Urgently needed physical vapor deposition system for organic and wearable electronics

物理气相沉积（PVD）是材料科学和工程中沉积材料薄膜的重要方法，无论是在基础研究还是应用研究中都是如此。沉积高质量金属、电介质和有机材料薄膜的能力是有机电子学以及可穿戴和可拉伸电子学研究的核心。如果没有这种能力，为这些领域的新兴应用开发新材料和设备几乎是不可能的。此应用程序要求支持迫切需要的PVD系统，以取代我们目前的非功能和过时的电子束蒸发系统。该仪器将扩大我们可以沉积的材料范围，包括有机材料，这将支持和推进我们在有机电子领域的研究计划。该仪器还将推进我们在可穿戴电子、共轭聚合物、传感器、印刷电子等领域的前沿研究。这一关键设备将由来自12个研究小组的多学科研究人员使用，他们的专业知识涵盖材料化学、材料与机械工程、实验生物化学和电气工程。新的PVD系统将被安置在温莎大学埃塞克斯研究中心（CORe），这是一个协作共享的研究空间，允许HQP获得这种先进工具的实践经验。所要求的仪器将进一步支持当前和未来由申请人和经常用户资助的工业合作项目，他们都在各自领域拥有公认的卓越记录。这种最新的最先进的仪器将提供新的跨学科合作和扩展团队的研究计划，最终导致下一代加拿大材料科学家和工程师的培训。

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a crucial and essential method used in materials science and engineering to deposit thin films of materials for both fundamental and applied research. The ability to deposit high-quality films of metals, dielectrics, and organic materials is central to research in organic electronics, as well as wearable and stretchable electronics. Without this capability, the development of new materials and devices for emerging applications in these fields is almost impossible. This application requests support for an urgently needed PVD system to replace our current non-functional and obsolete e-beam evaporation system. This instrument will expand the range of materials we can deposit to include organic materials, which will support and advance our research programs in organic electronics. The instrument will also advance our cutting-edge research in wearable electronics, conjugated polymers, sensors, printed electronics, and more. This critical piece of equipment will be used by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from 12 research groups with expertise spanning materials chemistry, materials and mechanical engineering, experimental biochemistry, and electrical engineering. The new PVD system will be housed in the University of Windsor's Essex Centre of Research (CORe), a collaborative shared research space, allowing for HQP to receive a hands-on experience on this advanced tool. The requested instrument will further support current and future industrial collaboration funded projects by the applicants and frequent users, who all have a recognized track record of excellence in their respective fields. This new state-of-the-art instrument will provide for new interdisciplinary collaborations and expansion of the team's research programs, ultimately resulting in the training of the next generation of Canadian materials scientists and engineers.