Researchers at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have developed
a novel laser-based approach for the direct writing of mesoscopic
electronic devices and chemical sensors. The Matrix Assisted
Pulsed Laser Evaporation Direct Write (MAPLE-DW) process enables
rapid prototyping of electronic devices for the fabrication of
electronic subsystems on any surface. The MAPLE-DW deposition
system ultimately reduces the long delay-time between concept,
design and production of electronic devices.
This work is sponsored by the
Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) Mesoscopic Integrated Conformal Electronics
(MICE) program. The development of a tool which incorporates
the MAPLE-DW process and the tool's commercial applications is
being directed by Potomac Photonics, Inc., Lanham, MD.
The research team consists of
Drs. Alberto Pique', Douglas Chrisey, and Andrew McGill, of NRL's
Materials Science and Technology Division.
According to Dr. Pique', "the
NRL process was developed by combining two laser based processes,
Laser Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) and MAPLE. This new technique
allows the unmasked deposition of numerous classes of materials
in the production of electronic devices. We have demonstrated
the MAPLE- DW technique in air and room temperature for a wide
range of materials including metals, oxide ceramics, polymers,
and polymer composites. Using a computer controlled stage, the
MAPLE-DW technique has achieved sub 10 4m feature resolutions.
By simply changing the donor substrate or "ribbon,"
multilayer structures composed of different types of materials
were also produced by this technique. These multilayer structures
are used to form the basic thin film electronic circuit elements
such as resistors, capacitors, cross-over lines, inductors, etc.
In addition to direct writing any material, the laser in the
MAPLE-DW tool ran perform other tasks such as: precleaning and/or
micromachining of substrate surfaces or deposited materials,
drilling vias between different layers, trim components in real-time,
and laser annealing surfaces," concludes Dr. Pique'.
The research team has constructed
several MAPLE-DW systems to deposit materials under different
deposition conditions, e.g., laser wavelengths, and maintains
sophisticated analysis equipment to characterize microelectronic
device of chemical sensor performance.
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is the Navy's full-spectrum corporate laboratory, conducting a broadly based multidisciplinary program of scientific research and advanced technological development. The Laboratory, with a total complement of nearly 2,500 personnel, is located in southwest Washington, D.C., with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Monterey, Calif. NRL has served the Navy and the nation for over 85 years and continues to meet the complex technological challenges of today's world. For more information, visit the NRL homepage or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
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