Nano Fabrication Lab Safe and clean conditions for micro and nanofabrication Founded in 2022 and led by Dr. Gerard Gadea, the Nano Fabri- cation Lab (NF Lab) provides researchers from the University of Basel and companies within the SNI network with comprehen- sive infrastructure for micro and nanofabrication — from pat- terning and material deposition to process control. The avail- able facilities allow lithographic techniques on the micro and nanometer scale, thin-film deposition, and wet and dry chem- ical etching processes. These capabilities are complemented by facilities for substrate and surface preparation and by methods for the characterization and quality control of the fabricated structures. The extensive pool of equipment and the NF Lab’s two clean rooms are primarily used by master’s students, doctoral stu- dents, postdocs and several scientists from companies within the SNI network. The NF Lab’s four-person team manages instruments and in- frastructure, enabling trained users to carry out their projects independently. It also ensures that all users can conduct their work safely and efficiently, regardless of the diversity of projects. The team’s responsibilities include providing training on the different instruments, procuring, installing, maintaining and repairing equipment, providing consumables, and monitoring compliance with safety and cleanliness requirements. In 2025, the team introduced new guidelines for the use of clothing and materials in order to further improve conditions in the clean rooms — making work safer, more efficient and cleaner for ev- eryone involved. Expanding the equipment pool It is also a priority for NF Lab head Gerard Gadea to continuously improve the laboratory’s equipment and respond to the needs of research groups that rely on its facilities. “At the NF lab, we fabricate nanoscale devices that we use to measure quantum effects at temperatures close to absolute zero.” Prof. Andrea Hofmann, Department of Physics, University of Basel Through supervision, training and technical support, Xavier Wildermuth, Juri Herzog, Arnold Lücke and Gerard Gadea (from left to right) provide access to state-of-the-art fabrication technologies at the Nano Fabrication Lab. “We use the new electron beam lithography machine (EBPG) of the NF Lab to fabricate electrical gates within 10nm to semiconduct- ing nanowires to form quan- tum bits, with a precision and reproducibility that was not possible on the older machines.” Dr. Andreas Baumgartner, Department of Physics, University of Basel 57 SNI Annual Report 2025