NIRT: Integration of Carbon Nanotubes, Magnetic Nanocrystals, and Silicon Microstructures for Ultra-High-Resolution Magnetic Force Microscopy

磁力显微镜（Magnetic Force Microscopy，MFM）是用于在接近10纳米的长度尺度上探测磁性现象的最有前途和最知名的技术之一，但是MFM的空间分辨率目前被限制为约30纳米。限制空间分辨率的因素包括用于MFM的悬臂梁的力灵敏度和在悬臂梁上产生受控磁性纳米结构的能力。 PI提出，基于纳米磁体、碳纳米管和优化硅微结构集成的MFM传感器可以突破这些限制，实现亚10 nm的空间分辨率。PI分别在原子力显微镜，新型磁性显微镜，单壁和多壁碳纳米管的生长，碳纳米管与硅微结构的集成，钴纳米磁体和纳米棒的生长和表征，以及集成位移传感器的高带宽超灵敏力传感器的制造方面拥有丰富的经验。 这项研究需要一个跨学科的研究团队的参与，由来自科学和工程多个部门的研究生和本科生组成。这些传感器的制造将需要集成先进的纳米材料和现代制造工艺，使研究人员和工业开发人员受益。在本研究过程中开发的工艺将在NNUN的在线工艺图书馆以及研究期刊上发表。本科生和研究生的研究包括这些技术的发展及其在材料科学中的应用，将非常适合为纳米科学和技术做出持续的贡献。对“纳米材料”的研究，如巴基球、纳米管、纳米磁体、分子制造和许多其他例子，引起了人们对纳米科学技术前景的兴奋猜测。然而，这些纳米技术并不容易与传统技术，包括微细加工融合。斯坦福大学最近展示了在传统的微制造工艺中将碳纳米管生长定位在特定位置的方法，这一突破可能使纳米技术接近重要的技术应用。这项工作将利用这一突破将纳米管和纳米磁体集成到微机电系统（MEMS）制造中，产生一个有用的超灵敏物理探针的新家族，并为纳米材料和硅微结构的集成开发现实的过程。 该奖项由NSF的两个董事会共同支持：（i）数学和物理科学;（ii）生物科学。其他支持来自材料研究部（DMR）的国家设施和仪器计划。

Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) is one of the most promising and best-known techniques for probing magnetic phenomena on length scales approaching 10 nanometers, but the spatial resolution of MFM is presently limited to about 30 nanometers. Factors limiting the spatial resolution include both the the force sensitivity of the cantilevers used for MFM and the ability to create controlled magnetic nanostructures on the cantilevers. The PIs propose that MFM sensors based on the integration of nanomagnets, carbon nanotubes, and optimized silicon microstructures can push these limits to allow sub-10-nm spatial resolution. The PIs individually have experience in atomic force microscopy, novel magnetic microscopies, the growth of single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, the integration of carbon nanotubes with silicon microstructures, the growth and characterization of cobalt nanomagnets and nanorods, and the fabrication of high-bandwidth ultra-sensitive force cantilevers with integrated displacement sensors. This research requires the participation of an interdisciplinary research team, populated by a collection of graduate and undergraduate students from many departments in science and engineering. The fabrication of these sensors will require the integration of advanced nanomaterials and modern fabrication processes, benefiting researchers and industrial developers. The processes that are developed during the course of this research will be published in the NNUN's on-line process library, as well as in research journals. Undergraduate and graduate students whose research includes the development of these techniques and their application to materials science will be well suited to make ongoing contributions to nanoscience and technology. %%%Research on "nanomaterials" such as bucky-balls, nanotubes, nanomagnets, molecular manufacturing, and many other examples has led to excited speculation regarding the technological promise of nanoscience. However, these nanotechnologies do not easily merge with conventional technologies, including microfabrication. Stanford has recently demonstrated methods for localizing the growth of carbon nanotubes on specific locations within a conventional microfabrication process, a breakthrough that could allow nanotechnology to approach important technological applications. The propsed work would use this breakthrough to integrate nanotubes and nanomagnets into MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication, producing a useful new family of ultrasensitive physical probes and developing realistic processes for the integration of nanomaterials and silicon microstructures.This proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation "Nanoscale Science and Engineering" (NSF 00-119). The award is jointly supported through two directorates at NSF: (i) Mathematical and Physical Sciences and (ii) Biological Sciences. Additional support comes from the National Facilities and Instrumentation program of the Division of Materials Research (DMR).