Computer-Integrated Ion, Free Radical and UV Light Sources for Micromanufacturing Workcell

本项目的研究目标是创建一个微制造工作单元，该工作单元将原子力显微镜和机器人微操作与最近发明的微型等离子体源技术相结合，以在微米尺度上进行局部材料处理，蚀刻和沉积。将表征来自微型等离子体源的离子、自由基和紫外光的微尺度输出束，并将研究这些束与用于进行材料处理的表面的相互作用。使用这种集成工作单元，研究将探索建模和规划各种微制造过程的方法，然后在每个微制造步骤期间和之间感测并提供实时反馈。该方法是设计和构建小型等离子体源，其在等离子体源的端部具有用于提取离子、中性自由基或紫外光的特殊构造的板或栅格。端板或网格设计需要坚固耐用，因此将研究具有微米尺寸孔径的金刚石薄膜，以产生可以小至1平方微米的加工区域。待处理的基板将安装在具有亚微米精度的机器人定位平台上。一个原子力显微镜单元将被纳入微制造工作单元，使局部区域的材料加工过程中，可以反复检查的材料加工步骤。微型制造过程的模型将被调查用于规划的工具路径的步骤，在制造过程中。将使用计算机集成方法研究在处理步骤期间和之间对过程进行传感和成像的技术。如果成功，这项研究的好处将是建立工程原理，用于设计和利用过程和相关设备，用于在微环境中添加，移除和组装材料和部件，从而实现可靠且有效的微型器件和系统的制造方法。可以用微尺度等离子体源进行的处理类型包括表面活化、蚀刻、离子铣削/溅射、等离子体辅助沉积和表面的光活化和处理。这种微制造技术将有利于微系统的制造和组装，其中对于集成电子、流体、化学/生物传感和机械子系统的系统，涉及非常不同的材料和制造工艺。此外，该研究将建立微型制造工作单元过程自动化的工具。

The research objective of this project is to create a micro-manufacturing workcell that integrates atomic force microscopy and robotic micro-manipulation with recently invented miniature plasma source technology to perform localized materials treatment, etching and deposition on the micrometer scale. The micro-scale output beams of ions, free radicals and ultraviolet light from the miniature plasma sources will be characterized and the interaction of these beams with surfaces for doing materials processing will be studied. Using this integrated workcell the research will explore methods to model and plan various micro-manufacturing processes, and then sense and provide real-time feedback during and between each micro-manufacturing step. The approach is to design and build small plasma sources that have a specially constructed plate or grid on the end of the plasma source for the extraction of ions, neutral radicals or ultraviolet light. The end plate or grid design needs to be robust and strong so thin diamond films with micrometer-sized apertures will be investigated to produce processing areas that can be as small as one square micrometer. The substrate to be processed will be mounted on a robotic positioning stage that has submicrometer precision. An atomic force microscope unit will be incorporated in the micro-manufacturing workcell so that the local area materials processing can be iteratively examined during the materials processing steps. Models of the micro-manufacturing process will be investigated for use in planning the tool path for the steps in the manufacturing process. Techniques for sensing and imaging the process during and between processing steps will be investigated using a computer-integrated approach.If successful, the benefit of this research will be the establishment of engineering principles for the design and utilization of processes and associated equipment for adding, removing, and assembling materials and parts in the microenvironment, thereby realizing reliable and efficient manufacturing methods for micro devices and systems. The type of processing that can be done with the micro-scale plasma source includes surface activation, etching, ion milling/sputtering, plasma-assisted deposition and light activation of surfaces and processes. Such micro-manufacturing techniques will benefit the fabrication and assembly of microsystems where very different materials and fabrication processes are involved for systems that integrate electronic, fluidic, chemical/biological sensing and mechanical subsystems. In addition, the research will establish tools for the automation of processes in micro-manufacturing workcells.