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

针尖纳米制造技术(TIP-Based Nanomanufacing，简称TBN)是一种高精度、大规模制造纳米结构的可扩展平台。所有的TBN工艺都取决于纳米级原子力显微镜(AFM)针尖的可用性，这些尖端可以在不发生实质性成分或几何变化的情况下经受住TBN工艺的长期和恶劣条件。然而，缺乏对纳米级磨损的科学理解，特别是在TBN工艺放大时遇到的极端条件下。这笔赠款为严格发展纳米磨损基础科学提供资金，这是实现高性能、高速率TBN工艺的强大探测器所必需的。综合的跨学科研究计划包括先进的原子模拟与连续介质模型相结合，以及创新实验，其中包括将原子力显微镜与电子显微镜相结合的现场磨损研究。这项研究将侧重于了解工业合作伙伴先进钻石技术公司(ADT)制造的超非晶金刚石(UNCD)AFM探针以及基于硅的传统商业探针的性能。这项研究将利用与其他寻求商业TBN工艺的行业合作伙伴的互动，为研究选择相关条件，并根据研究结果优化可扩展的TBN工艺和探测器的设计。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可行的应用。这将通过实现在扩大的TBN工艺中最大限度地减少尖端磨损的新方法来实现。对磨损的理解将应用于设计和制造适用于各种TBN方法的可靠探头。具体成果将包括部署联合国开发计划署探头，以实现高性能的全口径核动力源，并为提高商业上可行的核动力源的性能创造作业条件。教育和外展活动将导致针对行业受众的新的TBN短期课程，高中科学教师的研究经验，以及对学生的高级培训。

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.