The NFF (CWB) Laboratory Charging Scheme

Effective from 1st, June 2021

A. HKUST Students/Staff (HKUST Internal Users)
  1. Charges for lab access
    1. Issuing of the NFF (CWB) access card, HK$100/card and non-refundable.
    2. Account maintenance fee, HK$150/month.
    3. Entry fee, HK$10/hour, a minimum payment of HK$10 for each entry and is capped at HK$600/month.
    4. Replacement of a lost or damaged access card, HK$100/card.

      (Note: If a user does not use his/her access card for six months, the card will be suspended automatically. If a user does not use his/her access card for 12 months or longer, the user will be treated as a NEW user.)

  2. Charges for equipment usage
    1. Four categories of equipment (Refer to Table 2):
        • Category 1: Free of charge
        • Category 2: HK$20/hour, round-up to the nearest hour
        • Category 3: HK$1/minute, round-up to the nearest minute
        • Category 4: HK$2/minute, round-up to the nearest minute
    2. The calculation is based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.
    3. Capped at HK$3,000/month/user.
  3. Other charges
    1. Laboratory materials that are sold in the NFF (CWB). (Refer to Table 1)
    2. Gold and Platinum deposition,
      Germanium and Oxygen usage on furnaces.

      (Prices are subject to change without notice.)

    3. NFF (CWB) safety orientation (Parts A, C and D), HK$1,050/person (Refund to PI account by deduction with account maintenance cost for seven months starting from project application).
    4. Mask-making, HK$1,000/piece, 5-inch masks.
    5. E-beam lithography process. (Refer to Table 3)
    6. Service charges by NFF (CWB) staff, HK$416/hour. (Internal job requests)

      7. Remarks:

      1. For equipment usage, a penalty of HK$400 will be imposed if a user has booked a piece of equipment but failed to show up to check-in the equipment.

      2. For equipment damages resulting from negligence, the NFF (CWB) will charge in full or part for repair costs.

B. Students/Staff from collaboration between HKUST and Local Tertiary Institutions
  1. Charges for lab access
    1. Issuing of the NFF (CWB) access card, HK$100/card and non-refundable.
    2. Account maintenance fee, HK$150/month.
    3. Entry fee, HK$10/hour, a minimum payment of HK$10 for each entry and is capped at HK$600/month.
    4. Replacement of a lost or damaged access card, HK$100/card.

      (Note: If a user does not use his/her access card for six months, the card will be suspended automatically. If a user does not use his/her access card for 12 months or longer, the user will be treated as a NEW user.)

  2. Charges for lab or equipment usage
    1. Lab usage, HK$377/hour, based on the record on the user's access card.
    2. Equipment usage, HK$377/hour, based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.
    3. If the lab access time and the equipment usage time overlap, only one of the two charges will be imposed.
    4. Capped at HK$15,000/month/user.
  3. Other charges
    1. Laboratory materials that are sold in the NFF (CWB). (Refer to Table 1)
    2. Gold and Platinum deposition,
      Germanium and Oxygen usage on furnaces.

      (Prices are subject to change without notice.)

    3. NFF (CWB) safety orientation (Parts A, C and D), HK$1,050/person.
    4. Mask-making, HK$1,426/piece, 5-inch masks.
    5. E-beam lithography process. (Refer to Table 3)
    6. Service charges by NFF (CWB) staff, HK$540/hour.
    7. Equipment training, HK$377/job.
    8. Equipment qualification, HK$377/job.

      9. Remarks:

      1. Types of project for collaboration between HKUST and local tertiary institutions.

      1. Joint project of UGC/RGC funding projects (eg. CRF, AoE and TBRS).
      2. Joint project of ITF.
      3. Joint project of Inno Hong Kong.

      2. Project approval letter and PI/co-PIs list must be submit during the project application.

      3. Users without the HKUST F.O. account will pay an additional 30% of the above charges to cover administrative cost.

      4. For equipment usage, a penalty of HK$400 will be imposed if a user has booked a piece of equipment but failed to show up to check-in the equipment.

      5. For equipment damages resulting from negligence, the NFF (CWB) will charge in full or part for repair costs.

C. Students/Staff from Local Tertiary Institutions (External Users)
  1. Charges for lab access
    1. Issuing of the NFF (CWB) access card, HK$100/card and non-refundable.
    2. Account maintenance fee, HK$150/month.
    3. Entry fee, HK$10/hour, a minimum payment of HK$10 for each entry and is capped at HK$600/month.
    4. Replacement of a lost or damaged access card, HK$100/card.

      (Note: If a user does not use his/her access card for six months, the card will be suspended automatically. If a user does not use his/her access card for 12 months or longer, the user will be treated as a NEW user.)

  2. Charges for lab or equipment usage
    1. Lab usage, HK$753/hour, based on the record on the user's access card.
    2. Equipment usage, HK$753/hour, based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.
    3. If the lab access time and the equipment usage time overlap, only one of the two charges will be imposed.
    4. Capped at HK$15,000/month/user.
  3. Other charges
    1. Laboratory materials that are sold in the NFF (CWB). (Refer to Table 1)
    2. Gold and Platinum deposition,
      Germanium and Oxygen usage on furnaces.

