Rensselaer’s Nanopatterning and fabrication clean room is a state-of-the-art, 10,000-square-foot, Class 100 multi-user facility with tools and infrastructure. It is located in the Low Center for Industrial Innovation.  The MNCR currently performs end-to-end device fabrication, characterization, metrology and testing services to users from universities, local start-ups, and industrial institutions for research, education, and economic development. The facility has recently been upgraded to 8” wafer size with over $4M tools and infrastructure. While the facility is an 8” operation, it routinely processes 2-8” wafers for high speed electronics, power devices, ICs, and microsystems. In addition, the facility has a dedicated staff of five personnel to provide process solutions, training, teaching, and administration.

Some of the unique capabilities of the center include the ability to define 3D interconnects for hyperintegration (alignment, bonding, wafer thinning, through wafer via definition by deep- oxide and Silicon etching and metallization). Hyperintegration involves vertical wafer-wafer 3D interconnect architectures, associated materials, and process technologies.

A multitude of various types of semiconductor processing equipment is installed in the facility.  The tools for this include a state-of-the-art EVG aligner, copper deposition and CMP equipment, deep-Silicon and oxide etchers. MCR also has state-of-the-art CMP and Copper metallization (barrier, seed, dep. or electroplating) capabilities.  See the MNCR tools page for a complete list of installed equipment.  For an overview map of the layout of the MNCR and its tool set, click on the link below.


For information on the latest equipment issues in the MNCR, please see the Current Equipment Issues page.  To report any problems with MNCR equipment, please email the MNCR Staff