The Royce Deposition System

The Royce Deposition System is a multi-chamber, multi-technique thin film deposition tool based at the University of Leeds as part of the Henry Royce Institute.

The system includes a prep chamber and four deposition chambers that are linked together via UHV transfer systems. This allows a range of different materials and growth techniques to be combined.

Materials from the Royce Deposition System are available as a facility service and for collaborations.

Chambers

  • Preparation chamber with ion miller and annealing stage.
  • Sputtering system for metal and oxide thin films.
  • Pulsed Laser Deposition chamber for complex oxides.
  • Molecular Beam Epitaxy chamber for growth of topological insulators.
  • Organics deposition chamber for growth of hybrid metal-organic heterostructures.

Topological Materials MBE Chamber
This MBE has been designed for epitaxial growth of thin film topological insulators and topological superconductors. The system allows a wide range of alloys with precise stoichiometry aided by two high-temperature cracker cells.
  • Four dual-filament effusion cells for deposition of materials such as bismuth selenide.
  • Low temperature effusion cell for deposition of low melting point metals such as indium.
  • Two valved-corrosive-metal-cracker-cells for precise stoichiometric control over materials such as antimony and tellurium.
  • In-situ RHEED to monitor epitaxial growth.
  • Substrate temperature range -100° to 1200 °C.
Pulsed Laser Deposition Chamber
This chamber is designed for the growth of complex oxides, including dielectrics such as STO, ferroelectrics and multi-ferroics.
  • Multi-target system for growth of complex multi-layers.
  • KrF, 248 nm pulsed laser.
  • In-situ RHEED to monitor epitaxial growth.
  • Sample temperature range from room temperature to 1000°C.
  • Multiple process gases: Argon, Oxygen, Nitrogen.
  • Dedicated load-lock.
Sputtering Chamber
This system is dedicated to the development of complex multi-layer structures for research into fundamental magnetism and skyrmions, and growth of magnetic oxides such as YIG for development of spin-pumping devices.
  • Eight DC/RF-magnetron sputter sources providing a wide range of magnetic and non-magnetic metals.
  • Off-axis sputter source for low-energy deposition onto sensitive materials.
  • Sample temperature range from -100° to 1200°C.
  • Multiple process gases: Argon, Oxygen, Nitrogen.
  • Dedicated load-lock.
Organics Chamber
This system has been purpose built for the deposition of a wide range of molecular and organic materials such as fullerenes, metallo-fullerenes, pthalocyanines and quinolines. Combined with an e-beam evaporator, this enables the growth of hybrid metal-organic devices with multiple organic components.
  • Four low temperature effusion cells for precisely controlled evaporation of organic molecules.
  • Four pocket e-beam evaporation system for growth of metals.
  • DC/RF magnetron sputtering gun for growth of metals and metal-oxides.
  • Substrate temperature range from -100° to 1200°C.
  • Multiple process gases: Argon, Oxygen, Nitrogen.
  • Dedicated load-lock.