Collaborative Research: High-Throughput Nanomanufacturing of 10 NM Feature Patterns Using Ultra-Sharp Probe Arrays

本研究的目的是为纳米制造中的主要瓶颈问题提供可行的解决方案，包括：i)以足够高的密度精确放置纳米材料/器件，以及ii)方便的高通量制造。该方法是引入新的概念和技术，涉及大规模并行，电子束发射纳米探针，用于大面积，同时纳米图像化。将使用硅制造、碳纳米管和相关材料和工艺制造一系列尺寸小于10纳米且高度相同的极细扫描探针尖端。研究了纳米加工步骤中涉及的原理和材料行为，以及极小探针尖端局域电子场发射过程中的潜在现象。拟议研究对10纳米制程纳米制造科学和技术的更广泛影响包括科学理解和新的概念进步。这项研究的成功成果将允许制造各种用于纳米电子学、纳米光子学、纳米磁学和纳米生物器件的超高密度纳米结构。更重要的是，精确放置的超高密度材料和器件的高通量处理将使纳米技术在电子和其他应用领域得到更广泛的应用。最终目标是在先进显示器、传感器阵列技术、电信系统、信息存储记忆系统和医疗治疗等领域实现更广泛的工业应用。该研究成果将用于加强纳米科学和技术的教育。

The objective of this research is to provide viable solutions to major bottleneck issues in nano manufacturing, including, i) precise placement of nanomaterials/devices in high enough densities, and ii) convenient high-throughput fabrications. The approach is to introduce new concepts and techniques involving massively parallel, electron-beam-emitting nano probes for large area, simultaneous nano patterning. An array of extremely fine, scanning probe tips with sub-10 nm dimension and identical heights will be fabricated using silicon fabrication, carbon nanotubes, and related materials and processes. The principles and materials behavior involved in the nanofabrication processing steps as well as underlying phenomena during localized electron field emission from extremely small probe tips will be investigated. The broader impacts of the proposed research on the 10 nm regime nano manufacturing science and technology include scientific understanding and novel conceptual advances. The successful outcome of this research will allow fabrication of a variety of ultra-high-density nanofeatured structures for nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, nanomagnetics, and nano-bio devices. More importantly, high throughput processing of precisely placed, ultra-high-density materials and devices will enable wider use of nanotechnology for electronics and other applications. The ultimate aim is to enable broader industrial utilization in areas such as advanced displays, sensor array technologies, telecommunications systems, information storage memory systems, and medical therapeutics. The research outcome will be leveraged to enhance education in nano-science and technology.