CAREER: Laser Direct Writing of Three-Dimensional Functional Nanostructures

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This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program grant supports fundamental research that enables a new process for high-throughput manufacturing of three-dimensional multi-material nanostructures. Over the past years, nanotechnology has given rise to many novel nanotechnology-enabled devices with unprecedented performance and properties, which promise to generate a wide variety of products to improve our daily lives. Many devices require multi-material integration of arbitrarily designed three-dimensional nanostructures over large areas. However, conventional nanomanufacturing tools for mass production are tailored for microprocessor manufacturing and are not suitable for emerging nanotechnology applications. This project supports fundamental investigations into enabling a new process for high-throughput nano-patterning of functional nanocrystals. Such a capability allows mass production of emerging nano-devices with enhanced mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties for energy, healthcare, communication and defense applications. A facile capability to generate three-dimensional multi-material nanostructures accelerates innovation, commercialization and adoption of nanotechnology-enabled products, which impacts U.S. manufacturing, economy and security. This research involves multiple disciplines including manufacturing, thermophysics, chemistry, optics and material science, and motivates individuals from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science and engineering. The project develops an integrated curriculum that bridges the gap between nanomanufacturing science and industrial practice and serves the needs of the current and future workforce in advanced manufacturing.Non-conventional patterning methods using nanocrystals as building blocks, such as nanoscale printing, assembly and direct writing, have many advantages in fabricating three-dimensional and multi-material nanostructures. However, high-throughput and cost-effective patterning of nanocrystals remains a major challenge. The objective of this CAREER project is to understand the nanoscale transport phenomena in laser-nanocrystal interactions and enable efficient, high-speed, scalable photo-patterning of nanocrystals. Specifically, a basic understanding of optical excitation, electron-vibration coupling, relaxation, and transformation processes that occur over a wide range of time scales from femtoseconds to nanoseconds in nano-confined systems is gained. Integrated numerical and experimental studies, including Ab-initio and Molecular Dynamics simulations, ultrafast optical probing and material characterizations are carried out to gain this understanding and establish the process-nanostructure-properties relationships. To demonstrate the scale-up capability and feasibility for targeted applications, parallel laser direct writing of functional nanostructures over large areas by scanning a massive array of beamlets at high speed are explored.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.