I-Corps: Software Suite for Quality-Control of Patterned Nanostructures

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Nanotechnology is one of the premier technologies with vast potential and is progressively changing the frontiers of innovation to create novel applications that impact a broad range of application domains. Nano-research facilities have nanofabrication engineers who fabricate nanostructures for their novel research ideas, and most nanostructures are characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) imaging techniques that are prone to variability between different users, especially as the dimensions of the nanostructures are reduced. There are a few commercially available software solutions to automatically analyze and characterize images of nanostructures to identify magnetization states and fabrication defects, but they lack in providing a quantifiable feedback as to how well the designed fabrication layout meets the intended requirement.The proposed innovation: Software based analysis of Patterned Nanostructures (SPaN), is an automated, image based software suite that provides nanotechnology fabrication engineers the ability to automatically analyze and characterize microscopic images of nanostructures, thereby quickly identifying magnetization states and geometric shape defects for various applications that require patterned nanostructures with very specific geometry and spacing requirements. The proposed software suite will have enhanced value in mass-production of nanoscale electronics and sensors applications. In addition, the proposed innovation will enable customers to analyze images for quality checks and defects in few minutes compared to a few days that an expert user may require to complete the same task. The software also enables users to perform rapid fabrication development iterations with progressively improved fabrication quality by providing relevant feedback on the fabrication quality. This I-Corps team will investigate the viability of a proof-of-concept developed to support accurate patterned nanostructure fabrication following a desired base layout. While current state of the art only uses post-processing and enhanced image quality of post-fabrication characterization, this product SPaN will ensure a comparison with base pattern at a systemic level.