MRI: Development of a Spark-Assisted Laser Multicharged Ion Deposition and Implantation System

该奖项授予了老道明大学，用于开发火花辅助激光多电荷离子沉积和注入系统。与现有的多电荷离子源相比，该系统有望在性能和成本方面取得重大进步，并能够在大范围内选择离子电荷和动能。近年来，多电荷离子在各种电子器件和传感器的纳米加工和纳米制造工具中的应用引起了人们的极大关注。它们在医学成像和治疗以及化学分析中也有应用。该项目将激光多电荷离子源与基于火花放电的具有成本效益的离子密度放大级集成在一起。选择多电荷离子并将其输送到处理室。随着电荷态的增加，离子携带大量的势能。多电荷离子与固体的相互作用除了释放其动能外，还释放了势能。对于缓慢的多电荷离子，势能的释放可以定位在表面几纳米（10-9米）的深度，使它们成为纳米加工的理想选择。另一方面，快速多电荷离子束可以在相对较深的目标位置沉积大量能量，这使得它们非常适合需要局部高能量沉积的应用，如碳离子放射治疗。多电荷离子源正在应用研究中心开发，该中心是由弗吉尼亚四所大学、杰斐逊实验室和几个行业组成的联盟；所有共享实验室设施。老道明大学（ODU）与联盟成员的合作包括学生共同使用资源，课程共享和联合出版物。研究结果将被纳入多个研究生和本科生的不同学科课程中，如纳米技术、等离子体加工、微电子制造、半导体制造中的统计过程控制、固态电子学、半导体表征、脉冲功率和可再生能源。该项目将涉及几名教师和研究生，并与魁萨伊大学的研究人员合作。将为多电荷离子应用建立一个用户设施。该设备预计将运行至少15年，2-5名研究生连续使用该仪器。本科学生将参与这些多学科的工作，作为他们的高级设计课程和暑期项目的一部分。ODU是一所城市大学，拥有不同的学生群体，这个仪器开发项目在吸引代表性不足的群体方面将特别有用。多电荷离子技术将在ODU工程开放日、杰斐逊实验室开放日和一年一度的汉普顿路技术展示会上展出。火花辅助激光多电荷离子源的发展将代表一种新的科学和工业工具，在各个行业，特别是新兴的纳米技术行业具有许多潜在的应用前景。ODU将寻求工业合作伙伴，以获得专利许可，向工业转让技术诀窍和商业化。

This award to Old Dominion University is for the development of a Spark-assisted Laser Multicharged Ion Deposition and Implantation System. This system is expected to be a major improvement in performance and cost over existing multicharged ion sources and will have the ability to select ion charge and kinetic energy over a wide range. Multicharged ions have recently attracted significant attention for use in tools for nanoprocessing and nanofabrication of various electronic devices and sensors. They also have applications in medical imaging and treatment and in chemical analysis. This project integrates a laser multicharged ion source with a cost-effective ion density amplification stage based on a spark discharge. The multicharged ions are selected and transported to a processing chamber. With increased charge state, the ions carry substantial potential energy. The multicharged ion interaction with the solid involves the release of this potential energy in addition to its kinetic energy. For slow multicharged ions, the release of potential energy can be localized to a depth of a few nanometers (10-9 meter) at the surface, making them ideal for nanoprocessing. On the other hand, fast multicharged ion beams can deposit significant energy at a relatively deep target location, making them ideal for applications requiring localized high energy deposition as used in carbon ion radiotherapy. The multicharged ion source is being developed at the Applied Research Center, which is a consortium of four Virginia universities, the Jefferson Lab, and several industries; all share lab facilities. Old Dominion University (ODU) collaboration with consortium members involves joint use of resources by students, course sharing, and joint publications. Results will be incorporated in several graduate and undergraduate courses in diverse subjects, such as nanotechnology, plasma processing, microelectronic fabrication, statistical process control in semiconductor manufacturing, solid-state electronics, semiconductor characterization, pulsed power, and renewable energy. This project will involve several faculty and graduate students and collaboration with researchers at Université du Québec en Outaouais. A user facility will be established for multicharged ion applications. This facility is expected to operate for at least 15 years with 2-5 graduate students continuously using the instrument. Undergraduate students will be involved in this multidisciplinary work as part of their senior design course and in summer projects. ODU is an urban university with a diverse student population, and this instrumentation development project will be particularly useful in attracting underrepresented groups. The multicharged ion technology will be featured in ODU engineering open houses, Jefferson Lab open houses, and the annual Hampton Roads Technology showcase. The development of the spark-assisted laser multicharged ion source will represent a new scientific and industrial tool with many potential applications in various industries, in particular in the emerging nanotechnology industry. ODU will seek industrial partners for licensing patents, know-how transfer to industry, and commercialization.