Summary

Anric Technologies are experts in the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) techniques essential to nano-technology. They design and produce small-footprint ALD devices often used by university and research labs. Anric found that UniStream HMI +PLCs not only provided all of the complex functionality needed to execute ALD—they concluded that the UniStream solution was easier both to implement and maintain than previous solutions using either PCs or other brands of PLCs.

The Company

Anric Technologies was founded in 2014 by researchers from Harvard University. Located in Massachusetts, Anric designs and produces compact desktop Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) devices Their ALD devices are used by universities, start-ups, and companies that are exploring ALD, or that are engaging in pilot line production or specialized manufacturing.

The Challenge

Anric’s challenge was to develop a simple to use, trouble-free control system for their ALD devices which create the atomic level coatings required by biodevices, quantum electron devices, radiation sensors, MEMS (microelectromechanical systems).

When Anric began developing a new series, they wanted to eliminate the need for PC-driven hardware. This consideration, coupled with broad functional requirements led Anric to choose a PLC solution. Ultimately, they selected a Unitronics UniStream® 7" Built-in HMI +PLC controller.

The Solution

Unitronics’ UniStream PLC + HMI enabled Anric to develop a complete control solution for their complex, compact ALD desktop device. ALD is a thin film deposition technique that deposits one monolayer at a time on, for example, nanotubes. Each layer is of uniform thickness and is conformal to the surface contours of 3-dimensional objects, including the backside and in pores or trenches to form pinhole-free and uniform films with atomic precision. ALD films can be deposited at a range of temperatures from room temperature up to 400°C.

This highly complex process requires material dosing, multiple temperature zones, pressure control, valve, venting, and pumping control—all easily controlled by UniStream.

Results

The power of UniStream’s compact design, combining extensive PLC functionality with a high-quality HMI touchscreen and an I/O configuration that matched the application requirements, covered all the bases for the Anric development team.

Control and Automation

The UniStream PLC + HMI:
• Monitors 7 different temperature zones, including the dose lines, manifold, 2 zones for the chamber, and 3 precursor bottles.
• Controls the introduction of gaseous reactants (precursors) into the reaction chamber. Pulsed into the chamber, the precursors saturate the object to form the desired deposition material via chemical surface reactions.
• Pumps away the excess gas when saturation is reached.
• Controls the MFC (Mass Flow Controller, connected via RS485), that purges the chamber, and displays the pressure readout changes when the SCCM (standard cubic centimeters per minute) changes.
• Controls 10 different valves, and all venting and pumping action required for the process.

Recipes

UniStream runs Recipes that standardize the deposition of different materials. The application also had to enable end-users of Anric’s ALD devices to create customized Recipes.

The finished HMI application allows users both to enter recipe parameters and to view real-time process parameters on UniStream’s built-in HMI panel.

Users can create, save, and run custom recipes. For example, in the custom recipe screen, they can enter the desired temperatures for each chamber zone and the pulse times for the valves.

Once such a recipe is created, any user can select the recipe number, select the precursor they would like to use, and run that recipe. This recipe is now saved with its parameters.

Trends

Trend graphs displayed on UniStream’s elegant HMI screen enable users to monitor the current temperature and pressure of the system.

Each temperature zone is indicated by a different color line on the graph, while the pressure chart shows pressure spikes while a recipe is running.

Benefits

Anric found that UniStream’s PLC + HMI design was a clear advantage for their compact devices, simple to use and simple to program. All-In-One UniLogic software–provided free of charge by Unitronics—enabled them to easily develop the control program, as well as the HMI screens for user Recipes and Trend graph displays.

They also appreciated that Unitronics tech support, when required, is second to none—staff that is easy to work with, knowledgeable and very friendly.

By using UniStream, Anric successfully produced a simple to use, trouble-free device that is sold world-wide, throughout Europe, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and China.