MRI: Acquisition of a Laser Direct Write System for Research, Education and Training at the Micro- and Nanoscale Electronics, Photonics, Mechanics and Bioengineering Applications

激光直写系统是微型和纳米技术(微小科学的应用)领域的设计师和研究人员的制造和制造工具。该工具允许设计师在计算机工作站上创建的非常小、复杂的形状和图案，通过使用来自计算机的图案信息来控制激光束，直接刻在表面上。光束从其撞击的表面移除少量材料，从而复制表面中的图案。为了补充和利用宾夕法尼亚大学在其新的辛格纳米技术中心所做的巨大投资，我们将获得一套最先进的激光直写系统，以满足宾夕法尼亚大学及其学术和工业邻国的研究和教学需求。辛格纳米技术中心是一个向宾夕法尼亚大学和外部用户开放的研究和教学设施。这一重要工具将使辛格中心的研究人员能够迅速开发创新方法，将纳米级材料组装和制造成功能架构和设备，从而创造出有用的微/纳米设备，这些设备可以感知、转换和传输物理和生物参数，以了解和控制复杂的电气、机械和生物系统。该工具实现的与纳米技术相关的应用包括改进的电子设备和系统(塑料晶体管、改进的太阳能电池、柔性显示器)；对新表面的了解和减少摩擦(自清洁表面、无污渍材料)；以及小型传感器(无线传感器和发射器)。除了研究，该工具还将成为宾夕法尼亚大学研究生和高级本科水平的新课程课程的一部分，将提供给宾夕法尼亚大学本科生研究经验和教师研究经验计划，并将被整合到费城城市学校的科学计划中，通过视频和视频会议增加参观，接触到K-12学生，并向他们介绍微米和纳米制造。先进的光刻系统提供了定义和探测具有所需多维复杂性和微米到纳米尺度特征的结构的能力，这些特征正在改变我们对物理现象和生物系统的基本理解。此外，这样的系统能够创造有用的微/纳米设备，这些设备可以感知、转换和传输物理和生物参数，以了解和控制复杂的电气、机械和生物系统。这种激光光刻系统将实现对多种材料和设备的掩模写入和直接写入，这些材料和设备可以在大面积上快速形成图案，并以二维和三维分辨率达到600 nm，并可通过后续处理方案扩展到数十纳米范围。该工具满足了光刻技术中的一个关键需求：能够快速制造数量相对较少的原型以进行科学研究，以及满足行业对数量相对较少的高附加值设备的需求(例如，在医疗领域)。激光光刻虽然本质上是连续的，但显然满足了这些限制，是对传统光刻的必要补充。Singh的研究人员将利用这种工具将聚合物和碳基材料以及无机纳米晶体和薄膜材料图案化，制成新的电子、光子、能量转换和传感设备。此外，他们将构建新的材料和测试结构，以更好地了解摩擦和磨损机理。最后，他们将构建材料和设备，用于开发生物工程接口和设备，以增加我们对与细胞相互作用的了解，并允许实现前所未有的医疗诊断和治疗设备。这些研究领域中的每一个都不仅依赖于使用激光直写系统可以实现的高分辨率图案化能力，而且它们也属于通过该工具实现的现代纳米制造的重新出现的快速原型系列范例。

A laser direct write system is a fabrication and manufacturing tool for designers and researchers working in the area of micro- and nanotechnology (applications of the science of the very small). The tool allows very small, intricate shapes and patterns created by a designer on a computer workstation to be directly inscribed on a surface by using the pattern information from the computer to control a laser beam. The beam removes small quantities of material from the surface it impacts, thereby replicating the pattern in the surface. Complementing and leveraging the tremendous investment that the University of Pennsylvania has made in its new Singh Center for Nanotechnology, a research and teaching facility open to Penn and outside users, we will acquire a state-of-the-art laser direct write system to meet the research and teaching needs of Penn and its academic and industrial neighbors. This vital tool will allow researchers at the Singh Center to rapidly develop innovative methods to assemble and manufacture nanoscale materials into functional architectures and devices, enabling the creation of useful micro/nanodevices that can sense, transduce, and transmit physical and biological parameters for the understanding and control of complex electrical, mechanical, and biological systems. Nanotechnology-related applications enabled by this tool include improved electronic devices and systems (plastic transistors, improved solar cells, flexible displays); understanding of new surfaces and reduced friction (self-cleaning surfaces, stain-free materials); and small-scale transducers (wireless sensors and transmitters). In addition to research, the tool will become part of new course curricula at the graduate and senior undergraduate level at Penn, will be available to Penn's Research Experience for Undergraduate and Research Experience for Teachers programs, and will be integrated into a science program for the Philadelphia city schools, augmenting tours with video and videoconferencing to reach K-12 students and introduce them to micro- and nanofabrication. Advanced lithographic systems provide the capabilities to define and probe structures with the desired multidimensional complexity and micro-to-nanometer scale features that are transforming our fundamental understanding of physical phenomena and biological systems. In addition, such systems enable the creation of useful micro/nanodevices that can sense, transduce, and transmit physical and biological parameters for the understanding and control of complex electrical, mechanical, and biological systems. This laser lithography system will enable mask writing and direct writing of a wide range of materials and devices, patternable rapidly, over large areas, and in two- and three-dimensions to 600 nm resolution, extendable through subsequent processing schemes down to the tens of nm range. This tool fills a critical need in lithography: the ability to rapidly fabricate relatively small numbers of prototypes for scientific investigation as well as industry needs for relatively small quantities of high-value-added devices (e.g., in the medical arena). Laser lithography, although serial in nature, clearly meets these constraints and is an essential complement to traditional lithography. Singh researchers will utilize this tool for the patterning of polymeric and carbon-based materials, as well as inorganic nanocrystal and thin film materials, into new electronic, photonic, energy transforming, and sensing devices. Further, they will construct new materials and test structures to better understand friction and wear mechanisms. Finally, they will structure materials and devices for the development of bioengineered interfaces and devices to increase our understanding of interactions with cells and allowing the realization of unprecedented devices for medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Not only do each of these research areas rely on the high resolution patterning capabilities achievable using the laser direct write system, but they also fall within the re-emerging, rapid prototyping serial paradigm of modern nanofabrication enabled by this tool.