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Finnish researchers unravelling the mechanical properties of atomically thin films
14.05.2012
New industrial applications are foreseen for MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices, a 7-billion-dollar, rapidly growing market. The mechanical properties of thin films play a crucial role. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Aalto University and University of Jyväskylä have joined together in a research project to unravel the mechanical properties of ALD thin films for MEMS devices and other wafer-based applications.
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a chemical vapour deposition technique to
grow high-quality thin films with perfect 3-D coating capability down to
sub-nanometer thicknesses. ALD is already used in several industrial
applications such as display manufacturing and microelectronics.
In
the project abbreviated MECHALD, the complementary expertise of seven
different research groups is combined to overcome the multidisciplinary
challenges set by the extremely thin ALD layers.
The MECHALD
project is coordinated by VTT and supported by Tekes - the Finnish Funding
Agency for Technology and Innovation and the industrial partners ASM
Microchemistry Oy, Beneq Oy, Okmetic Oyj, Oxford Instruments Analytical Oy,
Picosun Oy, and VTI Technologies Oy. The project is linked through VTT to the
Center of Excellence in Atomic Layer Deposition of the Academy of Finland. The
MECHALD project runs until 2014 and has a total budget of 2.2 million euros.
Aalto
University, Finland is a new multidisciplinary science and art community in
the fields of science, economics, and art and design. The University is
founded on Finnish strengths, and its goal is to develop as a unique entity to
become one of the world's top universities. Aalto University's cornerstones
are its strengths in education and research. At the new University, there are
20,000 basic degree and graduate students as well as a staff of 4,700 of which
340 are professors.
The University of Jyväskylä is a
nationally and internationally significant research university that focuses on
human and natural sciences.
VTT Technical Research
Centre of Finland is a leading multitechnological applied research
organization in Northern Europe. VTT creates new technology and science-based
innovations in co-operation with domestic and foreign partners. VTT’s turnover
is EUR 290 million and itspersonnel totals 3,100.