MRI: Acquisition of a Chemical Mechanical Polishing System for Research and Education

该项目的目标是获得一个最先进的化学机械抛光(CMP)系统，用于前沿研究和协同教育。化学机械抛光是一种将表面平坦化的技术，其表面粗糙度可降至亚纳米均方根级。超平的表面使微电子、光电子、微电子机械系统和先进的设备架构成为可能。拟议的化学机械抛光系统由化学机械抛光仪器和化学机械抛光后清洁仪器组成。化学机械抛光仪通过化学和机械过程相结合的方式抛光材料表面。化学机械抛光后的清洁设备可去除化学机械抛光过程中可静电附着在表面上的颗粒。我们计划将该系统安装在俄亥俄州立大学(OSU)多用户和共享使用的研究制造设施Nanotech West Lab，本着开放获取的精神，供整个地区的用户使用。收购CMP系统与俄亥俄州立大学在量子信息科学与工程、网络安全、通信和移动性方面的研究优先事项高度一致。电子和光子学研究对网络、计算和传感行业产生影响。学生的教育和培训将通过研究计划、课堂教学和强有力的实践推广活动而受到影响。作为美国最大的公立大学之一，俄亥俄州立大学为大量本科生和研究生提供了在一系列前沿领域开展研究的机会。前沿研究涉及用于经典和量子应用的集成光电子器件、基于超宽带隙半导体的高功率电子学、5G/6G通信和传感设备，以及用于紫外线和拓扑激光的化合物半导体技术。化学机械抛光系统将允许俄亥俄州立大学的研究人员对薄膜铁电材料进行直接键合，以开发公认的单光子源，为氧化镓垂直功率器件制备生长表面，在微制造的天线阵列中产生可调性和可靠性，并实现半导体激光器中的拓扑现象。芯片规模的单光子源利用在电信波长具有微米级模场直径的光子集成电路以紧凑的形式系数进行大规模多路复用。与传统的宽带隙半导体如氮化镓或碳化硅相比，基于氧化镓的功率器件具有更大击穿电场的2倍。集成到天线阵列中的微电子机械系统从100 GHz频率可重新配置的天线产生辐射方向图可调谐。拓扑激光器具有无散射的边缘态传输和对制造缺陷的稳健性。化学机械抛光系统对于我们对下一代电子学和光子学的愿景至关重要。收购CMP系统预计将对校园、工业和俄亥俄州代顿市的空军研究实验室产生广泛的地区影响。新的化学机械抛光系统未来的潜在用户包括工程系和物理系的资深和初出茅庐的教师，他们从事跨越材料、设备和系统组件的基础研究。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 objective of this project is to acquire a state-of-the-art chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system for frontier research and synergistic education. CMP has emerged as a technique for planarizing surfaces with resulting surface roughness down to the sub-nanometer root-mean-square level. Ultra-flat surfaces are enabling for microelectronics, optoelectronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, and advanced device architectures. The proposed CMP system consists of a CMP instrument and a post-CMP cleaning instrument. The CMP instrument polishes a material surface through the combination of chemical and mechanical processes. The post-CMP cleaning instrument removes particles that can be electrostatically attached to the surface during the CMP process. We plan to install the system at The Ohio State University (OSU) multi-user and shared-use research fabrication facility, Nanotech West Lab, in the spirit of open access availability for users across the region. Acquisition of the CMP system is in strong alignment with OSU research priorities in quantum information science and engineering, cyber security, communications, and mobility. Electronics and photonics research impacts the networking, computing, and sensing industries. The education and training of students at multiple levels will be impacted through research programs, classroom instruction, and robust hands-on outreach activities. As one of the largest public universities in the USA, OSU provides opportunities for large numbers of undergraduate and graduate students to carry out research in a range of cutting-edge areas. Frontier research involves integrated photonics devices for classical and quantum applications, high power electronics based on ultrawide bandgap semiconductors, 5G/6G communications and sensing devices, and compound semiconductor technology for ultraviolet and topological lasers. The CMP system will allow OSU researchers to conduct direct bonding of thin film ferroelectric materials for the development of heralded single photon sources, prepare growth surfaces for gallium oxide vertical power devices, generate tunability and reliability in microfabricated antenna arrays, and realize topological phenomena in semiconductor lasers. Chip-scale single photon sources exploit large scale multiplexing in compact form factors from photonic integrated circuits with micrometer scale mode field diameters at telecommunications wavelengths. Power devices based on gallium oxide exhibit factor-of-two larger breakdown electric field over traditional wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride or silicon carbide. Micro-electro-mechanical systems integrated into antenna arrays produce radiation pattern tunability from 100 GHz frequency-reconfigurable antennas. Topological lasers have potential for scatter-free edge-state transport and robustness against fabrication defects. The CMP system is critical for our vision of next generation electronics and photonics. The acquisition of the CMP system is expected to have broad regional impact on campus, in industry, and at the Air Force Research Lab in Dayton Ohio. Potential future users of the new CMP system include established and early-career faculty in Engineering and Physics departments, conducting fundamental research spanning materials, devices, and components for systems.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.