STTR Phase I: Innovative Modular Transfer Head

这一小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是通过一种新的制造工艺使无机微型发光二极管(MicroLED)能够在显示器中广泛使用。微LED用于超高分辨率的生动显示器，适用于从手持设备到大面积显示器的许多消费电子应用，但它们需要低功耗。这项拟议的技术将被用来促进通过制造系统对微米级(人类头发厚度的十分之一)部件的拾取和移动。它将能够扩展到各种显示形式和微LED尺寸，提供显著的成本优势和新的制造灵活性。这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目开发了一种两阶段工艺和微转移头(PSETH)技术，用于选择性地将微LED从本地基板大规模并行转移到显示矩阵。PSETH由高磁导率材料的薄膜包裹，并安装在电磁铁上以保持微LED，并且具有与要转移的所需多个相同的尺寸和布局结构的图案化元件。它使用选择性湿法蚀刻工艺将它们与原生衬底分离，然后仅拾取和转移选定的多个微LED。拟议的项目将推动该技术的大规模使用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to enable broad use of inorganic micro light emitting diode (microLEDs) in displays through a new manufacturing process. MicroLEDs are used for ultra-high resolution vivid displays for many consumer electronics applications ranging from hand-held devices to large area displays, but they require low power consumption. The proposed technology will be used to facilitate processes in which the picking and movement of parts that are micron-sized (one-tenth the thickness of a human hair) are advanced through a manufacturing system. It will have the ability to scale to various display form factors and microLED sizes, offering a significant cost advantage and new manufacturing flexibility.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase-I project develops a two-stage process and micro-transfer head (PSETH) technology for the selective massive parallel transfer of microLEDs from native substrate to a display matrix. The PSETH is enclosed by a film of high magnetic permeability material and is mounted on an electromagnet to hold microsLEDs and features patterned elements of the same size and layout structure as the desired plurality to be transferred. It detaches them from the native substrate using a selective wet etch process, and then picks and transfers only the selected plurality of microLEDs. The proposed project will advance the technology for use at scale.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.