SBIR Phase I: Low Noise Scanning Thermal Microscopy for Defect Detection and Characterization of Semiconductor Materials

该小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目针对的是扫描热显微镜(SthM)系统，该系统可用于测量纳米技术、半导体和生物应用中的温度、热导和热容等热参数。SthM系统由微机械扫描探头、接口电路、扫描工作台和用于同步和控制各个部件的仪器组成。这项建议通过评估整个SthM系统的可制造性、健壮性、准确性、重复性和易用性，并通过扩展潜在的应用来解决其作为商业产品的可行性的关键问题。该工具不仅供研究人员使用，而且还用于纳米技术和微电子学的大学预科教育。它还用于制造应用中的成品率和可靠性的过程监控。由于正在评估商业化的技术来自一家教育机构，并将从该机构获得许可，如果成功，这一努力将间接支持高等教育。这项工作还将为本科生提供一条途径，让他们参与从微制造到电路设计到测试扫描热系统的各种领域。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase I project addresses a scanning thermal microscope (SThM) system, which can be used for measuring thermal parameters such as temperature, thermal conductance, and heat capacity in nanotechnology, semiconductor, and biological applications. The SThM system consists of a micromachined scanning probe, an interface circuit, a scanning stage, and instrumentation to synchronize and control the individual components. This proposal addresses critical issues regarding its feasibility as a commercial product by evaluating the manufacturability, robustness, accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use of the SThM system as a whole and by extending the potential applications.The tool is intended for use not only by researchers, but also for pre-college education in nanotechnology and microelectronics. It is also intended for use in process monitoring for yield and reliability in manufacturing applications. Since the technology being evaluated for commercialization originated in an educational institution and will be licensed from it, this effort will indirectly serve to support higher education if successful. This effort will also provide an avenue for undergraduate student involvement in a variety of areas ranging from microfabrication to circuit design to testing the scanning thermal systems.