In comparison to the air composition in a regular lab, the concentration of airborne particles in a cleanroom is greatly reduced. A reduced number of particles is vital to manufacture electronic and optoelectronic devices as unwanted dust particles can impair the way the affected structures (often just one micrometer in size) function. Inside of a cleanroom, the air quality, temperature and humidity can be steadily controlled by using ventilation systems and filters. This is also important in order to reproduce the production processes. Those working in a cleanroom are required to wear special protective suits and shoes in order to keep the particle density as low as possible and use only corresponding equipment and materials. For example, regular paper cannot used in a cleanroom as it has a fiber structure.

Why do we need a Cleanroom at the JKU?

Various research groups at the JKU use cleanrooms and the air-controlled cleanroom environment, particularly the Institute of Semiconductor and Solid-State Physics as well as the Institute of Mechatronics. The new cleanroom at the OIC will not only support the production of new electronic and photonic devices for base-knowledge research as part of Austrian Science Fund, EU, ERC, and other projects that have potential applications in the fields of quantum technologies, photonics, flexible electronics, and sensor technology, but will also expand the application spectrum for users at different institutes (physics, chemistry, mechatronics, informatics). The goal is to share the use of these rooms and open the doors to interdisciplinary research projects and educational strategies in the area of “digital transformation”.