      (Prices are subject to change without notice.)

    3. NFF (CWB) safety orientation (Parts A, C and D), HK$2,000/person.
    4. Mask-making, HK$2,852/piece, 5-inch masks.
    5. E-beam lithography process. (Refer to Table 3)
    6. Service charges by NFF (CWB) staff, HK$540/hour.
    7. Equipment training, HK$753/job.
    8. Equipment qualification, HK$753/job.

      9. Remarks:

      1. External users will pay an additional 30% of the above charges to cover administrative costs.

      2. For equipment usage, a penalty of HK$400 will be imposed if a user has booked a piece of equipment but failed to show up to check-in the equipment.

      3. For equipment damages resulting from negligence, the NFF (CWB) will charge in full or part for repair costs.

D. Other Users (Industry, Overseas Universities and Other Users)
  1. Charges for lab access
    1. Issuing of the NFF (CWB) access card, HK$100/card and non-refundable.
    2. Account maintenance fee, HK$150/month.
    3. Entry fee, HK$10/hour, a minimum payment of HK$10 for each entry and is capped at HK$600/month.
    4. Replacement of a lost or damaged access card, HK$100/card.

      (Note: If a user does not use his/her access card for six months, the card will be suspended automatically. If a user does not use his/her access card for 12 months or longer, the user will be treated as a NEW user.)

  2. Charges for lab or equipment usage
    1. Lab usage, HK$1,143/hour, based on the user's access card.
    2. Equipment usage, HK$1,143/hour, based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.
    3. If the lab access time and the equipment usage time overlap, only one of the two charges will be imposed.
  3. Other charges
    1. Laboratory materials that are sold in the NFF (CWB). (Refer to Table 1)
    2. Gold and Platinum deposition,
      Germanium and Oxygen usage on furnaces.

      (Prices are subject to change without notice.)

    3. NFF (CWB) safety orientation (Parts A, C and D), HK$3,000/person.
    4. Mask-making, HK$4,500/piece, 5-inch masks.
    5. E-beam lithography process. (Refer to Table 3)
    6. Service charges by NFF (CWB) staff, HK$540/hour.
    7. Equipment training, HK$1,143/job.
    8. Equipment qualification, HK$1,143/job.

      9. Remarks:

      1. External users will pay an additional 30% of the above charges to cover administrative costs.

      2. For equipment usage, a penalty of HK$400 will be imposed if a user has booked a piece of equipment but failed to show up to check-in the equipment.

      3. For equipment damages resulting from negligence, the NFF (CWB) will charge in full or part for repair costs.

    Table 1. Laboratory Materials provided by the NFF (CWB)

    Laboratory Materials in the NFF (CWB)

    Item Name
     1. NFF (CWB) Access Card
     2. AFM Non-Contact Cantilever, Model: PPP-NCHR
     3. Plastic Box for the AFM Cantilever
     4. 4" SOI Wafer with a 100µm-thick silicon layer
     5. 4" quartz wafer
     6. 12" Magnopad 300 Teflon-coated steel disc
     7. 12" TexMet P Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 15 µm)
     8. 12" VerduTex Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 9, 6 and 3 µm)
     9. 12" ChemoMet Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 1 and 0.06 µm)
     10. 10" Magnopad 250 Teflon-coated steel disc
     11. 10" TexMet P Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 15 µm)
     12. 10" VerduTex Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 9, 6 and 3 µm)
     13. 10" MicroCloth Polishing Cloth, PSA (For 1 and 0.06 µm)
     14. EPI wafer, N-type (Type I)
     15. 4" Double-side Polished, 525 µm, N-type Silicon wafer
     16. 4" Double-side Polished, 400 µm, N-type Silicon wafer
     17. 4" Double-side Polished, 400 µm, P-type Silicon wafer
     18. 4" Double-side Polished, 200 µm, N-type Silicon wafer
     19. 4" Double-side Polished, 200 µm, P-type Silicon wafer
     20. 4" Single-side Polished, 525 µm, N-type Silicon wafer
     21. 4" Single-side Polished, 525 µm, P-type Silicon wafer
     22. 4" Glass wafers, 500 µm, for anodic bonding to Silicon
     23. 6" Single-side Polished, 675 µm, N-type Silicon wafer
     24. 6" Single-side Polished, 675 µm, P-type Silicon wafer
     25. 1 µm oxide-coated, 525 µm, Single-side Polished N-Type Silion wafer
     26. 1 µm oxide-coated, 525 µm, Single-side Polished P-Type Silicon wafer
     27. 1 µm oxide-coated, 400 µm, Double-side Polished N-Type Silicon wafer
     28. 1 µm oxide-coated, 400 µm, Double-side Polished P-Type Silicon wafer
     29. 3 µm oxide-coated, 400 µm, Double-side Polished N-Type Silicon wafer
     30. 3 µm oxide-coated, 400 µm, Double-side Polished P-Type Silicon wafer
     31. BCR Cleanroom notebook (100 pages)
     32. Cleanroom paper (50 sheets)
     33. Diamond Scriber
     34. Plastic tweezers for small samples
     35. Tweezers
     36. 2" Single Wafer Carrier with springs
     37. Wafer Storage Box for 25pcs wafers
     38. 1" Single Wafer Carrier with springs
     39. 4" Single Wafer Carrier with springs
     40. 6" Single Wafer Carrier with springs
     41. Other wafers
     

    Remark: The materials and prices are subject to change without notice.

