MRI: Acquisition of a Hybrid Mask-Aligner/Nanoimprinter Lithography Tool

这项提案的主要目标是购买由SOSS MicroTec Inc.提供的具有纳米压印选项的MABA6掩模对准器。该纳米制造工具具有纳米级压印和亚微米光学光刻能力。智能优点：所要求的纳米压印光刻工具将与CREOL洁净室设施内现有的高分辨率电子束光刻系统配对，以创建低成本的纳米制造能力。在与纳米技术相关的各个领域拥有专门知识的九名教员将能够在拟议工具的推动下在广泛的相互关联的主题中进行研究。具体地说，(I)纳米激光器、(Ii)被动纳米光子集成电路(可重新配置的硅光子延迟线芯片、光子晶体芯片和芯片规模的超快光子学)、(Iii)纳米等离子体(纳米孔结构和器件、等离子体超材料、石墨烯纳米器件、无阈值纳米激光器)和(Iv)先进太阳能电池(捕光型和等离子体增强型)的研究将得到利用。更广泛的影响：收购新工具具有变革性，因为预计它将为那些可能无法支付电子束光刻制造成本的研究人员和实体带来低成本的纳米制造能力。该工具将加强有关学术单位独特的多学科/跨学科研究和教育。这一新工具预计将被研究生研究人员大量使用，并提出了将本科生和代表性不足的少数族裔学生整合到该工具使用中的计划。

The main objective of this proposal is to purchase a MABA6 Mask Aligner with Nano Imprinting Option by SUSS MicroTec Inc. The nanofabrication tool has both nanoscale imprinting and submicron optical lithography capabilities. Intellectual Merit: The requested nanoimprint lithography tool will be paired with an existing high-resolution electron-beam lithography system within the cleanroom facility of CREOL to create a low-cost nanofabrication capability. Nine faculty members with expertise in various fields related to nanotechnology will be able to conduct research in a wide range of interrelated topics facilitated by the proposed tool. Specifically, research on (I) Nanolasers, (II) Passive nanophotonic integrated circuits (reconfigurable silicon photonic delay line chips, photonic crystal chips and chip-scale ultrafast photonics), (III) Nanoplasmonics (nanoaperture structures and devices, plasmonic metamaterials, graphene nanodevices, threshold-less nanolasers), and (IV) Advanced Solar Cells (light-trapping-based and plasmonic-enhanced types) will be facilitated using the proposed equipment. Broader Impacts: Acquisition of the new tool is transformational because it is expected to bring low-cost nanofabrication capabilities to those researchers and entities that may not otherwise be able to afford the electron-beam lithography fabrication costs. The tool will enhance the unique multi/inter-disciplinary research and education at the involved academic units. The new tool is expected to be heavily used by graduate student researchers and programs to integrate undergraduate and underrepresented minority students in the usage of the tool are proposed.