rus
This year will be the 75th anniversary of the first russian development of equipment for the production of electron devices, which were made by the students of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Since then and until today the graduates of one of the leading Russian technical universities play a critical role in the development of micro - and nano-electronics and vacuum technology.
Теги: nanotechnology thin film deposition vacuum equipment вакуумное оборудование нанесение тонкопленочных покрытий нанотехнологии
In 1950, the BMSTU introduced our country’s first electrovacuum engineering specialty, and in 1974 the Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies (MT) established the Department of "Semiconductor and vacuum engineering" later renamed as "Electronic Technologies in Mechanical Engineering" (МТ-11).
40 years of working for the benefit
of the industry
For four decades, the Department educates engineers for the Russian electronics industry and nanotechnology industry, performs research and development activities for the industry. In Soviet times, MT-11 graduates used to become the founders of new research areas, the organisers of the dedicated departments in educational institutions, managers and leading specialists of industrial enterprises. In the years posing difficulties for the domestic electronic engineering sector, when the Soviet system was destroyed but none new created, the human resources trained by the Department were highly sought after by industry. ‘Due to the current education system in the BMSTU our graduates are capable of doing even what they were not taught, says the head of the MT-11 Department, Professor Yuri Panfilov. Some 70-75 years ago, engineers trained by the Department of Metal-Cutting Machines began to create the domestic electrovacuum industry. When the demand for young professionals in the Russian radioelectronic industry had declined, our graduates went to work in mechanical engineering to become good specialists, for example, in the area of hardening coatings for the production of tools or ultra-low friction coatings. Now the electronics industry is on the upgrade but our graduates are still in demand, also among enterprises representing other sectors’.
Since 2011, the Department has trained bachelors and masters in electronics and nanoelectronics and nanoengineering. The key training areas are process-oriented electronics (obtaining vacuum in confined spaces, the application of thin-film coatings, dimensional micro-machining, ion implantation and microlithography), precision mechanics (design of the elion process equipment and precision instruments and devices), control electronics (development of microprocessor automatic control systems, computer-aided diagnostics), information electronics (computer support to R&D in electronics).
The research by the staff and students of the Department is conducted in the physics of processes in high vacuum, thermal vacuum technology, application of thin-film coatings in vacuum, the production of printed circuit boards and design of vacuum mechanisms. In the academic and research activities the Department is working with industry-leading companies and institutes, e.g. All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics, Vekshinski Research Institute of Vacuum Technology, Vega Radio Engineering Corporation, Research Institute of Precision Machine Manufacturing, Polyus Scientific Research Institute, Pulsar SPE, National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute.
Elion Processes and Nanotechnology Laboratory
One of the main laboratories of the Department of Elion Processes and Nanotechnology is equipped with the vacuum process equipment for the deposition of thin films, and creates pre-conditions for student training as well as the implementation of research projects and development activities. The laboratory equipment is being constantly upgraded, and it allows, in particular, to carry out research in the field of nanotechnology processes, obtaining ultrathin multilayer films, nanostructures including carbon nanotubes and super-hard coatings with a grain size of a few nanometers.
The unique development of the Department’s staff and students is a small vacuum process system (МВТУ-11-1), for the creation of which a grant from the Russian Ministry of education and science was obtained. The system is peculiarly arranged with a transparent cylindrical vacuum chamber, which allows for demonstrating the thin film production processes to the maximum extent. МВТУ-11-1 has three process sources including an electron-beam evaporator. The control system allows you to adjust the parameters of the vacuum pumping system based on the Edwards oil-free pumps and the process gas inflow parameters. In addition to educational purposes, the system is used for testing of the technologies designed to improve the adhesion of the films made of conductive materials to structural photoresists.
The upgraded УВН-1M vacuum deposition system was made in cooperation with the Zelenograd Research Institute of Precision Machine Manufacturing. However, after numerous upgrades only a bed and a vacuum chamber were left from the initial unit. The modern pump assembly with Edwards oil-free pumps, new sources of power supply and replacement process sources, resistive and arc evaporators, as well as a source of magnetron sputtering can be combined with the control system newly developed in the framework of a project of the Ministry of education and science, which is worth special mentioning.
The main feature of the system is remote access to the control of the equipment. The hardware and software solution developed by the staff of the Department enables you to remotely manage the processes of film deposition with full control of process modes in real time. The simulation mode that simulates various processes is useful for training sessions. The control system is multi-purpose and can be adapted to different technologies and systems for vacuum deposition of films. According to Associate Professor of the Department Konstantin Moiseev, in the long run, such functionalities will be implemented for all vacuum systems of the laboratory.
