Award Abstract #0300293
GOALI: Understanding Laser and Electron Beam Chemical Vapor Deposition Processes from Macro to Nanoscales

NSF Org:	CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation
Initial Amendment Date:	August 13, 2003
Latest Amendment Date:	March 30, 2006
Award Number:	0300293
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Charalabos H. Doumanidis CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	August 15, 2003
Expires:	January 31, 2007 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$167996
Investigator(s):	W. Jack Lackey jack.lackey@me.gatech.edu (Principal Investigator) Larry Fehrenbacher (Co-Principal Investigator) David Rosen (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	GA Tech Research Corporation - GA Institute of Technology Office of Sponsored Programs Atlanta, GA 30332 404/894-4819
NSF Program(s):	NANOMANUFACTURING, GRANT OPP FOR ACAD LIA W/INDUS
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	MANU, 9251, 9231, 9178, 9146, 1504, 1049
Program Element Code(s):	1788, 1504

ABSTRACT

The objective of this Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) project is to build an electron beam chemical vapor deposition system and determine its feasibility for the fabrication of nanoscale materials and devices. An electron beam has been shown to interact with chemicals that are adsorbed onto the surface of a solid substrate causing a chemical reaction(s) that leads to the deposition of a solid metal or ceramic onto the substrate. By moving the beam relative to the substrate, 3-D structures and devices can be fabricated. Since electron beams can be focused to spot sizes on the order of 1 nm, it should be possible to fabricate nanoscale devices. The aim will be to determine how a commercially available electron microscope could be modified in order to develop a reliable, yet versatile, electron beam chemical vapor deposition (EB-CVD) system. Following this design task, the equipment will be procured and further modified to permit EB-CVD experiments. The experiments will permit determining the feasibility of the proposed EB-CVD process for the deposition of silicon and for the fabrication of nanoscale structures. The experiments will also permit developing an understanding of the mechanisms by which the electron beam interacts with the adsorbed chemical(s) to form metal and ceramic deposits.

Deposition with an electron beam offers a new energy efficient manufacturing technique truly applicable at the nano-level. In-situ examination of deposit nucleation and growth will greatly enhance the understanding of these phenomena which are critical to control of deposit geometry and properties. Since EB-CVD is applicable to a wide range of metals and ceramics, the research will impact synthesis of critical materials for current and future devices, sensors, and structures in areas as diverse as electronics/photonics, MEMS, nanotechnology, and high temperature materials. Interaction with industrial partners will permit development of a commercial EB-CVD system that is appropriate for both research and manufacturing. The system to be built at Georgia Tech will facilitate training of undergraduate and graduate students, including underrepresented groups.

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