Surface technology

Profile

In surface technology, we offer a broad range of fabrication and characterisation tools, because it forms the base of almost all our activities. Hence, we have a long-term expertise and can offer a wide range of services within our field.

Our laboratories host various ultrahigh and high vacuum thin-film deposition machines with state-of-the-art surface characterisation equipment.

Ultrathin films, thin-film stacks and nanoaggregates from metals, semiconductors, dielectrics and organic materials can be grown. We are also capable to structure those films on a micro- to nanometre scale.

Our core activities in surface technology are centred around the development of organic energy and light emitting devices, sensors and nanophotonic applications. Next to the fabrication and characterisation of laboratory-scale devices, we study the process of upscaling and device degradation.
All fabrication methods go along with state-of-the art equipment for surface characterisation. We can offer ultrahigh resolution imaging, analytics and metrology of the surface morphology using optical, electron and ion based, and scanning probe technologies.

Services

Thin-film and surface characterisation

• 3D metrology of surfaces (from micro to nanometre scale)
• Determination of thin-film thickness
• Measurement of optical thin-film properties
• Characterisation of interfaces in multilayer thin-film structures
• Chemical analytics of surfaces

Thin-film deposition and structure formation

• Growth of continuous and discontinuous organic thin-films
• Deposition of thin metal and inorganic films
• Structure formation

Labs & equipment

• State-of-the-art cleanroom facility with surface characterisation and imaging tools
• Surface science lab hosting various ultrahigh and high vacuum thin-film deposition machines
• Optics lab hosting several optical microscopy setups