The Center for Green Materials Chemistry will develop a fundamentally new chemistry-based platform for synthesizing environmentally benign, functional inorganic films. Three key research areas include (1) develop new nanocluster chemistries using abundant, environmentally benign metals;(2) use these chemistries to produce previously unrealized nanostructured laminates and composites; (3) apply these chemistries to the fabrication of vertical transport transistors.

Aqueous-based processing of functional inorganic films can reduce the costs of electronics manufacturing and enable the use of large-area substrates while simultaneously reducing chemical hazards and waste. The Center has strong industry partnerships. The Center Education Plan will promote early entry and short time to degree, broadened perspectives, and collaborative mentorships. The Outreach Plan includes the production of captivating imagery and videos to illustrate technically demanding material and the human element of science.

The Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) Program supports research centers that can address major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges that have a high probability of both producing transformative research and leading to innovation. These Centers will attract broad scientific and public interest.

Project Report

Center for Green Materials Chemistry (CGMC) Phase-I Center for Chemical Innovation Basic chemistry insights have allowed us to transform the use of solution chemistry to synthesize designed inorganic solids. We learned to prepare new inorganic clusters selectively and efficiently from environmentally benign water-based solutions. We learned to transform aqueous solutions containing these metal clusters into smooth, dense films on the benchtop with an eye dropper and a spin coater with minimal energy input. We also demonstrated that the solutions could be used as precursors to directly pattern inorganic structures at dimensions smaller than 10 nm. We also found that reliable tunneling diodes could for the first time be fabricated by using atomically smooth amorphous metal electrodes in combination with dense films. We prepared nanolaminates by vapor deposition and aqueous solution deposition and learned to synthesize kinetically stable phases that do not exist in Nature and cannot be synthesized by any other means. We can synthesize an infinite number of distinct compounds and isomers by depositing precursors with different initial layering sequences. We have fabricated high-performance dielectrics from these laminates and demonstrated their use in thin-film transistors. We have demonstrated anisotropic dielectric response through the fabrication and study of nanolaminate structures comprising amorphous metals and oxide films. The CGMC developed a nationally unique, comprehensive graduate education program, including a 15-week summer immersion program and internships with partner institutions. We achieved a diverse community of researchers by adopting a comprehensive approach to recruitment, effective mentorship, and community support. The CGMC benefited society by collaborating with industrial partners who have exploited our solution chemistry techniques to develop new and improved products. High-tech companies have welcomed the novel capabilities the CGMC can deliver, such as the ability to synthesize high-quality electronic materials from environmentally benign aqueous solutions, to scale precursor synthesis to large volumes efficiently, and to eliminate waste by recycling spent liquid. Our solution-deposited inorganic resists appear to be a key enabling technology for next-generation lithography techniques. A display manufacturer has applied CGMC chemistries to integrate solution-deposited layers into their thin-film transistor arrays.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Chemistry (CHE)
Application #
0847970
Program Officer
Katharine J. Covert
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2008-10-01
Budget End
2012-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$1,512,648
Indirect Cost
Name
Oregon State University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Corvallis
State
OR
Country
United States
Zip Code
97331