Wafer-Scale Ultrathin Layered Device Array Assembly through a Precision Soft-Robotic Stamp Transfer Process

像石墨烯这样的单层材料可以垂直堆积成范德华异质结构(VdWH)，实现新的超薄层状光电子、电子和量子器件，这些器件具有巨大的潜力，将使纳米电子学在广泛的应用中发生革命性的变化。尽管有巨大的机会，但目前基于vdWH的设备的组装主要通过手动操作，这缺乏规模化制造基于vdWH的设备阵列所需的精度、可重复性和吞吐量。该奖项支持基础研究，以消除技术障碍，实现可扩展、精确和高产量的技术，将图案化的单层材料组装成晶片规模的基于vdWH的器件阵列。所研究的新组装方法使用了一种新的软机器人印章转移工艺，具有精确的对准和粘合控制。在线测量和数据分析可实现缺陷监控和反馈控制。这项研究具有强大的潜力，能够实现基于vdWH的设备阵列和电路的确定性、高通量和高成品率制造，用于下一代透明显示器、传感器阵列以及逻辑和存储电路，从而造福于整个社会。此外，该奖项还支持研究生和本科生的研究培训，将研究纳入课程，并推广到K-12学生。两个科学障碍阻碍了晶片规模基于vdWH的器件阵列实现确定性和可伸缩的印章转移组装：(A)在邮票-单层-衬底界面的粘合控制方面缺乏定量知识，以及(B)缺乏在大范围内实现精确的层间配准的方法。该项目旨在解决这些知识差距，并使图案化的单层材料能够可扩展、精确和高产量地组装到vdWH器件阵列中。特别是，该项目(I)表征了邮票、单层材料和基材之间在各种刺激下的界面粘附性，旨在实现单层拾取和释放的确定性控制；(Ii)创建了一种新型的软机器人邮票传送机原型，可以提供具有微米级精度和确定性传输动作的精密层间对准；以及(Iii)创建在线和离线测量和数据分析工具，并使用测量来改进制造工艺，从而降低不良率。通过涉及vdWH设备阵列组装的实验以及工艺和产品的一系列计量结果来评估设想的制造机器和工艺的性能。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。

MMonolayer materials such as graphene can be vertically stacked into van der Waals heterostructures (vdWH) to realize new ultrathin layered optoelectronic, electronic, and quantum devices, which have significant potential to revolutionize nanoelectronics for a wide range of applications. Despite the tremendous opportunity, today’s assembly of vdWH-based devices is mainly through manual operation, which lacks the precision, repeatability, and throughput needed to manufacture vdWH-based device arrays at scale. This award supports fundamental research to remove technical barriers toward a scalable, precise, and high-yield technology to assemble patterned monolayer materials into vdWH-based device arrays at wafer scale. The researched new assembly approach uses a novel soft-robotic stamp transfer process with precision alignment and adhesion control. Inline measurements and data analytics enable defect monitoring and feedback control. This research holds a strong potential to enable deterministic, high-throughput, and high-yield manufacturing of vdWH-based device arrays and circuits for next-generation transparent displays, sensor arrays, and logic and memory circuits, thereby benefiting society at large. In addition, this award supports the training of graduate and undergraduate students in research, incorporating the research into curricula, and outreach to K-12 students.Two scientific barriers prevent the realization of deterministic and scalable stamp transfer assembly of vdWH-based device arrays at wafer scale: (a) the lack of quantitative knowledge in the adhesion control for the stamp-monolayer-substrate interfaces, and (b) the lack of methods to achieve precise interlayer registration over a large area. This project aims to address these knowledge gaps and to enable the scalable, precise, and high-yield assembly of patterned monolayer materials into vdWH device arrays. In particular, this project (i) characterizes the interfacial adhesion between the stamp, monolayer materials, and substrates under various stimuli aiming to achieve the deterministic control of monolayer pick-up and release, (ii) creates a novel soft-robotic stamp transfer machine prototype that can provide precision interlayer alignment with micron-level accuracy and deterministic transfer actions, and (iii) creates inline and offline metrology and data analysis tools and use the measurements to improve the manufacturing process and thus reduce defect rate. The performance of the envisioned manufacturing machine and process is evaluated through experiments involving vdWH device array assembly and a series of metrology results for the process and productsThis 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.