Laboratory for the Production of 2D Materials and Nanolayers
The laboratory carries out the synthesis and study of 2D materials and nanolayers, including graphene, by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). It has equipment for spin coating and the analysis of thin coatings, as well as for optical and electro-optical measurements using laser radiation.
Description of Activities
Service Description
Synthesis of nanolayers with controlled thickness and composition by chemical vapour deposition (CVD)
Detailed description of the service:
Synthesis of nanolayers and coatings using a chemical vapour deposition system with two tube reactors, employing two independent temperature zones for two solid-state/powder precursors and two lines of carrier/reaction gases for the two reactors. Synthesis of hybrid structures and devices incorporating 2D materials/nanolayers.
Synthesis of graphene by chemical vapour deposition (CVD).
Detailed description of the service:
Synthesis of coatings/nanolayers of the 2D material graphene on copper foil by chemical vapour deposition using a nanoCVD-8G system, Moorfield Nanotechnology. Transfer of the synthesised graphene onto functional substrates.
Spin-coating deposition of coatings from solutions
Detailed description of the service:
Deposition of layers from solutions/suspensions by spin coating (spin coater SPS Polo). Optimisation of coating thickness. Optimisation of substrate wettability.
Separation of solutions containing different types of particles by high-speed centrifugation
Detailed description of the service:
Using a high-speed separation centrifuge (Allegra 64r, Beckman Coulter), solutions containing different types of particles can be separated. Owing to the high rotational speed (30000 rpm), particles with diameters in the nanoscale range can be separated.
Optimisation of the deposition conditions for thin films of various materials and composites
Detailed description of the service:
Using a centrifuge for applying thin films, the so-called spin-coater, thin films of various materials can be deposited on various substrates. The instrument is equipped with a vacuum pump and a chuck, which allows substrates of different sizes and shapes to be used.
Optical and electro-optical studies/measurements using laser radiation of various wavelengths
Detailed description of the service:
Electro-optical measurements of liquid crystal devices or polymer-dispersed liquid crystal devices. Light-induced processes using laser radiation.
Examination of samples by optical microscopy (x 100 maximum magnification)
Detailed description of the service:
Examination of micro- and nano-objects with an optical microscope equipped with a camera and image-processing software.
Equipment
Nano CVD system (nanoCVD-8G, Moorfield Nanotechnology)
for producing high-quality graphene with automatic process control.
-Cold-wall reaction chamber made of hardened steel.
-Substrate heating up to 1100 degrees.
-Maximum heating rate of up to 11 degrees Celsius per second; maximum cooling rate of up to 8 degrees Celsius per second (for a set cooling interval from 1100 to 0 degrees Celsius).
-Heater stage measuring 20 x 40 mm for substrates of up to this size and for structured substrates up to 2 mm thick.
-Temperature sensor (K-type thermocouple) in contact with the substrate.
-Automatic pressure control. Three mass flow controllers with precise control of the gas flows – argon, methane and hydrogen.
-Comprehensive safety system (module for dynamically controlled dilution of flammable gases to 1% by volume with an inert gas; pumping/heating/gas flow interlocks in the event of a problem or operator error; programmed purging/flushing with an inert gas; monitoring of thermocouple operation and of the internal temperatures in the chamber).
-Kit for generating reduced pressure down to 10-2 mbar (vacuum pump with oil filter and ballast adaptor).
– Operation in working/reaction gas flow-rate mode or in pressure-control mode at fixed gas flows
CVD system (planarGROW-2S/2S-TMD) with fully automated control
-two horizontal tube reactors, two independent temperature zones and an integrated system for the abatement of harmful gases.
– deposition of 2D nanolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and h-BN.
– two horizontal quartz tube reactors (hot-wall) with an outer diameter of 50 mm and a length of 1000 mm for chemical vapour deposition of transition metal dichalcogenides
– heating by a single-zone furnace for each reactor; size of the heated zone at a set temperature: minimum 50 mm inner diameter, minimum 150 mm length;
-heating devices for each reactor, with temperatures of up to 450 degrees Celsius
– common system for supplying working/reaction gases to the horizontal quartz tube reactors for the chemical vapour deposition process and a common system for removing the exhaust products to a scrubber.
– dry vacuum pump for the existing reactors. Cold trap cooled with liquid nitrogen
-Fully automated PC control (LabVIEW GUI)
Spin-coating deposition of coatings from solutions (spin-coater SPS i150 Polo)
- substrate rotation speed 0 to 12,000 rpm
- programming and storage of a practically unlimited number of multi-step recipes
- vacuum chucks for substrates up to 150 mm in diameter or 4″ x 4″
- recipe step/stage duration 0.1-99999 sec/step
- dedicated attachment/adaptor for small samples measuring 10-50 mm
- table-top spin processor model (Table-Top) with manual dispensing of chemicals/solutions
• Fume hood with internal dimensions (chamber dimensions) of 1715x600x900 mm with built-in sink and lighting
High-speed separation centrifuge (Allegra 64r, Beckman Coulter)
- maximum rotational speed 30 000 rpm
- temperature range from -20 to 40 degrees
- capability to centrifuge small volumes – 0.250 ml.
Spin coater for thin-film deposition
- Maximum rotational speed 12 000 rpm
- Acceleration: 13 000 rpm per sec
- Vacuum chuck
- Substrate size: up to 150 mm in diameter
Allows spin times of up to 99 min
Olympus BX 53MTRF-S optical microscope
ï reflection/transmission modes, BF/DF,
ï magnification up to x100
ï DP23-CU colour CMOS camera, 6.4 Mpx,
ï Stream Start 2.4 image-processing software
Newport vibration-isolated optical tables (x2)
– optical tables with M6 mounting holes and dimensions of 2400 ± 5mm length x 1200 ± 5mm width x 203 ± 5 mm top thickness.
– Active vibration isolation system
– low-noise compressor
–laser sources with wavelengths of 532 nm, 500 mW (Cobolt) and 1064 nm, 3W (Cobolt)
-He-Ne laser source with a wavelength of 633 nm
– optical and mechanical components
– laser radiation detectors
Laboratory Access and Service Requests
The laboratory is part of the research infrastructure of the National Centre of Excellence “Mechatronics and Clean Technologies” and is located at the Geo Milev campus. Requests for access and for joint research are therefore handled centrally — see Contacts. A full overview of the Centre’s other laboratories is also available on the Infrastructure and Laboratories page.
The laboratory’s equipment was established under project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0006, funded by the Programme “Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation” 2021–2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.