MRI: Aquisition of Nano-Imprint Lithography System

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

The establishment of a Nano-Imprint Lithography (NIL) Laboratory on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst will permit the definition of material patterns from the multi-micron to sub-50nm length scales in an economical and efficient manner. The rapid replication and prototyping provided by this technique will enable the study of devices and structures that would otherwise be difficult or prohibitively expensive to make. NIL involves 1) the physical templating of topographic or chemical structures and 2) subsequent photo- or thermal-initiated materials synthesis. The full implementation of this laboratory requires the purchase of two instruments for which we are requesting funding: a Step-and-Flash NIL instrument from Molecular Imprints, Inc. and a state-of-the-art plasma etching system from Trion, Inc. This laboratory is critical to the success of multiple research activities involving the co-PIs and other members of the NSF MRSEC at UMass including the development of advanced materials for nanostructured devices (e.g. nanoscale patterned surfaces for sensors, single-step processing of ultra-low dielectric constant patterns, and high power density pulsed power capacitors for electric vehicles) and fundamental research into the challenges that are limiting the implementation of NIL on the manufacturing scale. The instruments will be housed in the open access Keck Nanostructures Laboratory and a comprehensive management plan is in place to ensure maintenance and accessibility to a broad user base. Additionally, the NIL Laboratory will be incorporated into existing courses on nanotechnology, and its open-access management plan will encourage use by participants in our REU and RET programs as well as faculty and students in the local five college community that includes two women's colleges: Mt. Holyoke College and Smith College. UMass Amherst is an established leader in nanoscale materials science, and this facility will further secure our leadership in device-level implementation of our discoveries while preparing students with expertise in real-world nano-scale manufacturing. This award at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will allow researchers on campus, as well as researchers in the local community and beyond, to advance and expand their expertise in materials research at sizes smaller than one-billionth of a meter. This grant will fund the purchase of two advanced technology instruments that together will enable the preparation of materials with user-defined patterns that are 1000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. This capability will aid in the development of new technologies such as chemical sensors, faster and more stable computer chips, and power management devices for electric vehicles. This facility will be an open-access center for faculty and students at UMass and in the local college community which includes two women's colleges: Mt. Holyoke College and Smith College. A comprehensive management plan will ensure accessibility, maintenance, and the incorporation of these instruments into materials research courses, while encouraging non-traditional researchers involved in the Research Experience for Undergraduates and Research Experience for Teachers outreach programs to use the laboratory. UMass currently has a number of exciting initiatives in nanotechnology, and the establishment of this Laboratory will ensure that we remain at the forefront of cutting edge research.