MRI: Acquisition of a Direct-Write Laser System for Innovations in Electronic & Photonic Device Design

直写激光(DWL)是一种用于在不需要光掩模或掩模的情况下对精细特征进行图案化的系统。这项提案要求获得资金，用于购买用于电子和光子设备设计创新的DWL系统，该系统将用于RIT的各种研究应用。DWL系统将对目前由NSF以及其他机构和工业合作伙伴资助的几个项目的研究质量和生产率产生积极影响。正在研究的几个应用领域包括薄膜电子学、纳米光子学和微光学、III-V/硅集成、光伏、MEMS、微通道和3D集成；每个领域都将利用DWL系统的特定优势和能力。参与者将包括RIT几个项目的本科生和研究生，包括微系统工程和成像科学的博士项目。DWL系统还将成为光刻、薄膜工艺和微细加工方面的实验室课程的资源，这些课程为研究生项目的学生提供研究培训。DWL系统将安置在一个用户设施中，以促进多学科合作研究。许多理工科专业的本科生和研究生将使用该仪器进行研究，包括顶石高级设计项目、硕士和博士论文。受影响的实验室课程作为选修课提供给所有工程和科学专业的本科生和研究生，并可能计入微细加工的5门辅修课程。这扩大了获得DWL系统经验的学生基础，并将有助于进一步增加保留研究生学习和参与研究活动的学生人数。DWL系统的结果将对相关和新兴科学领域的文献做出重大贡献。DWL系统在致力于固定光掩模设计之前，填补了图形优化研发的重要利基。根据激光光源波长和光学设计的不同，DWL系统可提供与投影光学光刻相当的分辨率。与传统的接近或投影光学光刻相比，DWL系统具有几个优势，使其成为一种有吸引力的替代方案，包括能够处理各种基板形状和大小、按需进行图案更改以及在样品中实现图案变化。这些优势支持了实验设计效率的显著提高。使用具有精细图案对准的DWL系统的曝光级别可与电子束或传统光学光刻级别混合，从而在工艺序列中的多个级别的图案转移上提供设计灵活性。DWL系统还将提供背面对准和灰度成像能力，为研究人员提供微制造方面的新选择，这些选择通常不会因实施所需的相关工程而外包。

A direct-write laser (DWL) is a system used to pattern fine features without the need for a photomask or reticle. This proposal requests funds for the acquisition of a DWL system for innovations in electronic and photonic device design that will be used for a variety of research applications at RIT. The DWL system will positively impact the quality and productivity of research in several projects that are currently funded by NSF, as well as other agencies and industrial partners. There are several application areas under investigation including thin-film electronics, nanophotonics & micro-optics, III-V / silicon integration, photovoltaics, MEMS, microchannels & 3D integration; each of which will utilize specific advantages and capabilities of the DWL system. Participants will include undergraduates and graduate students in several programs at RIT, including PhD programs in Microsystems Engineering and Imaging Science. The DWL system will also be a resource for laboratory courses in photolithography, thin-film processes, and microfabrication which provide research training to students that feed into the graduate programs. The DWL system will be housed in a user facility which promotes collaborative multidisciplinary research. A number of undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science and engineering will use this instrument for research including capstone senior design projects, MS and PhD theses. The laboratory courses impacted are available as elective courses to all undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and science, and may count towards a 5-course minor in microfabrication. This broadens the student base that gains experience with the DWL system and will help to further increase the number of students that are retained for graduate study and participate in research activities. Results from the DWL system will provide a significant contribution to the literature in relevant and emerging scientific fields.A DWL system fills an important niche in R&D for pattern optimization prior to committing to a fixed photomask design. Depending on the laser source wavelength and optical design, a DWL system offers resolution comparable to projection optical lithography. There are several advantages that a DWL system has over traditional proximity or projection optical lithography that makes it an attractive alternative including the ability to handle a variety of substrate shapes and sizes, make on-demand pattern changes, and implement pattern variations within a sample. These advantages support a significant increase in the efficiency of experimental design. Exposure levels using a DWL system with fine pattern alignment can be intermixed with e-beam or traditional optical lithography levels, providing design flexibility on several levels of pattern transfer in a process sequence. The DWL system will also provide capabilities in backside alignment and grayscale imaging, offering researchers new options in microfabrication which are generally not outsourced due to the associated engineering required for implementation.