Consultation Services: For any additional meetings or consultations beyond the complimentary sessions, we will charge based on our General Staff Service rates, with a minimum increment of half an hour. For instance, if a meeting took 45 minutes, you would be charged for 1 hour.

We do not charge for simple follow-ups or simple questions that do not require extensive staff time to provide answers or feedback.

Use the following table to determine which steps are needed to complete the Nano3 access procedure. Users wanting both independent and staff-assisted services should complete steps in the Independent Access column.

	User Access Level
Your Company	Independent Access	Staff-assisted Services Only
Has an unexpired service agreement with Nano3	Steps 1, 4, 5, 6.	Steps 1, 4, 6.
Is New to Nano3	Steps 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.	Steps 2, 4, 6.

If your company/university has already established a service agreement with Nano3, you can be added to the existing service agreement by signing the New User Form. Please note that your supervisor must also sign the New User Form. Skip steps 2 and 3, go to Step 4. You will upload this document when you create your FOM account (Step 4).
If your company/university is new to Nano3, complete the appropriate option below:
- - Download and complete the Export Control questionnaire, as required by the UCSD Export Control Office. Select Yes or No for each question, then email the completed questionnaire to Nano3-newuser. If you are unsure how to answer a question, contact us for help before submitting the form.
    - If all your answers are No: Continue with the remaining steps below.
    - If any answer is Yes: Pause the access process and wait for Nano3 staff to contact you before completing the remaining steps. The UCSD Export Control Office may request additional information or review your proposed work.
  - Review the UCSD Terms and Conditions
  - Download the fillable Scope of Services document (Word file):
    - Enter the required information in the fillable areas in the Client section.
    - For ‘Scope of Services’, if you’re requesting independent access to Nano3 facilities, enter “request for independent acces to Nano3 facilities.” Otherwise, enter your description of the service you’re requesting.
    - For ‘Estimated Cost’:
      - if you’re requesting independent access to Nano3 facilities, enter $5000.
      - if you’re only requesting a one-time service and want a quote, leave it blank for now.
      - if you’ll likely request services for more than one time in a two-year period, enter $5000.
  - Email the two forms to Nano3 Staff with a subject title of your institution/company name, and a brief description of your processing goals or service request. If you need a quote for the one-time service you’re requesting, please make sure to mention that in your email.
  - Nano3 staff may schedule a phone or video call with you to better understand your service request, provide you a quote (if you requested it), and finalize the wording for the Scope of Services section.
  - Once the Scope of Services document is finalized, have it signed by an authorized representative of your company and email the signed copy to Nano3-newuser.
Obtain a digital copy of the company (or your institution) insurance certificate. See Section 34.1.9 of the Terms and Conditions for details. You will upload this document when you create your FOM account (Step 4).
Register your FOM user account here.
- Click the link to log in with FOM username and password.
- Click “I am a new user”.
- Select “External User” type.
- Enter the required information.
- You will receive an email from FOM with a link to activate your account. Activate your account.
- Log into your account and select the user type (External For-profit User or External Non-profit User), access level (independent and/or staff assisted service), your company’s/university’s relationship with Nano3 (new to Nano3 or has an unexpired agreement with Nano3), and upload the relevant documents.
- Make sure to complete steps above (where applicable) before attempting to use any additional functionality in FOM. Facility staff will review the submitted documents and confirm your account in FOM. Only then will you receive another email indicating that your FOM account has been confirmed.
Once you receive notification that your FOM account has been confirmed, apply for the Nano3 safety orientation, only if you need independent access to Nano3 facility (users who only need services do not need to complete this step) :
- Log in to your FOM user account.
- If you need access to the Cleanroom click on “Full Facility Orientation” (in the “Available Resources” list).
- If you only need access to equipment in the Analytical Labs (non-Cleanroom), click on “Analytical Labs Orientation” (in the “Available Resources” list).
- You will be prompted to pass an exam based on the Nano3 Policies and Procedures. When you pass the exam, a request to attend the orientation will be sent to Nano3 staff.
- Once Nano3 staff receives your orientation request, your paperwork will be processed, and you will receive an email stating that you are on the orientation wait list (typically within 2 business days).
- Facility orientations take place normally once every week, and you will be contacted by a Nano3 staff member regarding the orientation scheduling. Please allow for up to 2 hours for a Nano3 Full Facility Orientation, or up to 1 hour for an Analytical Labs Orientation.
After you have completed all of the above access requirements, you will receive an email within 1-2 business days with instructions on how to obtain the necessary facility access card ($25 per card, applies only to users who need access to facility), and you will be able to request for training on specific equipment or start using staff-assisted services.

