GOALI/Collaborative Research: Deciphering the Mechanisms of Wear to Enable High Performance Tip-Based Nanomanufacturing

尖端纳米制造（TBN）是一种极具发展前景和可扩展性的高精度纳米结构批量制造平台。所有的TBN工艺都取决于纳米级原子力显微镜（AFM）尖端的可用性，这些尖端可以在TBN工艺的长期和恶劣条件下存活下来，而不会在成分或几何形状上发生实质性的变化。然而，缺乏对纳米级磨损的科学理解，特别是在TBN工艺扩大时遇到的极端条件下。这项拨款为严格发展纳米级磨损的基础科学提供了资金，这些科学需要实现高性能、高速率TBN工艺的稳健探针。综合的跨学科研究计划包括与连续体模型相结合的先进原子模拟和创新实验，包括将AFM与电子显微镜相结合的原位磨损研究。该研究将侧重于了解由工业合作伙伴Advanced diamond Technologies （ADT）生产的超微晶金刚石（UNCD） AFM探针的性能，以及基于硅的传统商业探针。与追求商业TBN工艺的其他工业合作者的互动将被用来选择研究的相关条件，并根据研究结果优化可扩展的TBN工艺和探针的设计。如果成功，这项研究将把广泛的TBN方法从台式原型工艺转变为商业上可行的应用。这将通过实现在扩大TBN工艺中最小化尖端磨损的新方法来实现。对磨损的理解将适用于设计和制造可靠的探针，用于广泛的TBN方法。具体成果将包括部署禁毒署探针，用于高性能TBN，并建立操作条件，以提高商业上可行的TBN的性能。教育和推广活动将包括一个针对行业受众的新的TBN短期课程，为高中科学教师提供研究经验，并为学生提供高级培训。

Tip-based nanomanufacturing (TBN) is a promising and scalable platform for fabricating nanostructures en masse with high precision. All TBN processes hinge on the availability of nanoscale atomic force microscope (AFM) tips that can survive the long-lasting and harsh conditions of TBN processes without substantial changes in composition or geometry. However, the scientific understanding of nanoscale wear, particularly under the extreme conditions encountered as TBN processes are scaled up, is lacking. This grant provides funding to rigorously develop the fundamental science of nanoscale wear that is needed to realize robust probes for high-performance, high-rate TBN processes. The integrated, interdisciplinary research plan consists of advanced atomistic simulations integrated with continuum models, and innovative experiments that include in-situ wear studies combining AFM with electron microscopy. The research will focus on understanding the performance of ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) AFM probes manufactured by the industrial partner, Advanced Diamond Technologies (ADT), as well as conventional commercial probes based on silicon. Interactions with additional industrial collaborators pursuing commercial TBN processes will be leveraged to select relevant conditions for the studies, and to optimize the design of scalable TBN processes and probes based on the research findings.If successful, this research will transform a broad range of TBN methods from bench-top prototype processes to commercially-viable applications. This will be achieved by realizing new approaches to minimize tip wear in scaled-up TBN processes. The understanding of wear that is developed will apply to the design and fabrication of reliable probes for a broad range of TBN methods. Tangible outcomes will include the deployment of UNCD probes for high performance TBN, and the establishment of operating conditions for achieving improved performance in commercially-viable TBN. The education and outreach activities will lead to a new short-course on TBN aimed at industry audiences, research experiences for high school science teachers, and the advanced training of students.