Rapid Prototyping of Novel Devices with In-situ Deposition, Imaging and Nanolithography

随着目前对石墨烯和硼烯等二维材料（分别获得2010年诺贝尔物理学奖和2015年实验证实）和拓扑物质（2016年诺贝尔物理学奖）的理解和应用的进展，越来越需要制备能够测试这些材料在下一代电子设备中的潜在应用的设备。这些应用包括数据存储和计算（例如自旋电子学，光电子学，磁隧道结），量子技术，神经形态（例如用于记忆电阻器的2D材料）以及能量存储和转换（例如太阳能电池，热电）。将这些材料集成到设备中的一个限制是，它们通常对空气很敏感。例如，磷烯是黑磷的二维类似物，它很容易与水反应，但它的厚度依赖于带隙，这使得它非常适合二维光电子学。本研究的目的是为薄膜器件的制备和表征建立一个最先进的系统，包括：手套箱环境中的纳米图案；关键材料（Au、Pt、Cu、Co、TaOx、NbOx、TaN）的溅射；扫描探针显微镜（扫描隧道显微镜和原子力显微镜）用于原位表面和电子结构表征。该系统将由3个主要部分组成，它们相互连接，以便在惰性气体或高真空下交换样品。这种前所未有的特性组合将使在高真空中制备2D- 3d异质结构、界面和设备成为可能，这一点尤其重要，因为2D材料对空气很敏感。此外，该系统内置的灵活性也将支持几个研究领域，这些领域只需要3个部分中的1个（或更多）。例如，它可以用纳米图案和薄膜沉积相结合来制备生物医学传感器。为建立多样化的用户群，我们将采取以下措施：留出时间定期举办培训讲习班；将制订标准作业程序；将准备示例设备来演示系统的能力；它将在网上、会议上以及各种学术和工业网络上做广告。这一体系将确保英国在推动下一代电子产品的新兴研究领域保持竞争力。例如，它将使新设备的快速测试，以及设计和创建设备来测试量子材料研究前沿的理论。

With the current progress in understanding and application of 2D materials such as graphene and borophene (Nobel Prize Physics 2010 and experimentally confirmed in 2015, respectively), and topological matter (Nobel Prize Physics 2016), there is increased need to enable preparation of devices that could test the potential applications of these materials in the next generation of electronic devices. Such applications include data storage and computing (e.g. spintronics, optoelectronics, magnetic tunnel junctions), quantum technologies, neuromorphics (e.g. 2D materials for memristors) and energy storage and conversion (e.g. solar cells, thermoelectrics). One of the limitations, with regards to integrating these materials into a device is that they are often sensitive to air. For example, phosphorene, which is the 2D analogue of black phosphorous will react readily with water, but its thickness dependant bandgap makes it ideally suited for 2D optoelectronics.The aim of this research is to establish a state-of-the-art system for the preparation and characterisation of thin film devices including: nanopatterning in a glovebox environment; sputtering of key materials (such as Au, Pt, Cu, Co, TaOx, NbOx, TaN); and scanning probe microscopy (scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy) for in-situ surface and electronic structure characterisation. This system will be comprised of 3 main parts that are connected so that samples can be exchanged under inert gas, or high vacuum. This unprecedented combination of features will enable preparation of 2D-3D heterostructures, interfaces and devices in high vacuum - especially important as 2D materials can be sensitive to air. In addition, the in-built flexibility of the system will also underpin several research areas that require only 1 (or more) of the 3 parts. For example, it could be used to prepare biomedical sensors with a combination of nanopatterning and thin film deposition. To establish a diverse user base we will do the following: time will be set aside for regular training workshops; standard operating procedures will be developed; example devices will be prepared to demonstrate the system's capability; and it will be advertised online, at conferences and through various academic and industrial networks.This system will ensure that the UK remains competitive in emerging research areas that will drive the next generation of electronics. It will, for example, enable rapid testing of new devices, and design and creation of devices to test theory on the forefront of quantum materials research.