УВН-1М is suitable for working with small samples and allows you to perform challenging research. In particular, it is used to explore the formation of nanoscale quantum dots.
The main operating unit of the laboratory, which is used for most of the research, is the vacuum universal post ВУП-11М based on a system manufactured by the Kazan Vacuumash JSC. The old diffusion pumps and sliding vane rotary pumps are replaced, respectively by the Edwards oil-free turbo-molecular pumps and modern sliding vane rotary pumps, which made it possible to reduce the noise level in the laboratory as well as significantly improve the quality of vacuum and the obtained coatings. This can be explained by the elimination of penetration of oil vapours into the vacuum chamber. The cube-shaped vacuum chamber is equipped with an arc evaporator, an independent source of ions and two sources of magnetron sputtering.
Several interesting projects are performed with ВУП-11М. For example, for the Department of Physics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, the experts of which explore the superconducting state of matter and develop photon detectors, vacuum deposition of thin films of tungsten and silicon is performed.
Another project was initiated by the research and manufacturing company Gycom Ltd producing powerful and heavy duty vacuum devices of the mm-range. Within the framework of the international project ITER in cooperation with the Institute of Applied Physics of RAS the Gycom Ltd is developing a 1 MW gyrotron for thermonuclear research. The seal problem of the output window made of polycrystalline diamond with a metal housing of the device, which should withstand considerable cyclic temperature changes, is solved by applying a three-layer coating of titanium, copper and nickel. The films that provide a reliable adhesion of the solder have a thickness of 10 microns and are applied using an arc evaporator. The coating methods have already been tried, and tests are conducted at the customer. A research paper based on the results of the work, has won the first prize in a section at the Future Engineering of Russia conference, which was held in September 2014 in the BMSTU.
Moreover, a research into applying thin film coatings on aluminium nitride substrates with ВУП-11М is conducted. These plates will provide the basis for a new generation of breakout microboards developed by the Vega Radio Engineering Corporation in the framework of a project of the Ministry of industry and trade of Russia. A special feature about coating the silicon oxide films here is the use of magnetron sputtering processes instead plasmachemical processes.
The Department carries out special orders for the development of laboratory and process equipment. One of the latest projects is connected with the creation of the jet vapour deposition system. A feature of this technique is to use an inert gas jet accelerated to supersonic speed for coating. This ensures very high adhesion and film density. The staff of the Department has created a base laboratory module, tested the technology and designed a production plant.
Work of the Electronic Technologies in Mechanical Engineering Department of the BMSTU clearly confirms the fact that despite decades of the political turmoil and subsequently insufficient funding for education and science, the leading research schools managed to preserve their traditions and maintain a high potential. The state needs to learn to make good use of and develop them. ■
40 years of working for the benefit
of the industry
For four decades, the Department educates engineers for the Russian electronics industry and nanotechnology industry, performs research and development activities for the industry. In Soviet times, MT-11 graduates used to become the founders of new research areas, the organisers of the dedicated departments in educational institutions, managers and leading specialists of industrial enterprises. In the years posing difficulties for the domestic electronic engineering sector, when the Soviet system was destroyed but none new created, the human resources trained by the Department were highly sought after by industry. ‘Due to the current education system in the BMSTU our graduates are capable of doing even what they were not taught, says the head of the MT-11 Department, Professor Yuri Panfilov. Some 70-75 years ago, engineers trained by the Department of Metal-Cutting Machines began to create the domestic electrovacuum industry. When the demand for young professionals in the Russian radioelectronic industry had declined, our graduates went to work in mechanical engineering to become good specialists, for example, in the area of hardening coatings for the production of tools or ultra-low friction coatings. Now the electronics industry is on the upgrade but our graduates are still in demand, also among enterprises representing other sectors’.
Since 2011, the Department has trained bachelors and masters in electronics and nanoelectronics and nanoengineering. The key training areas are process-oriented electronics (obtaining vacuum in confined spaces, the application of thin-film coatings, dimensional micro-machining, ion implantation and microlithography), precision mechanics (design of the elion process equipment and precision instruments and devices), control electronics (development of microprocessor automatic control systems, computer-aided diagnostics), information electronics (computer support to R&D in electronics).
The research by the staff and students of the Department is conducted in the physics of processes in high vacuum, thermal vacuum technology, application of thin-film coatings in vacuum, the production of printed circuit boards and design of vacuum mechanisms. In the academic and research activities the Department is working with industry-leading companies and institutes, e.g. All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics, Vekshinski Research Institute of Vacuum Technology, Vega Radio Engineering Corporation, Research Institute of Precision Machine Manufacturing, Polyus Scientific Research Institute, Pulsar SPE, National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute.