For instructions to sign up for equipment training in your FOM account, click here.

News and Announcements

Pre Release 2um bRRAM Process

Post author By fubo
Post date July 10, 2026

Pre-Release 2𝝁𝒎 bRRAM Process!

Date: 7/10/2026

We are excited to announce the pre-release of the 2 micrometer bRRAM Process.

Engineered to support heterogeneous integration on Silicon CMOS processes, this new bulk resistive random-access memory (bRRAM) capability enables design acceleration and system integration across a variety of next-generation architectures. It provides a reliable platform for embedded memory, near- or in-memory computing, neuromorphic computing, and in-sensor computing. For complete technical specifics, please refer to the file UCSD 2um bRRAM Process Info Sheet.

Advanced Material Stack: Features a 64-level resistive memory technology built upon Al2O3/TiOx switching stack.
Filament-Free Switching: Employs area-type, bulk switching mechanisms with no filament formation.
Low Thermal Budget: Fabricated using a low-temperature (350°C) process compatible with standard backend CMOS integration.
Flexible Test Configurations: Supports single-cell test chips as well as array configurations including 2×2, 3×3, 16×16, 32×32.
Comprehensive EDA Tool Support: Fully integrated within AWR and ADS pipelines, offering a dedicated PDK with Virtuoso, SPICE models, reference designs, and library cells.
Substrate & Reliability: Provides 4″ wafer process capability and is environmentally stabilized via SiO2 passivation.

Parameter	UCSD bRRAM 2µm Target Value
$V_{\text{set/reset}}$	+2 – 3.5 V
Resistance Range	$\pm10 - 100 \text{ M}\Omega$
Pulse Width	~10 µs – 100 ms
Switching	Area-type
Endurance	$>10^6$
Retention	~2.5 years @ 25°C
Cell Structure	1R
Selector	None

News and Announcements

New Version of the UCSD IGZO TFT PDK Released!

Post author By fubo
Post date July 10, 2026

New Version of UCSD IGZO TFT PDK Released!

Date: 7/10/2026

Dear Nano3 Customers,

We are pleased to announce that the “Beta_1” version of the UCSD IGZO TFT (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistor) PDK has been released and is downloadable from the shared folder now.

Download the PDK

The major updates and improvements from the Beta_0 to Beta_1 versions include:

BEOL metal-via design-rule enhancements, as well as I/O pad and large-size metal routing definitions.
FEOL and BEOL dielectric-constant characterizations, as well as RC post-layout extraction capability enabling.
Circuit library enhancements with two output strength options per digital logic gates and an analog sample-and-hold circuit followed by a readout buffer per IR photodetection pixel.

Please feel free to let us know if you need any further information to test the PDK or if you have any advice to help us improve the PDK.

News and Announcements

New Policy: Cleanroom Gown Registration System

Post author By fubo
Post date July 10, 2026

New Policy: Cleanroom Gown Registration System

Date: 7/8/2026

Dear Cleanroom Users,

Thank you to the users who have been using the digital Gown Registration Kiosk in the gowning room. Now that we have completed the testing phase, I am writing to formalize the policies.

Effective immediately, using the registration kiosk in the gowning room is mandatory for all cleanroom access. This system is critical for accurately managing garment inventory, and establishing accountability for Nano3 property.

Please review the following gowning room policies carefully:

Accountability & Damage Fines: Historically, Nano3 has absorbed the fees and vendor fines for garments that are ruined, improperly disposed of, or heavily contaminated. This new system establishes a strict chain of custody. Nano3 will pass fines or replacement costs for damaged garments to your Principal Investigator (PI). Please treat all cleanroom apparel with care.

You Must Wear What You Scan: You may not scan one set of items and wear another. If you scan an item and realize it does not fit, do not simply swap it out on the clean rack. Please speak to a staff member so we can correct your digital inventory record before you take a different garment.

