PFI:AIR - TT: Lateral Field Excited Acoustic Wave Sensor for Monitoring Thin Film Properties in Solid State Devices

该PFI：空气技术项目专注于将横向场激励(LFE)声波设备的研究转化为可持续发展的技术，以满足涉及薄膜沉积的制造工艺对改进工艺监控和设备计量方法的持续需求。使用这些薄膜的各种电子、微波和光学器件在现有和未来的计算机、汽车、移动通信系统(手机)等中很常见。在薄膜沉积过程中准确监控薄膜厚度、质量、粘度、电导率和介电常数等薄膜特性的能力将改善依赖这些器件的消费电子产品的性能。与市场上领先的竞争技术石英晶体微天平(QCM)相比，LFE监测器的相关功能将提供更高的灵敏度，并允许进行QCM无法实现的电导率和介电常数监测。正在开发的横向场激励声波传感器面向制造固态电子、微波和光学设备的工业工厂和研究实验室，这些设备使用对设备性能至关重要的薄膜。与常用的QCM不同，LFE设备将允许对机械(质量、膜厚和粘度)和/或电(导电性和介电常数)膜特性进行准确和灵敏的现场监测。然而，在将这项技术转化为可行的商业产品之前，必须填补两个技术空白。首先，需要改善LFE器件的导纳响应。虽然目前的LFE响应足以在实验室仪器中实现，但需要在导纳大小和相位上进行更大的变化才能实现商用传感器。第二个间隙涉及以LFE器件为反馈元件的振荡器电路的设计和测试。在这种配置中，振荡器频率的变化成为薄膜机械和/或电性能变化的直接测量。缅因州大学电气工程与商业创业学院和Fil-Tech工程师将为本科生和研究生提供声波技术和/或商业创业方面的建议，这是实现可转化为商业产品的实验室原型所必需的。为了使LFE传感器为技术转让和商业化做好准备，密歇根大学工业合作部将与Fil-Tech，Inc.合作开发知识产权许可。该项目聘请Fil-Tech Inc.提供定制的石英样品和指导，这对将这项技术转化为可行的商业产品至关重要。

This PFI: AIR Technology project focuses on translating research in lateral field excited (LFE) acoustic wave devices to fill the continuing need for improved methods of process monitoring and device metrology for manufacturing processes involving thin-film deposition. A wide range of electronic, microwave, and optical devices that use these thin films are commonplace in existing and future computers, automobiles, mobile communication systems (cell phones), etc. The capability of accurately monitoring thin film properties such as film thickness, mass, viscosity, electrical conductivity and permittivity during film deposition will improve the performance of consumer electronics that depend on these devices. The features associated with the LFE monitor will provide higher sensitivity when compared to the leading competing technology, the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) in this market space, and allow electrical conductivity and permittivity monitoring which are not possible with QCM.The lateral field excited acoustic wave sensor under development is targeted for industrial factories and research laboratories which fabricate solid state electronic, microwave and optical devices that employ thin films critical to the device performance. In contrast to the commonly used QCM, the LFE device will allow the accurate and sensitive in situ monitoring of both mechanical (mass, film thicknesses and viscosity) and/or electrical (conductivity and permittivity) film properties. However, before this technology can be transitioned to a viable commercial product, two technology gaps have to be filled. First, the LFE device admittance response needs to be improved. Although the current LFE response is adequate for implementation in laboratory instrumentation, a larger change in admittance magnitude and phase is needed to realize a commercial sensor. The second gap involves the design and testing of an oscillator circuit in which the LFE device is a feedback element. In this configuration, the change in oscillator frequency becomes a direct measure of the change in film mechanical and/or electrical properties. University of Maine (UM) faculty in Electrical Engineering and Business Entrepreneurship and Fil-Tech engineers will advise undergraduates and graduate MS and PhD students in acoustic wave technology and/or business entrepreneurship necessary to realize a laboratory prototype that can be transitioned into a commercial product. In order to prepare the LFE sensor for technology transfer and commercialization, the UM Department of Industrial Cooperation will work with Fil-Tech, Inc. to develop intellectual property licensing. The project engages Fil-Tech Inc. to provide customized quartz samples and guidance critical in transitioning this technology to a viable commercial product.