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

该项目的研究目标是创建一个微型制造工作单元，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结合起来，在微米尺度上进行局部材料处理，蚀刻和沉积。对微型等离子体源产生的离子、自由基和紫外光的微尺度输出光束进行了表征，并研究了这些光束与材料加工表面的相互作用。利用这个集成工作单元，研究将探索各种微制造过程的建模和规划方法，然后在每个微制造步骤期间和之间感知和提供实时反馈。该方法是设计和建造小型等离子体源，在等离子体源的末端有一个特殊构造的板或网格，用于提取离子、中性自由基或紫外线。端板或栅格设计需要坚固耐用，因此将研究具有微米大小孔径的薄金刚石膜，以产生可小至一平方微米的加工区域。待加工的基板将安装在具有亚微米精度的机器人定位台上。微制造工作单元将配备原子力显微镜单元，以便在材料加工步骤中对局部材料加工进行迭代检查。将研究微制造过程的模型，用于规划制造过程中各步骤的刀具路径。在处理过程中和处理过程之间的传感和成像技术将使用计算机集成方法进行研究。如果成功，本研究的好处将是为在微环境中添加、移除和组装材料和部件的工艺和相关设备的设计和利用建立工程原理，从而实现可靠和高效的微设备和系统制造方法。可以用微尺度等离子体源完成的加工类型包括表面活化、蚀刻、离子铣削/溅射、等离子体辅助沉积以及表面和工艺的光活化。这种微制造技术将有利于微系统的制造和装配，其中涉及到集成电子、流体、化学/生物传感和机械子系统的系统的非常不同的材料和制造工艺。此外，该研究将为微制造工作单元的过程自动化建立工具。

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.