SBIR Phase II: Photopolymer-based Microelectronic Device Transfer Process

这项小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二期计划的更广泛影响/商业潜力，是使今天无法经济生产的电子产品具有巨大的环境效益和社会价值。其中有三个重要的产品类别，可以通过互联网（物联网）及其快速计算能力实现日常设备连接的承诺。首先，可穿戴设备（如智能手表、健康监测器或活动追踪器）必须比当前的版本更小、更薄（通常是柔性的）、更省电。其次，即使在阳光直射下，也需要低功耗、高分辨率、高亮度的显示器来显示结果。第三，收集、管理和处理大型数据集的分散式计算机需要能够轻松管理传感器、处理信息和控制设备的设计，以支持智能城市、智能车辆、智能家居和智能应用。该项目的主要重点是使下一代先进显示器能够节省大量能源，同时具有更大的视觉吸引力。总的来说，这些结果对于实现三种产品的成本效益制造至关重要，这三种产品都面临着芯片制造的基本挑战，需要在封装和组装方面进行创新，以实现大规模的商业可行性。提议的项目主要是为了使更好的显示成为可能。人们普遍希望用超小型发光二极管（led）制造显示器，以实现更好的对比度和色彩，阳光可见性，更长的使用寿命，更低的功耗和更低的成本。要做到这一点，目前尚未解决的芯片制造障碍必须克服。主要的障碍是一种经济有效的方法，以足够的精度将这种小led放置在所需的像素位置。该项目的目标是满足这一需求，使用一种独特的非接触式基于光聚合物的方法，以每秒数千个单位的高产量以+/- 2微米的精度转移10微米的模具。该研究将涉及对工艺参数的系统研究，包括聚合物组成和特性、薄膜特性、预转移键合工艺参数（温度、压力和时间）以及光学系统参数。产量将进行统计和改进。虽然展示实际产量需要全尺寸的生产设备，但满足工业所需目标的可行性将在实验室规模的设备上尽可能得到证明。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to enable electronic products of great environmental benefit and social value which cannot be economically made today. Among these are three important product classes that can deliver on the promise of the connection of everyday devices via internet (Internet of Things) and their rapid computing power. First, wearable devices (such as smart watches, health monitors, or activity trackers) must be smaller, thinner (often flexible) and less power-hungry than current versions. Second, low-power, high resolution displays with high brightness are needed to visualize results, even in direct sunlight. Third, the decentralized computers which collect, manage and process large datasets require designs that can easily manage sensors, process information, and control devices to support smart cities, smart vehicles, smart homes, and smart applications. The primary focus of this project is to enable the next generation of advanced displays, capable of substantial energy savings coupled with greater visual appeal. Broadly, the results are critical for enabling the cost-effective manufacturing of each of the three product classes, which all suffer from fundamental challenges in chip manufacturing and require innovation in packaging and assembly to be commercially viable at scale.The proposed project is designed primarily to make better displays possible. There is a widespread desire to make displays with ultrasmall light-emitting diodes (LEDs), enabling better contrast and color, sunlight viewability, longer lifetimes, lower power consumption, and lower cost. To do so, currently unsolved chip fabrication obstacles must be overcome. The main impediment is a cost-effective approach to place such small LEDs at desired pixel positions with adequate precision. The objective of the project is to meet this need, using a unique non-contact photopolymer-based method which transfers 10 um die with +/- 2 um accuracy at many thousands of units per second with high yield. The research will involve systematic study of the parameters of the process, including polymer composition and characteristics, film characteristics, pre-transfer bonding process parameters (temperature, pressure and time), and optical system parameters. Yield will be measured statistically and improved. While demonstrating actual throughput requires full-scale production equipment, the feasibility of meeting industry required targets will be demonstrated to the extent possible on lab-scale equipment.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.