MRI: Acquisition of a Next Generation Nanofabrication Dual-beam Platform

非技术描述：这一重大研究仪器奖支持收购下一代双光束纳米制造平台，用于实现量子计算、下一代电子学和新型软/硬物质系统研究的材料和设备的快速原型制作。这种仪器通过使研究人员能够制造新的纳米设备和修改材料来提高智力产出，大大提高了保真度和重复性，这是弥合基础科学和工程之间的差距所必需的。该工具能够通过其新颖的能力来制造各种液态金属的结构，并与扫描电子显微镜配对，以动态检查制造过程。此外，超精密工作台的集成将提供晶片规模的拼接-大型器件结构的无误差连续写入，这在以前是不可能的。此外，配备的纳米操纵器可以在制造后立即用于测试电路，并相应地调整图案化工艺。该仪器将包括在几个正在进行的活动中，在这些活动中，K-12学生可以亲身体验科学仪器。例如，由于将新学生带入科学领域的传统方法只取得了部分成功，教育推广计划的核心是通过视觉艺术激发人们对科学的兴趣，利用受吗啡蝴蝶启发的纳米制造技术。由于可用该仪器研究的材料和系统范围广泛，此次收购将影响麻省理工学院和新英格兰地区各部门的研究。技术描述：直接纳米级制造方法在新设备的开发、表面改性以及新材料或不同材料的集成方面取得了巨大的进步。尤其是由液态金属合金离子源(LMAIS)形成的聚焦离子束(FIB)具有极大的扩展直写能力，现在可以用于纳米等离子体、光纤尖端光学、量子器件、电子/X射线光学的纳米制造。与纯Ga的FIB仪器相比，LMAIS提供了Si、Ge或Au射束，可用于以尽可能小的线宽对材料进行研磨，并在不需要掩模或前处理的情况下在目标位置注入量子比特。通过用于现场制造检查的同步场发射扫描电子显微镜成像、用于构图和样品保护的气体注入源(铂、碳)、用于超精确定位的激光干涉仪台、晶片尺度拼接无误差连续写入、纳米操纵器和电子束光刻功能，提高了构图精度。因此，这种仪器将通过使研究人员能够制造新的纳米级设备和修改材料来加速智力输出，并大大提高保真度和重复性，这是弥合基础科学和工程之间的差距所必需的。在研究可及性方面，显微镜将由Characterization.Nano管理，这是一个共享的实验设施，是新建的MIT.Nano中心的一部分。这个位于中心的设施起到了异花授粉中心的作用，汇集了纳米制造、电子显微镜、教学和维护方面的专业知识。这个开放接入中心服务于当地的内部和外部用户，提供培训和仪器的实际使用，并向全国各地的研究人员开放。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Nontechnical description:This Major Research Instrumentation award supports the acquisition of a next-generation dual-beam nanofabrication platform for rapid prototyping of materials and devices that enable quantum computing, next-generation electronics, and the study of novel soft/hard matter systems. This instrument enhances intellectual output by empowering researchers to make new nanoscale devices and to modify materials, with greatly improved fidelity and reproducibility, which are needed to bridge the gap between fundamental science and engineering. The tool enables research through its novel ability to fabricate structures with various liquid metals and is paired with scanning electron microscopy for dynamic inspection of the fabrication process. Furthermore, the integration of an ultra-precise stage will provide wafer scale stitching-error-free continuous writing of large-device structures that was previously not possible. Also, the equipped nanomanipulator can be used to test circuits immediately after fabrication and adjust the patterning process accordingly. The instrument will be included in several ongoing activities, where K-12 students can experience scientific instrumentation first-hand. For example, because traditional approaches to bring new students into science have only been partially successful, the centerpiece of the educational outreach program targets young students and the public by stimulating interest in science through the visual arts using nanofabrication inspired by morpho butterflies. With the broad spectrum of materials and systems that can be studied with the instrument, the acquisition will impact research across departments at MIT and the New England region.Technical Description:Direct nanoscale fabrication methods have led to dramatic advancements in the development of new devices, modification of surfaces, and the integration of novel or dissimilar materials. Advances in focused ion beams (FIBs) formed from liquid metal alloy ion sources (LMAIS), in particular, have great expanded direct-write capacities, and can now be exploited for the nanofabrication of nanoplasmonics, fiber-tip optics, quantum devices, electron/x-ray optics. In contrast with Ga-only FIB instruments, the LMAIS provides Si, Ge, or Au beams, which can be used for milling of material with the smallest possible linewidth as well as implanting qubits at targeted locations without the need for masks or pre-processing. This patterning precision is enhanced by simultaneous field emission scanning electron microscopy imaging for in situ fabrication inspection, the inclusion of gas injection sources (Pt, C) for patterning and sample protection, a laser interferometer stage for ultra-precise positioning, wafer scale stitching-error-free continuous writing, a nanomanipulator, and electron beam lithography capabilities. This instrument will thus accelerate intellectual output by empowering researchers to make new, nanoscale devices and modify materials, with greatly improved fidelity and reproducibility, which are needed to bridge the gap between fundamental science and engineering. In terms of research accessibility, the microscopy will be managed by Characterization.nano, a shared experimental facility, which is part of the newly built MIT.nano center. This centrally located facility functions as a cross pollination hub and brings together expertise in nanofabrication, electron microscopy, teaching, and maintenance. This open access center serves local internal and external users, providing training and hands-on usage of the instruments, and is open to researchers across the nation.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.