SBIR Phase I: A Novel Manufacturing Method for Conformal, Embedded Electronics and Sensor Systems: Combining Thermal Spray with Laser Micromachining

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种方法，结合两种新的，独特的和互补的技术来制造介观电子和传感器。例如，热喷涂作为一种添加剂工艺，用于存款各种高质量陶瓷、金属、半导体、聚合物等材料，利用高速高分辨率紫外激光微加工的精密减材能力，在各种基板上形成中尺度（~10-1000微米）器件。该技术基于直接写入工艺，不需要掩模，光刻胶或湿化学。这种组合技术的好处是巨大的，并且将允许特征尺寸急剧减小到~10 μ m水平和更低，同时能够利用各种各样的材料并在几分钟或几小时内执行设计迭代，相比之下，传统的1-4+周的周转时间用于典型的光致抗蚀剂掩模改变/制造。潜在的商业应用是独特和深远的。示例包括应变计、热敏电阻、热电偶、热电堆、磁性和压电传感器、用于LCR电路的叉指电容器、天线、用于集成到化学和生物传感器中的微加热器等。这些器件可以集成到现有的组件中，并嵌入或涂覆，以提高恶劣环境下的可靠性和生存能力。

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop an approach that combines two new, unique, and complimentary technologies to fabricate mesoscopic electronics and sensors. For example, thermal spray as an additive process to deposit a wide variety of high-quality ceramic, metal, semiconductor, polymer, etc. materials, with the precision subtractive capabilities of High-Speed High-Resolution Ultraviolet Laser Micromachining to fashion mesoscale (~10-1000 microns) devices on a wide range of substrates. The technology is based on a direct-write process that requires no masks, photoresist, or wet chemistry. The benefits of such a combined technology are vast, and will allow a dramatic reduction in feature size to the ~10 um level and below, while being able to utilize an enormous variety of materials and perform design iterations in a matter of minutes or hours, compared to the traditional 1-4+ week turn-around time for typical photoresist mask alterations/fabrication. The potential commercial applications are unique and far-reaching. Examples include strain gauges, thermistors, thermocouples, thermopiles, magnetic and piezoelectric sensors, interdigitated capacitors for LCR circuits, antennas, microheaters for integration into chemical and biological sensors, and others. The devices can be integrated into existing components and embedded or overcoated for added reliability and survivability in harsh environments.