I-Corps: Flexure mechanism-based advanced nanopositioning motion stages for the semiconductor industry

这个I-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种用于半导体工业的具有成本效益的高速纳米定位平台。纳米定位平台是一种能够实现纳米精度和分辨率的宏观尺度运动系统。考虑到在诸如计算机、移动的设备、显示器等的日常电子设备中发现的半导体器件中的纳米特征尺寸，纳米定位台用于半导体器件制造和计量的各个步骤中。传统的纳米定位运动系统要么太慢：限制工艺生产量，要么太昂贵：导致半导体器件的生产成本更高。与当前系统相关的挑战导致电子产品的零售成本更高。商业化的建议nanopositioning阶段可能会导致在半导体制造的产量提高，从而降低costsofproduction.This I-Corps项目是基于成本效益，高速，nanopositioning阶段，使用弯曲机制的发展。基于滚珠轴承技术的传统纳米定位平台提供大范围的运动，但由于其尺寸而受到较慢的速度和稳定时间的限制。在使用这些运动系统的各种过程中，较慢的稳定时间导致较低的吞吐量。基于磁悬浮的纳米定位平台提供更大的运动范围以及更高的速度，但价格昂贵，并且其成本仅在有限的应用中是合理的。基于柔性机构的纳米定位平台结构紧凑，价格实惠，并且已经存在了几十年。柔性机构是无接头的整体结构，没有摩擦、反冲和装配。然而，这些级在运动范围和高速之间存在显著的折衷。大范围的运动导致几何非线性，这反过来又导致复杂的动力学和控制挑战。以前在非线性弯曲力学和动力学、弯曲机构设计、电磁致动器和控制方案方面的基础研究帮助克服了这些历史性的权衡。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a cost-effective, high-speed, nanopositioning stage for use in the semiconductor industry. A nanopositioning stage is a macro-scale motion system that is capable of nanometric precision and resolution. Given the nanometric feature sizes in the semiconductor devices found in everyday electronics such as computers, mobile devices, displays, etc., nanopositioning stages are used in various steps of semiconductor device manufacturing and metrology. Conventional nanopositioning motion systems are either too slow: limiting process throughput, or too expensive: leading to higher production cost of semiconductor devices. The challenges associated with the current systems result in higher retail costs of electronic products. Commercialization of the proposed nanopositioning stages may lead to yield improvements in semiconductor manufacturing, resulting in lower costs of production.This I-Corps project is based on the development of cost-effective, high-speed, nanopositioning stages that use flexure mechanisms. Conventional nanopositioning stages based on ball bearing technology provide a large range of motion, but are limited by slower speeds and settling times because of their size. Slower settling times lead to lower throughput in the various processes where these motion systems are used. Maglev-based nanopositioning stages offer larger ranges of motion as well as higher speeds but are expensive, and their cost is justified only in limited applications. Flexure mechanism-based nanopositioning stages are compact, affordable, and have existed for decades. Flexure mechanisms are jointless, monolithic structures that are free of friction, backlash, and assembly. However, these stages suffer from significant trade-offs between range of motion and high speed. Large range of motion results in geometric non-linearities, which in turn lead to complex dynamics and control challenges. Previous basic research in non-linear flexure mechanics and dynamics, flexure mechanism design, electromagnetic actuators, and control schemes have helped overcome these historical tradeoffs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.