SBIR Phase II: Integrated Thermal Scanning Probe Development

SBIR 第二阶段：集成热扫描探头开发

• 批准号: 1256640
• 负责人: Ami Chand
• 金额: $ 49.87万
• 依托单位: Applied Nanostructures, inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-03-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1256640&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Integrated; Thermal

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to commercialize a unique scanning probe capable of mapping thermal properties with nanoscale resolution. A large number of physical science, engineering, and biological materials and phenomena require thermal conductivity and temperature measurements with high spatial resolution and sensitivity. Yet such measurements are challenging, with conventional thermal probe technology limited to a lateral resolution of only about 100 nanometers. This phase II project will overcome the major challenges of scanning thermal microscopy. The intellectual merits of the proposed activity are related to new and innovative designs and processes to realize thermal sensing elements integrated into a scanning probe design. This design maximizes heat flow from a sample to the probe while minimizing background heat transfer to areas away from the sensor. These devices will be nanofabricated using both unique and scalable semiconductor processing techniques to minimize the cost of manufacturing and ensure repeatability and reproducibility. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the availability of a high resolution thermal measurement tool which will enable scientists and engineers to investigate new materials and develop next-generation products. In the semiconductor industry, the tool will aid in process monitoring, material characterization, and failure analysis. The data storage industry will find applications ranging from mapping thermal effects on recording head "fly heights" to the characterization of recording technologies incorporating integrated laser pulsing to the investigation of superparamagnetic effects which limit areal densities. These are both multi-billion dollar industries that have broad impacts on society. Moreover, applications of this new technology will be geared towards soft-structure thermal mapping, which is not possible with current technologies because of large probe size. These measurements will also be ideally suited for medical research. For example, thermal microscopy of heated gold nanospheres localized in tumors and magnetic nanoparticle tracking inside cellular structures under radio frequency magnetic fields are areas where the impact of this technology will be very high. Such research has the potential to improve therapeutic interventions targeting a number of diseases.

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在商业化一种独特的扫描探针，能够以纳米级分辨率映射热特性。大量的物理科学、工程和生物材料和现象需要具有高空间分辨率和灵敏度的热导率和温度测量。 然而，这种测量是具有挑战性的，传统的热探针技术仅限于约100纳米的横向分辨率。 第二阶段项目将克服扫描热显微镜的主要挑战。 拟议活动的智力价值与新的和创新的设计和工艺有关，以实现集成到扫描探头设计中的热传感元件。 这种设计最大化了从样品到探头的热流，同时最小化了向远离传感器的区域的背景热传递。 这些器件将使用独特和可扩展的半导体加工技术进行纳米制造，以最大限度地降低制造成本并确保可重复性和再现性。 该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是提供高分辨率的热测量工具，使科学家和工程师能够研究新材料并开发下一代产品。 在半导体行业，该工具将有助于过程监控、材料表征和故障分析。 数据存储行业将发现的应用范围从映射热效应对记录头的“飞行高度”的记录技术的特性，将集成的激光脉冲的超顺磁效应，限制面密度的调查。 这些都是数十亿美元的行业，对社会产生广泛的影响。 此外，这种新技术的应用将面向软结构热映射，这是不可能的，与目前的技术，因为大探针尺寸。 这些测量也将非常适合医学研究。 例如，位于肿瘤中的加热金纳米球的热显微镜和在射频磁场下在细胞结构内跟踪磁性纳米颗粒是该技术影响非常大的领域。 这种研究有可能改进针对一些疾病的治疗干预措施。