GOALI: Understanding Laser and Electron Beam Chemical Vapor Deposition Processes from Macro to Nanoscales

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The objective of this Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) project is to build an electron beam chemical vapor deposition system and determine its feasibility for the fabrication of nanoscale materials and devices. An electron beam has been shown to interact with chemicals that are adsorbed onto the surface of a solid substrate causing a chemical reaction(s) that leads to the deposition of a solid metal or ceramic onto the substrate. By moving the beam relative to the substrate, 3-D structures and devices can be fabricated. Since electron beams can be focused to spot sizes on the order of 1 nm, it should be possible to fabricate nanoscale devices. The aim will be to determine how a commercially available electron microscope could be modified in order to develop a reliable, yet versatile, electron beam chemical vapor deposition (EB-CVD) system. Following this design task, the equipment will be procured and further modified to permit EB-CVD experiments. The experiments will permit determining the feasibility of the proposed EB-CVD process for the deposition of silicon and for the fabrication of nanoscale structures. The experiments will also permit developing an understanding of the mechanisms by which the electron beam interacts with the adsorbed chemical(s) to form metal and ceramic deposits.Deposition with an electron beam offers a new energy efficient manufacturing technique truly applicable at the nano-level. In-situ examination of deposit nucleation and growth will greatly enhance the understanding of these phenomena which are critical to control of deposit geometry and properties. Since EB-CVD is applicable to a wide range of metals and ceramics, the research will impact synthesis of critical materials for current and future devices, sensors, and structures in areas as diverse as electronics/photonics, MEMS, nanotechnology, and high temperature materials. Interaction with industrial partners will permit development of a commercial EB-CVD system that is appropriate for both research and manufacturing. The system to be built at Georgia Tech will facilitate training of undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented groups.