PFI:AIR - TT: Lateral Field Excited Acoustic Wave Sensor for Monitoring Thin Film Properties in Solid State Devices

该PFI: AIR技术项目专注于横向场激发（LFE）声波设备的研究，以满足对涉及薄膜沉积的制造过程的改进过程监控和设备计量方法的持续需求。广泛使用这些薄膜的电子、微波和光学设备在现有和未来的计算机、汽车、移动通信系统（手机）等中都是司空见惯的。在薄膜沉积过程中精确监测薄膜特性（如薄膜厚度、质量、粘度、电导率和介电常数）的能力将提高依赖于这些器件的消费电子产品的性能。与领先的竞争技术相比，与LFE监视器相关的功能将提供更高的灵敏度，石英晶体微天平（QCM）在这个市场空间，并允许电导率和介电常数监测，这是QCM不可能实现的。正在开发的横向场激发声波传感器的目标是工业工厂和研究实验室，这些工厂和研究实验室制造固态电子，微波和光学器件，这些器件使用薄膜对器件性能至关重要。与常用的QCM相比，LFE设备将允许对机械（质量，薄膜厚度和粘度）和/或电气（电导率和介电常数）薄膜性能进行准确和敏感的原位监测。然而，在这项技术转化为可行的商业产品之前，必须填补两个技术空白。首先，需要改进LFE器件的导纳响应。虽然目前的LFE响应足以在实验室仪器中实现，但要实现商用传感器，需要更大的导纳幅度和相位变化。第二个缺口涉及振荡器电路的设计和测试，其中LFE器件是一个反馈元件。在这种结构中，振荡器频率的变化成为薄膜机械和/或电性能变化的直接测量。缅因大学（UM）电气工程和商业创业学院和fili - tech工程师将为本科生和研究生提供声波技术和/或商业创业所需的硕士和博士学位，以实现可转化为商业产品的实验室原型。为了准备LFE传感器的技术转让和商业化，UM工业合作部将与Fil-Tech公司合作开发知识产权许可。该项目聘请Fil-Tech公司提供定制的石英样品，并指导将该技术转化为可行的商业产品的关键。

This PFI: AIR Technology project focuses on translating research in lateral field excited (LFE) acoustic wave devices to fill the continuing need for improved methods of process monitoring and device metrology for manufacturing processes involving thin-film deposition. A wide range of electronic, microwave, and optical devices that use these thin films are commonplace in existing and future computers, automobiles, mobile communication systems (cell phones), etc. The capability of accurately monitoring thin film properties such as film thickness, mass, viscosity, electrical conductivity and permittivity during film deposition will improve the performance of consumer electronics that depend on these devices. The features associated with the LFE monitor will provide higher sensitivity when compared to the leading competing technology, the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) in this market space, and allow electrical conductivity and permittivity monitoring which are not possible with QCM.The lateral field excited acoustic wave sensor under development is targeted for industrial factories and research laboratories which fabricate solid state electronic, microwave and optical devices that employ thin films critical to the device performance. In contrast to the commonly used QCM, the LFE device will allow the accurate and sensitive in situ monitoring of both mechanical (mass, film thicknesses and viscosity) and/or electrical (conductivity and permittivity) film properties. However, before this technology can be transitioned to a viable commercial product, two technology gaps have to be filled. First, the LFE device admittance response needs to be improved. Although the current LFE response is adequate for implementation in laboratory instrumentation, a larger change in admittance magnitude and phase is needed to realize a commercial sensor. The second gap involves the design and testing of an oscillator circuit in which the LFE device is a feedback element. In this configuration, the change in oscillator frequency becomes a direct measure of the change in film mechanical and/or electrical properties. University of Maine (UM) faculty in Electrical Engineering and Business Entrepreneurship and Fil-Tech engineers will advise undergraduates and graduate MS and PhD students in acoustic wave technology and/or business entrepreneurship necessary to realize a laboratory prototype that can be transitioned into a commercial product. In order to prepare the LFE sensor for technology transfer and commercialization, the UM Department of Industrial Cooperation will work with Fil-Tech, Inc. to develop intellectual property licensing. The project engages Fil-Tech Inc. to provide customized quartz samples and guidance critical in transitioning this technology to a viable commercial product.