Development Of A Nanopunching Lithography Method For Generating Sidewall Templates And Polymer-Based Nanodevices

该项目将开发一种纳米穿孔光刻（NPL）方法，用于使用理论，数值和实验研究相结合的方法创建尺寸低至30 nm的纳米结构和侧壁模板。纳米技术的一个重大挑战是开发直接的方法，将100纳米以下的结构组织成功能架构。目前的微/纳米系统主要具有平面形式。因此，侧壁模板在引导纳米结构单元如纳米颗粒和分子的水平组装中是独特有用的。因此，这些纳米结构单元可以直接集成到平面微/纳米系统中，以用作这些器件中的有源组件。由于现有光刻方法的局限性，侧壁模板的生成需要新的光刻方法。因此，在工业中通常用于图案化金属片的宏观冲压方法的刺激下，一种创新的平版印刷方法（即，NPL）被提出来规避这两个挑战。它将是唯一适合于制造侧壁模板，以及基于聚合物的纳米结构。生成这两种架构的能力将导致高功能性的聚合物基纳米系统的生产，如将在生成晶体管、接触和纳米通道中所示。该项目将致力于帮助K-12，本科生和研究生可视化微/纳米技术概念，包括建立一个网站，其中将有丰富的可视化材料数据库。此外，PI致力于促进本科生和少数民族参与科学研究。他在这些活动中有良好的记录，并将继续把这些努力带到更高和更广泛的水平。

This project will develop a nanopunching lithography (NPL) method for creating nanostructures and sidewall templates of sizes down to 30nm using a combination of theoretical, numerical and experimental investigations. A significant challenge in nanotechnology is to develop straightforward methods for organizing sub-100nm structures into functional architectures. Current micro/nanosystems mainly have a planar form. Therefore, sidewall templates are uniquely useful in guiding horizontal assembly of nanobuilding blocks, such as nanoparticles and molecules. Consequently, these nanobuilding blocks can be directly integrated into planar micro/nanosystems to serve as active components in these devices. The generation of sidewall templates calls for new lithographic approaches due to the limitations of existing lithographic approaches. Thus, under stimulation of a macropunching method commonly used in the industry to pattern sheet metals, an innovative lithographic approach (i.e., the NPL) is proposed to circumvent these two challenges. It will be uniquely suited to fabricating the sidewall templates, as well as polymer-based nanostructures. The capability of generating both architectures will lead to the production of polymer-based nanosystems of high functionality, as will be shown in generating transistors, contacts, and nanochannels. This project will focus on an effort to help K-12, undergraduate and graduate students visualize micro/nanotechnology concepts, including establishment of a website which will have a database of rich visualization materials. In addition, the PI is committed to furthering the involvement of undergraduate students and minorities in scientific research. He has track records in these activities, and will keep bringing these efforts to a much higher and broader level.