SBIR Phase II: Micromachined Vacuum Microelectronic Devices Using Nanoscale Self-Assembly

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目将开发一种新型的低成本真空微电子微制造技术。由于耐火材料能够承受高温和严重的电磁辐射，因此需要价格合理且可靠的微加工耐火材料。虽然有几种材料已被确定为候选材料，但它们都具有高成本和高纵横比、高分辨率体微加工的困难。一种基于具有独特各向异性形貌的自组织纳米多孔阳极氧化铝的方法将实现高纵横比、高分辨率的微加工。第一阶段证明了用微加工氧化铝陶瓷制备具有良好性能的真空微三极管是可行的。这可能是制造用于真空微电子和其他应用的陶瓷微机电系统（MEMS）的唯一技术，这些系统在恶劣环境中稳定，具有机械耐久性，与主流微制造兼容，成本更低，并且可以适当地扩大规模。第二阶段将优化技术和设计，制造真空集成电路（逻辑和放大器）的原型，并扩大设备批量生产的过程以进行评估。潜在的商业应用包括真空微电子和MEMS，用于太空、卫星通信、雷达、深钻、核反应堆等恶劣环境，以及蜂窝电话网络、平板显示器和各种传感器等不太艰苦的环境

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a novel low-cost microfabrication technology for vacuum microelectronics. Affordable and reliable microfabrication of refractory materials is needed, since these materials are able to withstand high temperature and severe electromagnetic radiation. Although several materials have been identified as candidates, they have both high cost and difficulties with high aspect ratio, high resolution bulk micromachining. An approach based on self-organized nanoporous anodic alumina with unique anisotropy morphology will allow high aspect ratio, high resolution micromachining. Phase I demonstrated that a vacuum microtriode with promising performance could be fabricated from micromachined alumina ceramic. This may be the only technology for making ceramic micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) for vacuum microelectronics and other applications, that are stable in harsh environments, have mechanical durability, are compatible with mainstream microfabrication, cost less, and scale up suitably. Phase II will optimize the technology and design, fabricate prototypes of vacuum integrated circuits (logic and amplifier), and scale-up the processes of device batch production for evaluation.Potential commercial applications include vacuum microelectronics and MEMS for the harsh environments of space, satelliate communicaitons, radars, deep drilling, nuclear reactors, as well as less strenuous environments that attend such uses as cellular phone networks, flat panel displays, and various sensors