Assembly and adhesion mechanics of 2D materials for scalable production of next-generation electronics

研究背景近年来，由于基于硅的创新几乎达到了其物理极限，对更快、更小、更灵活和更灵敏的电子产品的需求引发了电子制造的革命。硅制造提供前所未有性能的下一代电子产品的可行替代方案非常受欢迎，以支持各种变革性技术(即自动驾驶汽车、增强现实和物联网)。虽然该行业正在试验许多材料，但由于其优越的物理性能，二维材料(2DM)是下一代电子产品最有前途的基础材料之一。麦肯锡公司的商业研究预测，2030年2 DM电子产品的市场规模将达到700亿美元。然而，由于缺乏高通量和无残基的组装技术，基于2 DM的电子产品的可扩展生产受到了严重阻碍。原子薄的结构需要从它们的生长衬底转移到目标位置，以便以可扩展和高效的方式进行电子组装，这需要在纳米尺度上进行先进的操纵。为了将实验室规模的基于2 DM的发明推向市场，需要像操作乐高积木一样容易地高通量组装2 DM的创新方法。研究计划拟议研究计划的长期目标将致力于通过实现基于2 DM的电子产品的高通量生产，将其转移到市场上。为了实现这一目标，该研究计划将分为三个短期目标：1)全面了解2 DM界面的粘合机理；2)应用1)中的知识开发一种新的平台，以实现2 DM的高通量和无残留转移打印；3)应用2)开发的转移打印平台来规模化组装超薄电子产品。这将形成一个将基本知识整合到设计和制造新组装技术中的闭环研究计划，用于下一代电子产品的可扩展制造。这项拟议的研究计划将对下一代超薄膜电子产品的生产产生影响，并提供对超薄膜附着机理的全面了解。未来的高通量组装技术将导致低维材料应用的前所未有的进步，这将使电子、汽车、电信和超级计算等行业的加拿大公司受益。至少15名高素质人员将在一个跨学科、协作、多样化和支持性的环境中接受培训，在那里他们将获得机械工程、材料科学和纳米技术方面的市场知识和技能，并为他们的未来开拓广阔而深刻的视野。

Research Background The demand for faster, smaller, more flexible, and more sensitive electronics has triggered the revolution of electronics manufacturing in recent years, as silicon-based innovations have almost reached its physical limitations. Viable alternatives for silicon to make next-generation electronics that provide unprecedented performance are highly sought-after to support a variety of transformational technologies (i.e., autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, and the internet of things). While the industry is experimenting with many materials, the class of two-dimensional materials (2DM) is one of the most promising building blocks for next-generation electronics due to their superior physical properties. Business studies by McKinsey & Company projected a $70 billion market size for 2DM electronics in 2030. However, the scalable production of 2DM-based electronics has been significantly hampered due to the lack of high-throughput and residue-free assembly technologies. The atomically thin structures need to be transferred from their growth substrates to targeted places for electronics assembly in a scalable and efficient manner, which requires advanced manipulation at nanoscale. Innovative approaches for high-throughput assembly of 2DM as easy as manipulating Lego blocks are demanded to transfer the lab-scale 2DM-based inventions to the marketplace. Research Program The long-term objective of the proposed Research Program will aim to transfer 2DM-based electronics to the marketplace by enabling their high-throughput productions. Toward this goal, the research program will be divided into three short-term objectives: 1) develop a comprehensive understanding of the adhesion mechanics at 2DM interfaces; 2) apply the knowledge in 1) to develop a novel platform to enable high-throughput and residue-free transfer printing of 2DM; 3) apply the transfer printing platform developed in 2) to assemble ultrathin electronics in scale. This will formulate a closed-loop research program integrating fundamental understandings into the design and fabrication of novel assembly technologies for scalable manufacturing of next-generation electronics. Impact The proposed research program will impact the production of next-generation ultrathin film-based electronics and provide a comprehensive understanding of the adhesion mechanics of ultrathin films. The prospective high throughput assembly technologies will lead to unprecedented advancements in the applications of low-dimensional materials, which will benefit Canadian companies in industries including electronics, automobiles, telecommunications, and supercomputing. At least 15 highly qualified personnel will be trained within an interdisciplinary, collaborative, diverse, and supportive environment where they will gain marketable knowledge and skills in mechanical engineering, materials science, and nanotechnology and develop a broad and deep sphere of vision for their future.