[labnetwork] 100kV EBL sustainability questions

[Iulian Codreanu]

Hi Joe,

We've been open for six years and the fiscal year that ended at the end 
of June has been the best so far in terms of EBL usage/revenue and 
overall.  Things were ramping nicely for the first three years and COVID 
messed up the previous two fiscal years pretty badly. As in Mike's case, 
the revenue generated by the EGPG5200 at University of Delaware only 
covers the cost of the service contract.

Mike already offered great advice on service contracts.

Try to buy things like BEAMER upfront (from the tool vendor or software 
vendor, whichever makes sense) while your folks are excited about a new 
writer.

Depending on your user base and your operating model, you may or may not 
need a dedicated EBL staff person.

If I ignore the service contact and the labor costs, my e-beam writer 
does not cost much to run as most of the utilities are covered by 
Facilities here.


Cheers,

Iulian

iulian Codreanu, Ph.D.
Director, Nanofabrication Facility
University of Delaware
Harker ISE Lab, Room 163
221 Academy Street
Newark, DE 19716
302-831-2784
http://udnf.udel.edu

On 7/29/2022 2:05 PM, Michael Rooks wrote:
> We have a fairly small engineering program here, so the user fees from 
> e-beam lithography just barely cover the service contract on an ebpg. 
> Larger places (Cornell, MIT, etc) can cover most of their operating 
> costs. But in a small research university we always operate at a loss. 
> That's not a problem, if the university is willing to cover the balance.
>
> Service contracts: you really want the contract to include the cost of 
> tip changes, and also the chillers. Some companies do not cover the 
> chillers, leading to some frustrating service issues. Read the fine 
> print. (Raith covers the water chillers, which is great.) Raith offers 
> lower priced contracts if you are willing to put a cap on the parts 
> and labor. This is usually a very good deal, unless your employer hits 
> you with a spending freeze. Keep in mind that you can negotiate for N 
> years of service when you buy the machine, so this can be included in 
> the capital expense.
>
> BTW 100 kV is not much better than 50 kV. It helps with thick resist > 
> 1 um, but the resolution is about the same. What you really get at 100 
> kV is better automation and better software, and maybe also a faster 
> stage.
>
> --------------------------------
> Michael Rooks
> nano.yale.edu <http://nano.yale.edu>
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 29, 2022 at 1:25 PM Joseph Losby 
> <joseph.losby at ucalgary.ca> wrote:
>
>     Hi Everyone,
>
>     We have funding for a 50kV EBL system but are seeking additional
>     funding for an upgrade to a 100kV system.
>
>     At the forefront of our thoughts is the issue of tool
>     sustainability.  The service contracts are approximately $115k
>     USD, and there are additional costs for labor (EBL scientist),
>     software licenses, utilities, and whatever could go wrong that's
>     not covered under tool warranty.
>
>     What are your experiences with running a 100kV system in your
>     facility?  Do revenues cover the service contracts? How long did
>     it take to get utilization up to your current levels?  Do you have
>     advice on how we can minimize headaches for the future?  What
>     issues have you run into?
>
>     I appreciate in advance your thoughts about these questions or
>     anything else regarding the tool.  I was recently introduced to
>     this mailing list and find it to be a valuable resource.
>
>     Cheers,
>     Joe
>
>     Joseph Losby, PhD.
>     Institute for Quantum Science and Technology
>     University of Calgary
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