This award will support collaborative research between Prof. Paul H. Cutler, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, and Drs. Pierre Sudraud and Ben Assayag of the Laboratoire de Microstructure et de Microelectronique - CNRS, Bagneux, France. These researchers will study the application of low-energy focused ion and droplet beams to microelectronics and microfabrication. While focused ion beams have been studied for direct exposure or mask-making for the fabrication of microelectronic devices at size ranges down to 0.1 micrometer, charged droplet beams have not been so studied. These beams, which if produced by an electrohydrodynamic liquid metal source can be as small as 1 nanometer in diameter, may be useful for mask repair and microcircuit modification. This study will address unanswered questions about droplet beam-surface interactions, beam stability, and effects of source parameters on beam performance. Both theoretical and experimental approaches will be used. The French laboratory has excellent facilities for the experimental study of focused ion and droplet beams. These include an ingenious double scanning electron microscope and ion column synchronized for simultaneous operation and, therefore, real-time study of the ion beam. Theoretical expertise will be brought to the project by the U.S. investigator. The complementary expertise of the collaborators, as well as the sophisticated equipment available for the study in France, will assure a mutually productive effort. This work may have important implications for the fabrication and repair of microelectronic components and integrated circuits.
