NIRT: Nano-Pantography

目前的聚焦离子束技术能够写出纳米级的特征，但速度很慢。该项目的目的是一种新颖的，完全不同的方法，以高通量和多用途的纳米尺度复杂图案的制造大面积（数十平方英尺）。厘米)。宽区域准直的离子束将被定向到硅片上，并使用亚微米大小的静电透镜聚焦成有序的纳米尺寸斑点阵列。仿真结果表明，无论当前光刻技术的分辨率如何，该方法都可以将分辨率提高100倍。当晶圆偏离正常（相对于离子束轴）时，焦点横向移位，允许聚焦光束光栅化，从而形成任意图案。这就是纳米受电弓学的精髓所在。所需的图案在几十平方英尺的数十亿个点上同时复制。他们的计划是将这种方法应用于小金属颗粒的沉积，这些小金属颗粒将形成有序的隔离的、垂直排列的碳纳米管阵列，用于场发射应用。该项目旨在为研究生和本科生提供具有挑战性的项目，具有丰富的科学和教育价值，以及技术进步，其中最重要的是将为大规模制造纳米器件提供明确的途径。预计后者将引起发展中的纳米技术公司和财团的高度兴趣，并与之建立伙伴关系。休斯敦大学（指定的少数族裔大学）和加州大学圣地亚哥分校的几个项目将促进本科生参与的多样性。在当地公立学校开展的外展活动将有助于在学生很小的时候向他们介绍纳米科学和技术的重要性和令人兴奋之处。除了场发射器件外，还将研究其在量子点器件和超小型晶体管中的应用。沉积各种尺寸和/或组成的纳米颗粒的能力可以推进催化或传感器开发等领域的组合方法。

Current focused ion beam techniques are capable of writing nanometer-sized features, but are inherently very slow. The aim of this project is a novel, radically different approach to high-throughput and versatile fabrication of nanometer scale complex patterns over large areas (tens of sq. cm). A broad area collimated beam of ions will be directed at a silicon wafer, and focused as an orderly array of nanometer size spots with the use of sub-micron sized electrostatic lenses. Simulations indicate that regardless of the achievable resolution of current lithography, this method can improve resolution by a factor of up to 100. When the wafer is tilted off normal (with respect to the ion beam axis), the focal point is laterally displaced, allowing the focused beams to be rastered, thus forming any arbitrary pattern. This is the essence of nano-pantography. The desired pattern is replicated simultaneously in billions of spots over tens of sq. cm. The plan is to apply this method to deposit small metal particles that will nucleate the growth of an ordered array of isolated, vertically aligned carbon nanotubes, for field emission applications.This project aims to provide challenging projects for graduate and undergraduate students, with rich scientific and educational merit, as well as technological advances, not the least of which would be a clear path to large scale manufacturing of nano-devices. It is expected the latter will lead to a high level of interest from, and partnerships with, developing nano-technology companies and consortia. Diversity in undergraduate involvement will be facilitated by several programs at the University of Houston (a designated Minority Status University) and the University of California-San Diego. Outreach activities at the local public schools will help introduce the importance and excitement of nano-science and technology to students at an early age. Besides field emission devices, applications in quantum dot devices and ultra-small transistors will be investigated. The ability to deposit nanoparticles with a variety of size and/or composition could advance combinatorial approaches in fields such as catalysis or sensor development.