MRI: Acquisition of a Chemical Mechanical Polishing System for Research and Education

The objective of this project is to acquire a state-of-the-art chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system for frontier research and synergistic education. CMP has emerged as a technique for planarizing surfaces with resulting surface roughness down to the sub-nanometer root-mean-square level. Ultra-flat surfaces are enabling for microelectronics, optoelectronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, and advanced device architectures.

The proposed CMP system consists of a CMP instrument and a post-CMP cleaning instrument. The CMP instrument polishes a material surface through the combination of chemical and mechanical processes. The post-CMP cleaning instrument removes particles that can be electrostatically attached to the surface during the CMP process.

We plan to install the system at The Ohio State University (OSU) multi-user and shared-use research fabrication facility, Nanotech West Lab, in the spirit of open access availability for users across the region. Acquisition of the CMP system is in strong alignment with OSU research priorities in quantum information science and engineering, cyber security, communications, and mobility.

Electronics and photonics research impacts the networking, computing, and sensing industries. The education and training of students at multiple levels will be impacted through research programs, classroom instruction, and robust hands-on outreach activities. As one of the largest public universities in the USA, OSU provides opportunities for large numbers of undergraduate and graduate students to carry out research in a range of cutting-edge areas.

Frontier research involves integrated photonics devices for classical and quantum applications, high power electronics based on ultrawide bandgap semiconductors, 5G/6G communications and sensing devices, and compound semiconductor technology for ultraviolet and topological lasers. The CMP system will allow OSU researchers to conduct direct bonding of thin film ferroelectric materials for the development of heralded single photon sources, prepare growth surfaces for gallium oxide vertical power devices, generate tunability and reliability in microfabricated antenna arrays, and realize topological phenomena in semiconductor lasers.

Chip-scale single photon sources exploit large scale multiplexing in compact form factors from photonic integrated circuits with micrometer scale mode field diameters at telecommunications wavelengths. Power devices based on gallium oxide exhibit factor-of-two larger breakdown electric field over traditional wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride or silicon carbide.

Micro-electro-mechanical systems integrated into antenna arrays produce radiation pattern tunability from 100 GHz frequency-reconfigurable antennas. Topological lasers have potential for scatter-free edge-state transport and robustness against fabrication defects. The CMP system is critical for our vision of next generation electronics and photonics.

The acquisition of the CMP system is expected to have broad regional impact on campus, in industry, and at the Air Force Research Lab in Dayton Ohio. Potential future users of the new CMP system include established and early-career faculty in Engineering and Physics departments, conducting fundamental research spanning materials, devices, and components for systems.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.