MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a Deep Reactive Ion Etching System for Enhanced Semiconductor Processing Capability

摘要密歇根州立大学（MSU）在开展快速发展的尖端多学科研究领域方面保持着强大的传统和持续的趋势，这些领域对《芯片与科学法案2022》和关键与新兴技术的成功至关重要，如半导体、微电子、能源、传感器、生物医学技术、量子技术等。该项目寻求使用牛津PlasmaPro 100 Estrelas深度反应离子蚀刻（DRIE）系统，目标是精确、快速、灵活、高纵横比的深度硅蚀刻，以创建不同的微/纳米结构，以加速密歇根州立大学和密歇根州中西部的这些前沿研究领域。Estrelas DRIE仪器是一种独特的尖端深硅蚀刻系统，提供卓越的灵活性和吞吐量，以快速（蚀刻速率28 μ m/min）和高宽高比（70:1）在半导体上制造各种微/纳米结构。该仪器将被安置在电气和计算机工程研究洁净室（ERC），这是一个多学科共享的研究设施，可供密歇根州立大学和外部用户使用。通过Estrelas drive，密歇根州立大学将成为一个区域中心，为密歇根州立大学以及密歇根州中西部其他研究所和当地公司的用户提供先进和灵活的半导体加工支持。该仪器将立即受益于来自密歇根州立大学4个不同部门和2个学院以及其他机构（包括弗劳恩霍夫美国中西部中心、内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校和布法罗大学）的不同研究团队及其跨学科研究项目。相关的研究预计将产生大量的专利转化为实际应用。除了研究效益外，Estrelas drive还将成为培训半导体、微/纳米工程、生物技术、能源、物理、环境科学等领域跨学科研究人员和工程师的教育工具。所要求的Estrelas DRIE将刺激密歇根州立大学快速增长的研究领域的发展，包括半导体、微电子、能源、传感器、生物医学技术、量子技术等。Estrelas drive的能力将在以下主要领域开辟许多新的研究途径：(1)宽带隙半导体：金刚石半导体纳米膜转移，以创建gan上的金刚石功率器件；(2)可再生能源收集和储存：了解下一代高容量电极的机械降解；当液体流过表面时，用于增强发电的新型工程表面开发；(3)传感器、MEMS和系统：VO2薄膜涂层MEMS分光光度计，将光束重定向到不同的地方；低成本、高灵敏度的光纤温度传感器；(4)生物医学技术：神经微型植入物与大脑和神经系统无缝通信；高带宽硅基神经探针，用于评估大量神经元；监测个人暴露于空气中的可穿戴微流体系统；集成多功能微器件的智能微型机器人；(5)量子技术：金刚石纳米柱作为量子信息的载体，提高光子提取效率；量子应用的金刚石膜。Estrelas DRIE是一个重要的支持工具，不仅可以满足不同研究人员的迫切需求，加快他们当前/未来的研究，还可以促进部门内、密歇根州立大学内外工程师和科学家之间的多学科合作。此外，Estrelas DRIE仪器将扩展密歇根州立大学现有的微/纳米制造能力，并满足广泛的微/纳米科学、工程和技术需求。通过加速这些最先进的研究领域，该仪器还将成为创造科学培训和艺术作品的重要工具，以吸引学生，特别是来自代表性不足群体的学生，从事STEM教育和研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

AbstractMichigan State University (MSU) has maintained a strong tradition and continuing trend in conducting fast-growing cutting-edge multidisciplinary research areas critical to the success of Chips and Science Act 2022 and Critical and Emerging Technologies, like semiconductors, microelectronics, energy, sensors, biomedical technologies, quantum technologies etc. This project seeks to request an Oxford PlasmaPro 100 Estrelas Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) system - targeting precision, rapid, flexible, high-aspect-ratio deep silicon etching to create diverse micro/nanostructures to accelerate these cutting-edge research areas at MSU and in Midwest Michigan. The Estrelas DRIE instrument is a unique cutting-edge deep silicon etching system that offers exceptional flexibility and throughput to fabricate various micro/nanostructures on semiconductors with fast speed (etch rate 28 µm/min), and high aspect ratio ( 70:1). The instrument will be housed at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Cleanroom (ERC), a multidisciplinary shared research facility available to both MSU and external users. With the Estrelas DRIE, MSU will become a regional hub for providing advanced and flexible semiconductor processing support to users from MSU as well as other institutes and local companies in Midwest Michigan. The instrument will immediately benefit a diverse team of investigators and their cross-disciplinary research projects from 4 different departments and 2 colleges at MSU and other institutions including Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and University of Buffalo. The associated research is expected to produce numerous patents to be translated into practical use. Besides research benefits, the Estrelas DRIE will serve as an educational tool for training interdisciplinary researchers and engineers in semiconductor, micro/nanoengineering, biotechnologies, energy, physics, environmental science, etc. The requested Estrelas DRIE will stimulate the development of MSU’s rapidly growing research areas, including semiconductors, microelectronics, energy, sensors, biomedical technologies, quantum technologies etc. The capabilities of the requested Estrelas DRIE will open many new avenues of research in the following major areas: (1) Wide bandgap semiconductors: diamond semiconductor nanomembrane transfer to create diamond-on-GaN power devices; (2) Renewable energy harvesting and storage: understanding of mechanical degradation of next-generation high-capacity electrodes; novel engineered surface development for enhanced electricity generation when liquid flows over surfaces; (3) Sensors, MEMS and Systems: VO2 thin film coated MEMS spectrophotometer to re-direct a light beam to different places; low-cost and highly sensitive fiber-optic temperature sensors; (4) Biomedical technologies: neural miniaturized implants for seamless communication with the brain and the nervous systems; high-bandwidth silicon-based neuroprobes to assess a large number of neurons; wearable microfluidic systems to monitor personal exposure to airborne; intelligent micro robots integrated with multifunctional microdevices; (5) Quantum technologies: diamond nanopillars to enhance photon extraction efficiencies as the carriers for quantum information; diamond membrane for quantum applications. The requested Estrelas DRIE is an essential enabling tool that will not only address the critical need of a diverse group of researchers to expedite their current/future research, but also promote multidisciplinary collaborations between engineers and scientists within the department, across MSU, and beyond the institution. Additionally, the requested Estrelas DRIE instrument will expand the existing micro/nanomanufacturing capabilities at MSU and serve the needs of broad micro/nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. By accelerating these state-of-the-art research areas, the instrument will also serve as an important tool to create scientific training and artistic works to attract students, especially from the underrepresented groups, to pursue STEM education and research.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.