Flexible Cleanroom (FCR)
Overview
The Flexible Cleanroom is an approximately 2000 square feet class 100 cleanroom facility on the first floor of the Spilker Building in suite 131, supporting photolithography, wet etching, chemical processing, plasma cleaning, sample preparation, liftoff, chemical etching, thickness measurement, characterization, probing, testing, precision cleaning, optical assembling, delicate assembly work, etc. The lab is flexible in the sense that we work with many odd materials which are generally banned in a rigid CMOS type of facility, and we generally work with smaller chips, crystals, polymers, micro-machined devices, etc. Lab users pay a daily fee when they want to access the lab. The fee is to cover costs such as cleanroom supplies, repairs and maintenance of equipment, gases, chemicals, cleanroom apparel, etc.
The following lists equipment available inside the cleanroom:
- Litho: ML3 Direct Write Systems
- Deposition: Oerlikon Univex 400 DC/RF sputter station
- Milling: Intlvac Nanoquest Ion Mill
- Profilometer: KLA Tencor Alpha-Step D-500
- March Instruments PX-250 Plasma Asher
- Benches: Acid, Base, Solvent, Spinner
- Spinner: Headway Research
- Spinner: Laurell WS-650MZ
- Oven: Blue M Ovens (6), 260 C max
- Oven: Precision 31468 Vacuum Oven
- Oven: VST High Vacuum Oven
- Hotplates
- Ultrasonic Cleaner
- Cool Cure UV Exposure Chamber
- Open Cure 365 nm LED UV Curing Tool
- Digital Scale
- Reflow Chamber
- Microscopes: Nikon LV100ND
- Microscope: Olympus BH2
- Microscope: Wild Stereo
- Microscope: Vision Engineering EVO Cam II
- Refrigerator: VWR Flammable Storage
- Gramatech Vacuum Bag Sealer
Triple Hotplate: This custom triple resist hotplate was designed and built by Tom Carver. It is for baking resist, PMMA, e-beam resist, SU-8, and other spin-on polymers. The precision flat surface is coated with Teflon. The surface temperature is very uniform and accurate. It is not to be used at higher than 220C. The aluminum sheet metal squares shown are for baking polymers which are not easily removed with solvents once baked (SU-8, polyimide, PDMS, etc.).
Standard Operating Procedures
Visiting the Flexible Cleanroom
Current, experienced Flexible Cleanroom labmembers (users who have completed the lab safety tour) can request for permission to bring a visitor (individuals who have not completed the lab safety tour and been granted access to the Flexible Cleanroom) into the cleanroom with them. If permission is granted, the FCR labmember will be responsible for the visitor’s safety and ensure that they follow all SNSF and FCR policies.
Both the visitor and the FCR labmember must jointly fill out the Visitor Request Form. Staff will email both the visitor and the FCR user notifying them on whether or not permission has been granted to the visitor to enter the cleanroom with their FCR labmember escort. It is recommended to submit the form at least a day in advance to allow time for staff to review the request.
Storage
Day Use Lockers
We have storage lockers in the hallway outside of the cleanroom. These lockers are for day use to store personal while inside the cleanroom. They are NOT for long term storage. Please be aware that belongings are subject to removal, if a locker remains continuously occupied.
Toolboxes
Toolboxes cannot be stored in the cleanroom. They can be brought in and out of the cleanroom. Wipe down the toolbox with the provided IPA Wipes in the gowning room before entering the cleanroom.
Storage in the Cleanroom
We offer a limited number of single unit storage bins (Sterilite approx. 17" x 11" x 6") within the cleanroom that can be rented by the month. Storage can be requested online using the FCR Storage Bin Request Form.
- Charges to the user's PTA is based on our Rate Sheet and are made on a recurring monthly basis.
- Bins are limited to a maximum of one per person, but can be shared between users of the same lab. Before requesting individual storage bins, collaborate with colleagues to estimate the amount of storage needed as storage is limited.
- No chemicals are to be stored inside the storage bins, including small vials. Staff will do regular sweeps of all storage bins and will dispose of any chemicals.
- To maintain your bin, you must have an active NEMO account and valid PTA. If your account is inactivated, staff will empty the bin unless you designate another active user who will be taking over your bin.
Contact Information
nano-fcr-staff@lists.stanford.edu
Grant Shao, Chris Lung, Jason Tower, Heidi O'Halloran, Nicoya Reihaneh, Michael Robles, Cliff Knollenberg
Getting Started and Training Information
In order to become a qualified user of the Flexible Cleanroom, you need to follow each of these steps in the order as listed here:
- Complete the process to become a lab member of SNSF and follow the instructions to activate a Badger account.
- Review the General Cleanroom Manual.
- Additional resources available:
- Watch the Flexible Cleanroom Virtual Lab Safety Tour video.
- This video was made during COVID-19 and portions of it are no longer valid. It can still be a helpful preview to the lab safety tour, but please review the updated policies in the General Cleanroom Manual. The in-person lab safety tour will also cover the current policies of anything that may have changed since the video was made.
- Pass (100%) and complete the FCR / NPC Cleanroom Safety Quiz.
- Email nano-fcr-staff@lists.stanford.edu to schedule your lab safety tour, or reply to the automatic email after passing the safety quiz.
- You will complete a final check-off form certifying that you will adhere to all policies and guidelines as a lab member at the end of the tour.
- After the lab safety tour, staff will request card key access. Only after you have full card key access to the lab, are you allowed to enter the lab and schedule training on the tools.
- Please see the respective tool webpages for training information.
- Note: Access to wet benches require separate wet bench trainings. Email nano-fcr-staff@lists.stanford.edu, and specify what you plan to do at the wet benches to schedule a training.
Safety Renewal Quiz - February 2026
All existing users of the Flexible Cleanroom are required to complete the FCR Safety Renewal Quiz to maintain their card access to the cleanroom, by March 4th, 2026. Card access will be disabled after this date if you have not passed the renewal quiz, and you will be required to re-do the cleanroom intake and safety training above.