SBIR Phase I: Large-Scale Manufacturing Process for Uniform Semiconductor Nanowires

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to develop an innovative manufacturing technology for inorganic semiconductor nanowires for use in high-performance thin-film electronics products. The feasibility of the proposed manufacturing method to yield large volumes of high quality, uniform nanowire nanostructures of the quantity and quality required to enable the application of these materials in high performance thin-film electronics, will be determined. Specifically, the project will (1) develop a prototype nanowire manufacturing reactor with a capacity capable of producing almost five thousand times more material than a single batch in current lab-scale reactors; (2) develop critical process technologies in the reactor for manufacturing precise sized-controlled nanowires with prescribed physical and electrical characteristics and uniformity of both intra- and inter-batch manufacturing runs; and (3) develop methods for harvesting the nanowires from the growth substrate with high yield and in a manner that retains the physical and electrical characteristic uniformity from (1). Subsequently the system will be developed into a fully automated, manufacturing system capable of pilot-scale production of nanowires for commercialization in high performance electronic applications including displays, RFIDs, and phased array antennas. Commercially the work proposed here will allow the development of a new generation of electronics manufacturing for producing nanowires. Applications of these materials exist in novel electronic devices and systems including specific uses in displays, RFIDs, phased array antennas and sensors.