Elion Processes and Nanotechnology Laboratory
One of the main laboratories of the Department of Elion Processes and Nanotechnology is equipped with the vacuum process equipment for the deposition of thin films, and creates pre-conditions for student training as well as the implementation of research projects and development activities. The laboratory equipment is being constantly upgraded, and it allows, in particular, to carry out research in the field of nanotechnology processes, obtaining ultrathin multilayer films, nanostructures including carbon nanotubes and super-hard coatings with a grain size of a few nanometers.
The unique development of the Department’s staff and students is a small vacuum process system (МВТУ-11-1), for the creation of which a grant from the Russian Ministry of education and science was obtained. The system is peculiarly arranged with a transparent cylindrical vacuum chamber, which allows for demonstrating the thin film production processes to the maximum extent. МВТУ-11-1 has three process sources including an electron-beam evaporator. The control system allows you to adjust the parameters of the vacuum pumping system based on the Edwards oil-free pumps and the process gas inflow parameters. In addition to educational purposes, the system is used for testing of the technologies designed to improve the adhesion of the films made of conductive materials to structural photoresists.
The upgraded УВН-1M vacuum deposition system was made in cooperation with the Zelenograd Research Institute of Precision Machine Manufacturing. However, after numerous upgrades only a bed and a vacuum chamber were left from the initial unit. The modern pump assembly with Edwards oil-free pumps, new sources of power supply and replacement process sources, resistive and arc evaporators, as well as a source of magnetron sputtering can be combined with the control system newly developed in the framework of a project of the Ministry of education and science, which is worth special mentioning.
The main feature of the system is remote access to the control of the equipment. The hardware and software solution developed by the staff of the Department enables you to remotely manage the processes of film deposition with full control of process modes in real time. The simulation mode that simulates various processes is useful for training sessions. The control system is multi-purpose and can be adapted to different technologies and systems for vacuum deposition of films. According to Associate Professor of the Department Konstantin Moiseev, in the long run, such functionalities will be implemented for all vacuum systems of the laboratory.
УВН-1М is suitable for working with small samples and allows you to perform challenging research. In particular, it is used to explore the formation of nanoscale quantum dots.
The main operating unit of the laboratory, which is used for most of the research, is the vacuum universal post ВУП-11М based on a system manufactured by the Kazan Vacuumash JSC. The old diffusion pumps and sliding vane rotary pumps are replaced, respectively by the Edwards oil-free turbo-molecular pumps and modern sliding vane rotary pumps, which made it possible to reduce the noise level in the laboratory as well as significantly improve the quality of vacuum and the obtained coatings. This can be explained by the elimination of penetration of oil vapours into the vacuum chamber. The cube-shaped vacuum chamber is equipped with an arc evaporator, an independent source of ions and two sources of magnetron sputtering.
Several interesting projects are performed with ВУП-11М. For example, for the Department of Physics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, the experts of which explore the superconducting state of matter and develop photon detectors, vacuum deposition of thin films of tungsten and silicon is performed.
Another project was initiated by the research and manufacturing company Gycom Ltd producing powerful and heavy duty vacuum devices of the mm-range. Within the framework of the international project ITER in cooperation with the Institute of Applied Physics of RAS the Gycom Ltd is developing a 1 MW gyrotron for thermonuclear research. The seal problem of the output window made of polycrystalline diamond with a metal housing of the device, which should withstand considerable cyclic temperature changes, is solved by applying a three-layer coating of titanium, copper and nickel. The films that provide a reliable adhesion of the solder have a thickness of 10 microns and are applied using an arc evaporator. The coating methods have already been tried, and tests are conducted at the customer. A research paper based on the results of the work, has won the first prize in a section at the Future Engineering of Russia conference, which was held in September 2014 in the BMSTU.
Moreover, a research into applying thin film coatings on aluminium nitride substrates with ВУП-11М is conducted. These plates will provide the basis for a new generation of breakout microboards developed by the Vega Radio Engineering Corporation in the framework of a project of the Ministry of industry and trade of Russia. A special feature about coating the silicon oxide films here is the use of magnetron sputtering processes instead plasmachemical processes.
The Department carries out special orders for the development of laboratory and process equipment. One of the latest projects is connected with the creation of the jet vapour deposition system. A feature of this technique is to use an inert gas jet accelerated to supersonic speed for coating. This ensures very high adhesion and film density. The staff of the Department has created a base laboratory module, tested the technology and designed a production plant.
Work of the Electronic Technologies in Mechanical Engineering Department of the BMSTU clearly confirms the fact that despite decades of the political turmoil and subsequently insufficient funding for education and science, the leading research schools managed to preserve their traditions and maintain a high potential. The state needs to learn to make good use of and develop them. ■
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