Weekly Limits & Resets: The allowance remains one set of garments per user, per week. To maintain organization, the system will automatically clear all reservations and reset the digital hanger grid every Thursday morning for laundry day.

Digital audits and physical spot-checks of the gowning room are conducted regularly. Misuse of the registration system will result in a suspension of your Nano3 lab access.

If your name does not appear in the tablet’s dropdown list, or if you experience any technical issues using the kiosk, please reach out to me.

Thank you for your cooperation in adopting this new system and helping us keep the Nano3 facility running smoothly.

News and Announcements

Lunch and Learn Seminar – July 13

Post author By fubo
Post date July 10, 2026

Lunch and Learn Seminar – July 13

Date: 7/2/2026

We are pleased to invite you to an upcoming “Lunch and Learn” seminar presented by Nano3 and Anton Paar. The seminar will focus on the Julia Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) tool at Nano3 and include a hands-on session where you can experience the tool alongside an expert from Anton Paar (Dr. Andrea Todorovic, Product Manager – Thermal Analysis).

Date: Monday, July 13

Location: Atkinson Hall, Rm 4004

Agenda:

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM: Welcome and Introduction to Anton Paar
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Why Differential Scanning Calorimetry
12:00 PM – 01:00 PM: Lunch (Provided)
01:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Hands-on session with Anton Paar’s Julia DSC and software

Whether you are looking to expand your material characterization expertise or get direct experience with the latest DSC instrumentation, we highly encourage you to attend. Please register by 7/9 to secure your spot (and lunch) due to room capacity constraints (limited to 20 people).

We look forward to seeing you there!

News and Announcements

Technology Update: New Fabrication and Capabilities

Post author By fubo
Post date June 10, 2026

Technology Update: New Fabrication & Characterization Capabilities Available Now!

Date: 6/10/2026

We are excited to announce the pre-release of three cutting-edge capabilities at UCSD Nanofab, specifically engineered to advance your research in heterogeneous integration on glass and silicon substrates.

Whether you are looking for advanced thin-film deposition, high-performance TFT prototyping, or precise thermal characterization, our foundry is fully equipped to support your end-to-end workflow—from initial consultation and design to fabrication and testing.

1. Pre-Release Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Deposition Process

Optimized for deposition on insulator and amorphous surfaces, this new process is highly well-characterized across its material, electrical, and thermal properties. A primary use case includes BEOL (Back-End-of-Line) integration with back-gated ITO transistors. For complete technical specifics, please refer to the file UCSD_AlN_Thin_Film_Deposition_Process_Information_Sheet.

Rapid Film Deposition: Attains deposition speeds of > 60 nm/s utilizing High-Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) + Kick sputtering.
Dual-Property Excellence: Functions as an exceptional thermal conductor while maintaining excellent electrical insulation.
Substrate Support: Features 4″ wafer process capability and is environmentally stable.

Parameter	UCSD AlN Target Value
Film Thickness	10 nm – 10 µm
Thermal Conductivity	> 125 W/m·K
Leakage Current Density	~ 10 nA/cm² @ 1 MV/cm
Film Roughness	< 1 nm
Film Uniformity	~ 95% (4″ wafer)

2. Pre-Release 2 µm IGZO TFT Process

Engineered to accelerate design and prototyping for mixed signals, imaging, sensing, photonics, and display technologies. This process allows for seamless heterogeneous integration with CMOS and glass panels. Detailed design rules and models can be found by referencing the file UCSD_IGZO_2um_Process_Information_Sheet.

Low-Temperature Processing: Fabricated at a low thermal budget of 350 °C.
Advanced Interconnects: Features a robust two-level metal interconnect scheme.
Comprehensive PDK Support: Fully compatible with AWR and ADS, featuring a PDK with Virtuoso, SPICE modeling, DRC, LVS, parameter extraction, and reference library cells.

Parameter	UCSD IGZO 2µm Target Value
Vthreshold	0.5 V
Threshold Uniformity	±60 mV
Subthreshold Slope (@ 1nA)	~100 mV/decade
Isat	5 µA/µm
On-Off Ratio	> 10⁷
Electron Mobility	> 5 cm²/V-s
OFF Current	< 10⁻²⁰ A/µm
gm @ 4V Vds	~ 5 mS/mm

3. Pre-Release Thermal Conductivity Determination Service

To support modern 2.5D and 3D heterogeneous integration architectures, we have introduced a well-characterized, low-error testing technique to measure the thermal conductance of thin films. For detailed operational parameters, refer directly to the file UCSD_Thermal_k_determination_Process_Information_Sheet.

