Novel Probes for Tip-Based Atomically Precise Manufacturing

Atomically precise manufacturing is an emerging manufacturing technology in which materials, structures, devices, and finished goods are fabricated such that every atom is positioned at an exactly-specified location relative to the other atoms. However, two factors limiting this technology are the low fabrication yields of probes sharp enough to perform atomically precise manufacturing, and the short performance lifetimes of the suitably-sharp probes. The key goal of this program is to develop a high-yield process to make probes for atomically precise manufacturing that are both sharp and that have long performance lifetimes. During Phase I and II, the company investigated novel processes to fabricate scanning tunneling microscope probes with compositions and near-apex geometries designed to give superior atomically precise manufacturing performance. Remarkably, the company demonstrated that these new robust probes function in hydrogen depassivation lithography to create nearly 1,500 discrete features on a silicon surface without tip degradation. In Phase IIB, the company will refine its processes developed in Phase I and II to make probes with compositions and uniform near-apex geometries that are optimized for robust atomically precise manufacturing and will commercialize them. These probes will provide continuous atomically precise lithographic writing for 8 hours. The company will also refine its new apex geometry control processes to optimize probes for semiconductor nanoprobing and failure analysis and begin selling them. These probes will enable analysis of emerging and future semiconductor integrated circuits. The company will implement noble metal and ultra-hard tungsten nitride coatings to enhance these new probe products. These coatings will eliminate the detrimental effects of insulating oxides and provide a durable apex for extended tip lifespan. The probes to be developed in this project will enable and significantly enhance atomically precise manufacturing, an entirely new kind of manufacturing; its potential technical, economic, and social benefits stem from its ability to enable the creation of materials and devices without defects at the ultimate limit of atomic scale precision. This new manufacturing capability is expected to lead to valuable new products for the electronics, energy, healthcare, and defense sectors in applications such as electronic de- vices, sensors, and quantum computing. The probes will also accelerate the further shrinking of feature sizes in integrated circuits, by enabling electrical testing at much smaller distance scales than is currently possible.