Hybrid Electromagnetic Near-Field Probing for Sub-surface Inhomogeneous Material Characterization

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。本研究的目的是开发一种低成本、非破坏性、非接触的非均匀材料和器件的表面和亚表面表征方法。新的人工和纳米材料的开发需要快速、低复杂性和超灵敏的高分辨率材料表征，以及亚微米空间分辨率的制造过程中的缺陷检测。该方法将近场微波探测系统与光学干涉测量相结合，用于拓扑传感和校正。该研究的智能优点来自于通过研究基本限制而进行的新电子设计，以及通过集成实现的小型化，从而实现了可扩展的解决方案。电磁和噪声分析，校准测试结构的设计，以及相关的计量，用来了解灵敏度的基本限制和设计小型化的有源探头。不同的穿透深度通过使用不同的频率实现地下探测。拟议研究的更广泛影响是为新材料技术提供快速和廉价的缺陷检测工具，并为成品率和一致性分析提供快速分批样品分类。这样的工具可以冲击材料制造技术，并保持国家的领先地位吗？S在这一领域。对该机构的影响将是该领域核心能力的发展以及与现有研究项目和多学科教育的互动。将在现有的K-12外展基础上增加一个新的模块，名为电磁眼睛，儿童在哪里？看到了吗？透过不透明的盖子的硬币。将扩大针对代表性不足群体的成功招聘努力，并发展与德国顶尖工程大学之一门兴理工大学的国际合作。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The objective of this research is to develop a low-cost non-destructive, non-contact probing method for surface and sub-surface characterization of inhomogeneous materials and devices. New artificial and nano-material development requires fast, low-complexity and ultra-sensitive high-resolution characterization of materials, as well as defect detection during fabrication processes, with sub-micron spatial resolution. The approach focuses on combining a near-field microwave probing system with optical interferometry for topology sensing and correction.The intellectual merit of the research stems from new electronic designs through investigation of fundamental limitations, and miniaturization through integration, enabling a scalable solution. Electromagnetic and noise analysis, design of calibration test structures, and related metrology, are used to understand the fundamental limitations on sensitivity and design miniaturized active probes. Different penetration depths enable sub-surface probing by using different frequencies. The broader impacts of the proposed research are to provide a fast and inexpensive tool for detection of defects for new material technologies and rapid classification of samples into batches for yield and uniformity analysis. Such a tool can impact material manufacturing technology and maintain the nation?s leadership in this area. An impact on the institution will be development of core competency in the field and interactions with existing research projects and multidisciplinary education. A new module will be added to existing K-12 outreach, entitled Electromagnetic Eyes, where children ?see? a coin through an opaque cover. A successful recruiting effort which focuses on under-represented groups will expand, and the international collaboration with one of the top engineering universities in Germany, Technische Universität München, developed.