Nanoquest Pico

Compact Ion Milling Platform for Thin Film R&D

The Intlvac Nanoquest Pico is the ultimate compact ion milling platform for research and development of thin film applications such as Data Storage, Spintronics, and Semiconductors. Designed with flexibility in mind, the system can be configured for a variety of ion sources and gases, depending on your application.

With a 14” D-shaped chamber and a small footprint, the Nanoquest Pico is engineered to fit into any laboratory setting. It is ideal for fast etching of thin films that are not compatible with conventional chemical or dry etching methods.

Nanoquest Pico

Compact Ion Milling Platform for Thin Film R&D

The Intlvac Nanoquest Pico is the ultimate compact ion milling platform for research and development of thin film applications such as Data Storage, Spintronics, and Semiconductors. Designed with flexibility in mind, the system can be configured for a variety of ion sources and gases, depending on your application.

With a 14” D-shaped chamber and a small footprint, the Nanoquest Pico is engineered to fit into any laboratory setting. It is ideal for fast etching of thin films that are not compatible with conventional chemical or dry etching methods.

Key Benefits

  • Compact, low cost platform
  • Actively cooled stage
  • Substrate rotation and tilt
  • High speed vacuum pumps for fast pump down
  • Multiple configuration options

Applications

  • Semiconductor
  • Nanotechnology
  • Photonics
  • Spintronics


Process Methods

  • Ion Beam Etching (IBE)
  • Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE)

Materials

  • Noble Metals 
  • Insulators
  • Diamond Films
  • Optical Wave Guides
  • Superconducting Materials
  • Magnetic Materials

Ion Beam Etching

The Nanoquest Pico is designed for etching small wafers and dies, making it especially well-suited for fast, precise etching in R&D environments. The system supports ion beam and reactive ion beam etching, with multiple ion source configurations available to match a wide range of materials and process requirements.

Specifications

Substrate Fixturing:

  • Rotating cooled substrate holder
  • 0 – 10 RPM rotation speed

Substrate Size:

  • Up to 100mm diameter

Ion Milling Options:

  • 1cm DC Ion Source:
    • 10mA beam current
    • Up to 500eV ion energy
  • 4cm DC Ion Source:
    • Up to 120mA beam current
    • 1200eV ion energy
    • Filament neutralizer
  • 4cm RFICP Ion Source:
    • 150mA beam current
    • 100–1200eV ion energy
    • Low energy remote neutralizer
  • 8cm DC Ion Source:
    • 250mA beam current
    • 100–1200eV ion energy
    • Filament neutralizer

Ion Beam and Plasma Processing Technologies


Intlvac delivers advanced ion beam and plasma processing solutions for precision etching, thin film deposition, surface modification, and substrate cleaning. Each technology offers distinct performance advantages , from highly controlled, directional ion beam treatments to uniform plasma-based processing ,  enabling optimized results across a wide range of materials. Built on decades of vacuum engineering expertise, our systems are designed to meet the demanding requirements of aerospace, optics, semiconductor, and research applications. We work closely with customers to configure reliable, application-specific solutions for both R&D and production environments.

Our core process technologies include:
  • Ion Beam Etching (IBE) / Ion Beam Milling (IBM)
  • Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE)
  • Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) 
  • Ion Beam Trimming (IBT)
  • Ion Beam Sputtering  (IBS)



Ion Beam Etching (IBE) / Ion Beam Milling (IBM)

Ion Beam Etching is a highly controlled physical sputtering process in which energetic ions are directed toward a substrate to achieve precise, anisotropic material removal. The broad, collimated ion beam ensures excellent uniformity across the substrate surface, while programmable substrate motion further enhances process consistency. The result is repeatable, chemistry-independent etching suitable for advanced thin film patterning and precision component fabrication.

Other Systems

  • Nanoquest i
  • Nanoquest ii
  • Nanoquest iii

Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching (CAIBE)

Chemically Assisted Ion Beam Etching introduces reactive gases directly at the substrate surface during ion bombardment. The localized chemical interaction increases material removal rates and enhances selectivity while maintaining directional control. CAIBE is particularly effective for compound materials and applications demanding tailored etch behavior.

Other Systems

  • Nanoquest i
  • Nanoquest ii
  • Nanoquest iii

Reactive Ion Beam Etching (RIBE) 

Reactive Ion Beam Etching combines physical ion bombardment with reactive species generated within the ion source. The simultaneous chemical and physical interaction enhances etch efficiency, improves selectivity, and enables refined feature definition. This approach is well suited for structured surfaces requiring controlled profiles and optimized throughput.

Other Systems

  • Nanoquest i
  • Nanoquest ii
  • Nanoquest iii

Ion Beam Trimming (IBT)

Ion Beam Trimming utilizes a finely defined ion beam to selectively remove material with nanometer-scale precision. Through controlled beam scanning and dwell time adjustment, material thickness can be tuned locally to achieve targeted device or performance characteristics. The process enables deterministic, high-accuracy corrections in advanced functional components.

Other Systems
  • Nanoquest i
  • Nanoquest ii
  • Nanoquest iii
Ion Beam Etching

Download our Latest Brochure to Learn More about the Nanoquest Pico System

  • Compact, low cost platform
  • Actively cooled stage
  • Substrate rotation and tilt
  • High speed vacuum pumps for fast pump down
  • Multiple configuration options

The Nanoquest Pico is the ultimate compact ion milling platform for research and development of thin film applications such as Data Storage, Spintronics, and Semiconductors. It can be configured for a number of ion sources and gases depending on your application. With its 16” D-shaped chamber and small footprint, it can fit into any lab.

The Nanquest Pico is designed to etch small wafers and dies and is ideal for fast etching of thin films that do not respond well to conventional chemical or dry etching processes.

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