Cluster tool for local material growth (of nano to millimeter structures applying laser irradiation and reactive gas)

所提出的仪器用于纳米到毫米结构的制造，即用于局部材料生长，其中部分过程在激光辅助和/或反应气体气氛中运行。鉴于其综合功能，该仪器可被称为“下一代集群工具”，并因此在未来技术中发挥主导作用。在传统的集束工具中，不同溅射目标或蒸发源的真空室是连接在一起的，而新系统依靠喷墨打印与激光辅助工艺的结合来进行增材和减材制造。激光辅助工艺包括最小结构的多光子聚合以及更大规模的激光烧蚀和激光转化。一个特殊的特点是在反应室中进行激光加工的可能性，这允许使用反应气体进行材料转化和合成。这个过程可以在稍微降低的压力下进行，而下一代的聚束工具通常在环境气氛下运行，从而实现成本效益。通过结合不同的工艺，最终可以在单个系统中生长出完整的设备。在此过程中，使用拉曼和时间分辨光致发光测量的结构和光电研究在不同的工艺步骤之间进行，可以说是在线的。拟议的工具的应用起点是可再生能源领域，特别是光伏，目的是以最少的材料使用量最大限度地实现能源转换。在有效的能量转换方面，选择纳米到毫米大小的结构，通过其光学和电学特性来定制光导和电荷载流子提取。具有集成光子纳米结构的超薄太阳能电池和在光集中下工作的微米级太阳能电池是两个具体的例子。在能量转换领域的进一步可能的应用包括例如太阳能燃料或热电的主题。在这里，不仅纳米到毫米结构的光电功能有贡献，而且还有一个可访问的扩展材料空间：硫系材料系统构成了一个起点，在带隙变化方面具有广泛的进一步发展潜力，而且在二维材料的方向上也是如此。另一方面，3D纳米结构提供了其他领域的功能，如声子和压电材料。通过下一代集群工具中可用的多个进程，可以访问各种结构，从而可以研究当前相关主题。

The proposed instrument serves for the fabrication of nano to millimeter structures, i.e. for local material growth, whereby the processes partially run laser-assisted and/or in reactive gas atmosphere. Given its combined functionalities, the instrument can be named “cluster-tool of the next generation” and as such take a leading role for future technologies. Whereas in a classical cluster tool vacuum chambers with different sputter targets or evaporation sources are joined, the new system counts on the combination of inkjet printing with laser-assisted processes for additive and subtractive manufacturing. The laser-assisted processes comprise multiphoton polymerization for smallest structures as well as laser ablation and laser transformation additionally on a larger scale. A special feature is the possibility of laser processing in a reaction chamber, which allows the usage of reactive gases for material transformation and synthesis. This process can be conducted at slightly reduced pressure, whereas generally the cluster tool of the next generation runs at ambient atmosphere, allowing cost-effective fabrication. By combining the different processes, finally complete devices can be grown in a single system. In the course of this, structural and opto-electronic investigations using Raman and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements take place in between the different process steps, so to say in-line. Starting point for the application of the proposed instrument is the field of renewable energies, in particular photovoltaics, with the aim of maximizing energy conversion with a minimum amount of material usage. With respect to efficient energy conversion, nano to millimeter-sized structures are chosen for tailoring light guidance and charge carrier extraction via their optical and electrical characteristics. Ultrathin solar cells with integrated photonic nanostructures and micrometer-sized solar cells for operation under light concentration are two specific examples. Further possible applications in the field of energy conversion comprise e.g. the topics of solar fuels or thermoelectrics. Here, not only the opto-electronic functionalities of the nano to millimeter structures contribute, but also an accessible extended material space: the Chalcogenide material system constitutes the starting point with a broad potential for further development with respect to band gap variations but also in the direction of 2D materials. On the other hand, 3D nanostructures offer functionalities in other areas like phononic and piezoelectric materials. Via the multiple processes available in the cluster tool of the next generation a variety of structures becomes accessible which allows research on current relevant topics.