Laser Prototyping of Advanced Millimetre-Wave Sensors, Circuits, and Metamaterials

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The `Internet of Things' represents the inevitable confluence of sensors with miniaturized millimetre- (mm-) wave circuits, advanced antennas, and enhanced functionalities enabled by materials such as Barium-Strontium Titanate (BST), Vanadium Dioxide (VO2) and emerging engineered `metamaterials'. Technologies operating in the mm-wave frequency range rely on their capacity for miniaturization and ultrahigh-density integration, and as a result, depend heavily on the precision and robustness of fabrication processes. The U of A is internationally recognized for its strategic investments in nano- and microfabrication, which include the world-class NINT facility and the NanoFAB. However, as capable as these facilities may be for the production of wafers and nanoscale devices, they are conspicuously ill-equipped for the fabrication of circuits for the RF/microwave and mm-wave range, particularly those employing exotic emerging materials. Moreover, existing facilities are not conducive to the patterning of low-profile 3D objects, even though significant investments are being made in 3D printing of conformal microwave and mm-wave devices. The motivation for this proposal is the recent introduction of laser-based in-house PCB fabrication systems, which use a pulsed UV laser to ablate metal from surfaces to enable the creation of features as small as a few micrometres. The non-contacting laser process is highly suitable for patterning BST and VO2 deposited on substrate materials and may also be adapted for patterning of low-profile 3D surfaces, including laser micromachining of components. These systems have already been adopted by a few large Canadian universities and major players in the microelectronics and communications industries. The purpose of this proposal is, therefore, to request NSERC RTI funding to establish a turnkey in-house facility for the rapid prototyping of next-generation sensors, metamaterials, and antennas. Such a system will complete the U of A's spectrum of world-class prototyping capabilities and promises significant innovation through enabling the use of exotic materials and geometries.