Comprehensive Testing: Measures both in-plane and cross-plane heat transfer utilizing both spatial and frequency domains.
Broad Scale Flexibility: Capable of probing film thicknesses spanning from the sub-micron level up to a millimeter scale.
Wafer-Scale Probing: Supports small coupon samples up to full 6″ wafers on both conducting and insulating substrates.
Simulation-Backed: Offers computational simulation support to correlate structural materials with electrical property attributes.

Parameter	UCSD Thermal Probing Range
Film Thickness	100 nm to 1 mm
Thermal Conductivity	1 – 400 W/m·K
Thermal Boundary Resistance	1 – 1000 W/m²·K

Get Started With Our Foundry Services

Foundry Capabilities: All listed services support both full-wafer and coupon-sized samples. UCSD Nanofab provides a complete end-to-end pipeline, including Consultation, Design, Fabrication, and Testing.

For inquiries, custom design consultations, or to request process access, please contact us directly:

Contact Email: furao@ucsd.edu

News and Announcements

New Tools: Nanoindenter & DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter)

Post author By fubo
Post date June 5, 2026

New Tool Announcement: Nanoindenter & DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter)

Date: 6/5/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Nano3 has completed the installation and testing of two premier loaner tools from Anton Paar: the Hit 300 Nanoindenter and the Julia DSC 500 (Differential Scanning Calorimeter) with the air cooling module.

The tools are now fully operational and ready for use in our Analytical Labs. We encourage all our users to take advantage of these capabilities now available at Nano3, as the tools will only be at Nano3 for 3 months. Both tools are free to use except any consumables, and the base Analytical Lab use rate will apply, after receiving training and authorization from staff.

Please feel free to request training via FOM. For any specific technical or application questions, please reach out to Conor (Hit 300, cholzhall@ucsd.edu) or Fabian (Julia DSC, fmm003@ucsd.edu).

News and Announcements

New Nano3 Rate Structure_effective June 1, 2026

Post author By fubo
Post date May 5, 2026

New Nano3 Rate Structure_effective June 1, 2026

Date: 5/1/2026

Effective June 1, 2026, we will significantly reduce the general hourly rate for cleanroom use ($36/hr -> $24/hr for internal users, and $132/hr -> $85/hr for industrial users), and introduce tool-specific rates for certain equipment in the cleanroom to cover the costs of consumables, maintenance, parts, and upkeep. Please note that many tools in the cleanroom will remain free-to-use, covered by the reduced general hourly rate.

For many users – particularly those performing workflows in fumehoods or using metrology/microscope tools – this change will result in a significantly lower cost. Users of specific equipment will now see costs more directly aligned with the tools they actually use.

Please review the summary sheet (link below). Please note that the rates in the documents are not exhaustive. We will provide full details of the updated rate structure on the Nano3 website within the next few days.

Nano3 Rates_effective June 1, 2026

News and Announcements

Regarding Chemical Waste Disposal and Secondary Containers

Post author By fubo
Post date April 2, 2026

Regarding Chemical Waste Disposal and Secondary Containers

Date: 4/2/2026

We have had repeated instances of unknown liquid being found inside/on secondary containers for chemical waste bottles, and on chemical waste bottles, some photos shown below. This is unacceptable and must stop immediately.

It is a serious safety hazard for other users, Nano3 staff, and EH&S personnel and can lead to dangerous exposure. Every user is responsible for ensuring they are not putting others at risk of dangerous chemical exposure.

Immediate compliance with the following procedures is required:

No Bottles in Sinks: Waste bottles must not be placed inside the sink for storage. (you may briefly place the waste bottle in the sink for chemical disposal)
Use the provided funnels carefully to prevent spills or overflows.
Clean up any drips or residues immediately and completely.
Do not leave any drips, puddles, or residues on the bottle, or in/on the secondary container.
Do not leave funnels resting on waste bottles.
Return the waste bottle (inside its secondary container) to its designated location within the storage cabinet.

Thank you for your immediate cooperation.