Collaborative Research: Defect Modeling and Process Optimization for Nanowire Growth towards Improved Nanodevice Reliability

该奖项的目的是通过对半导体纳米线的生长过程变量、结构缺陷和机械性能之间的相互关系进行建模，来优化半导体纳米线的生长过程，从而生产出缺陷更少的可靠的基于半导体纳米线的器件。本研究将研究一种双环架构，首次将北线缺陷与北线装置的可靠性联系起来。需要回答的基本问题是：(1)如何系统地建立工艺变量、不同NW缺陷的生成率与NW器件可靠性之间的关系？(2)如何加快NW器件的可靠性预测，并利用所获得的可靠性信息，通过操纵NW生长过程来执行以应用为中心的缺陷减少？具体地说，我们将(1)模拟不同类型缺陷的随机产生过程，将不同类型缺陷的产生与NW生长过程变量联系起来；(2)开发机械载荷下具有各种缺陷的NW的统计断裂模型；(3)探索先进的加速测试方法，并通过最佳实验设计方法优化NW生长过程；以及(4)基于所提出的方法，通过开发基准NW纳米器件来进行验证研究，并展示其预期的可靠性性能。如果这项研究成功，这项研究将促进当今快速发展的技术进步，这些技术不断面临着对高成本效益产品开发技术的日益增长的需求。它将产生一种吸引人的做法，有助于解决广泛的纳米材料/设备开发过程中的常见制造问题。预计将实现用于开发高度可靠的基于NW的器件的系统工艺优化方法，而不是目前在纳米制造领域使用的反复试验的方法。此外，这些教育举措将加强两所合作机构的相关项目，这将影响大量校园内和全国远程学生。研究成果还将通过技术出版物、研讨会、短期课程和K-12推广计划广泛传播。

The objective of this award is to optimize the growth process of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) by modeling the interrelationship between their growth process variables, structural defects, and mechanical properties, so that reliable NW-based devices with fewer defects can be produced. A double-loop framework will be investigated in this research, which links NW defects and the reliability of NW-based devices for the first time. The fundamental questions to be answered are: (1) How to systematically establish the relationship between the process variables, the generation rates of different NW defects, and the reliability of NW-based devices? (2) How to expedite the reliability prediction for NW-based devices and use the achieved reliability information to perform the application-centric defect reduction through the manipulation of the NW growth process? Specifically, we will (1) model the stochastic generation process of NW defects that link the generation of different types of defects to the NW growth-process variables; (2) develop a statistical fracture model for NWs with various defects under mechanical loading; (3) explore an advanced accelerated testing methodology and optimize the NW growth process by the optimal experimental design methods; and (4) conduct validation studies based on the proposed methodology by developing benchmark NW-based nanodevices, and demonstrate their desired reliability performance.If successful, this research will facilitate today's fast-paced technological advancements that are continually faced with increasing needs for cost-effective product-development technologies. It will result in an appealing practice that helps resolve common fabrication problems in a wide spectrum of nanomaterials/device development processes. It is expected that a systematic process optimization approach for the development of highly reliable NW-based devices, instead of trial-and-error approaches that are currently used in the field of nanomanufacturing, will be achieved. Moreover, the educational initiatives will strengthen the related programs at the two collaborative institutions, which will impact a large number of on-campus and nationwide distance students. The research result will also be broadly disseminated through technical publications, workshops, short courses, and K-12 outreach program.