A direct-write laser (DWL) is a system used to pattern fine features without the need for a photomask or reticle. This proposal requests funds for the acquisition of a DWL system for innovations in electronic and photonic device design that will be used for a variety of research applications at RIT. The DWL system will positively impact the quality and productivity of research in several projects that are currently funded by NSF, as well as other agencies and industrial partners. There are several application areas under investigation including thin-film electronics, nanophotonics & micro-optics, III-V / silicon integration, photovoltaics, MEMS, microchannels & 3D integration; each of which will utilize specific advantages and capabilities of the DWL system. Participants will include undergraduates and graduate students in several programs at RIT, including PhD programs in Microsystems Engineering and Imaging Science. The DWL system will also be a resource for laboratory courses in photolithography, thin-film processes, and microfabrication which provide research training to students that feed into the graduate programs. The DWL system will be housed in a user facility which promotes collaborative multidisciplinary research. A number of undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science and engineering will use this instrument for research including capstone senior design projects, MS and PhD theses. The laboratory courses impacted are available as elective courses to all undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and science, and may count towards a 5-course minor in microfabrication. This broadens the student base that gains experience with the DWL system and will help to further increase the number of students that are retained for graduate study and participate in research activities. Results from the DWL system will provide a significant contribution to the literature in relevant and emerging scientific fields.
A DWL system fills an important niche in R&D for pattern optimization prior to committing to a fixed photomask design. Depending on the laser source wavelength and optical design, a DWL system offers resolution comparable to projection optical lithography. There are several advantages that a DWL system has over traditional proximity or projection optical lithography that makes it an attractive alternative including the ability to handle a variety of substrate shapes and sizes, make on-demand pattern changes, and implement pattern variations within a sample. These advantages support a significant increase in the efficiency of experimental design. Exposure levels using a DWL system with fine pattern alignment can be intermixed with e-beam or traditional optical lithography levels, providing design flexibility on several levels of pattern transfer in a process sequence. The DWL system will also provide capabilities in backside alignment and grayscale imaging, offering researchers new options in microfabrication which are generally not outsourced due to the associated engineering required for implementation.