     

    Table 2. Equipment Categories

    A. Category 1: Free of Charge

    All metrology equipment
    Optical microscopes
    Ovens/Hot Plates
    USI Wafer Cleaner
    Surface Profiler
     

    B. Category 2: HK$20/hour

    Charge is based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.

    Sputtering equipment
    Varian 3180 Sputterer
    CVC-601 Sputterer
    ARC-12M Sputterer
    Edward Sputterer (Au) for SEM
    NFF-CY Sputter #1
         
    E-beam evaporators
    Cooke Evaporator
    AST 600EI Evaporator
    AST 450I Evaporator
         
    PECVD
    STS PECVD
    310PC PECVD
    CNT PECVD
    Oxford PECVD
         
    Copper Electroplating
    LPCVD
    LPCVD-A2 Doped Amor-Si
    LPCVD-A3 Amor-Si/Poly
    LPCVD-A4 Si-Ge/Amor-Si/Poly
    LPCVD-B1 Low-Stress Nitride
    LPCVD-B2 Nitride
    LPCVD-B3 LTO
    LPCVD-B4 LTO/PSG
         
    Ion implanter
    CF-3000 Implanter
    Wetstations
    Photoresist Coaters
    Wafer Tracks
    O2 Plasma Ashers
    Critical Point Dryer
    Karl Suss Bonder XB8
    SET ACCµRA100 Flip-Chip Bonder
     

    C. Category 3: HK$1/minute

    Charge is based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.

    Dry etchers
    Poly Etcher
    GaN Etcher
    Oxford GaN-InP Etcher
    DRIE Etcher #1/#2/#3
    AOE Etcher
    Oxford RIE Etcher
    AST Metal Etcher
    XeF2 Silicon Etcher
    Trion RIE Etcher
    Oxford Aluminum Etcher
    NFF RIE Etcher
       
       
    RTA
    RTP-600S
    AG610 RTP
    AW610 RTP
       
    Diffusion furnaces
    Diff. Furnace-A1 Annealing/Oxidation
    Diff. Furnace-C1 FGA Annealing
    Diff. Furnace-C2 N Pre-Deposition
    Diff. Furnace-C3 P Pre-Deposition
    Diff. Furnace-C4 FGA Annealing
    Diff. Furnace-D1 Dry Oxidation
    Diff. Furnace-D2 Dry/Wet Oxidation
    Diff. Furnace-D3 Annealing/Dry/Wet Oxidation
    Diff. Furnace-F1 Annealing/Dry/Wet Oxidation
       
    ALD
    Oxford ALD
    NFF ALD
       
    Photolithography equipment
    Nanoscribe 3-D Printer
     

    D. Category 4: HK$2/minute

    Charge is based on when a user checks-in and out for the equipment.

    Photolithography equipment
    ASML Stepper
    Karl Suss MA6
    AB-M Aligner
       
    CMP
    GnP CMP
    Wafer polisher and grinder
    Silicon Grinder
    Buehler Polisher
       
     

    Remark: The equipment in the different categories are subject to change without notice.

    Table 3. Charges for the E-beam lithography process
      Substrate Long Job* Short Job**
    HKUST Internal Users 5"x5" soda lime HK$3,100 HK$3,100
      5"x5" quartz mask HK$3,100 HK$3,100
      Wafer or chip sample HK$3,100 HK$3,100
      Nano-imprint mask HK$3,100 HK$3,100
    HKUST Collaboration 5"x5" soda lime HK$8,847 HK$8,603
      5"x5" quartz mask HK$8,847 HK$8,603
      Wafer or chip sample HK$8,847 HK$8,603
      Nano-imprint mask HK$8,847 HK$8,603
    External Users 5"x5" soda lime HK$17,694 HK$17,205
      5"x5" quartz mask HK$17,694 HK$17,205
      Wafer or chip sample HK$17,694 HK$17,205
      Nano-imprint mask HK$17,694 HK$17,205
    Industry Users 5"x5" soda lime HK$19,494 HK$18,105
      5"x5" quartz mask HK$19,494 HK$18,105
      Wafer or chip sample HK$19,494 HK$18,105
      Nano-imprint mask HK$19,494 HK$18,105

    **Short job: Exposure time less than or equal to 3 hours.
    *Long job: Exposure time more than 3 hours.

All prices are subject to change without notice.