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

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目涉及扫描热显微镜（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、热导率和热容等热参数。SThM系统由一个微机械扫描探头、一个接口电路、一个扫描级和用于同步和控制各个组件的仪器组成。本提案通过评估整个SThM系统的可制造性、稳健性、准确性、可重复性和易用性，并通过扩展潜在的应用，解决了有关其作为商业产品可行性的关键问题。该工具不仅供研究人员使用，而且也用于纳米技术和微电子学的大学预科教育。它也适用于制造应用中良率和可靠性的过程监控。由于正在评估商业化的技术起源于一个教育机构，并将从该机构获得许可，因此如果成功，这项努力将间接地为高等教育提供支持。这项工作还将为本科生提供一个途径，让他们参与从微加工到电路设计再到扫描热系统测试的各种领域。

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.