Development of an Optical-based, Low-cost, Parallel Nano-manufacturing Technique

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This objective of this proposal is to develop an optical based, low cost, parallel nano-manufacturing technique. The key component in the proposed nano-manufacturing system is a nanoscale optical antenna capable of concentrating light into a nanometer domain with high efficiency, which was recently demonstrated in the PI's laboratory. In the proposed work, an array of such antennas, each to be individually controlled, will be used for parallel nano-manufacturing. Research will be conducted to optimize the antenna by computation and characterization, and to develop an algorism for parallel manufacturing. This project will also provide graduate and undergraduate students with trainings in nano-scale manufacturing, instrumentation design, and fundamentals of near field optics. Results obtained from this work will be used for teaching in a number of courses and instructional laboratories so that more students can benefit from this research.The proposal work, if successful, will have a large impact on nano-manufacturing technology as well as nano-science and nano-technology in general. The advances in nano-science and nano-technology in the last decade are creating many new opportunities that may greatly change our society. In order to bring these newly developed nano-sciences and nano-technologies to the market, low cost, large scale nano-manufacturing technologies are needed. Conventional nano-fabrication involves sophisticated equipment with very high cost. In contrary, the proposed technique will use lasers and commercially available components, and its total cost is much lower. Additionally, being able to concentrate light into nanometer dimensions with high efficiency will significantly impact other areas of science and technology, from surface inspection to biological detection, to high density data storage.