I-Corps: Translation potential of a thermal laser evaporation system for thin film deposition

Award ID: 2637874

This I-Corps project is based on the development of a thin film deposition technique for heat-resistant materials. Existing deposition methods are constrained in the types of materials they can deposit, especially for elements with high melting points. This technology is an evaporative thin film deposition method that utilizes laser light as a heat source, instead of the resistive coils or electron-beam sources of competing methods.Thin film deposition is a key process step in applications including semiconductors, quantum information technologies, and sensing. Thermal laser evaporation (TLE) uses laser heating to vaporize source materials, enabling deposition of new classes of materials. TLE may accelerate innovation in semiconducting, superconducting, and optical devices and improve domestic manufacturing capabilities. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translational potential of thermal laser evaporation (TLE). TLE is a thin film fabrication technique where a high-power laser is focused directly onto the source material, resulting in localized vaporization and often eliminating the need for a crucible. This avoids the temperature limitations associated with resistive and electron beam heating while reducing the potential for contamination and material incompatibilities. In addition, hot filaments are not required in-vacuum, and higher attainable reactive background pressures can be achieved, opening new thermodynamic growth regimes. From ordinary metals such as nickel to refractory metals like niobium, current research indicates that TLE produces films with improved crystallinity, electrical resistance, and superconducting properties compared to other techniques like sputtering and electron beam evaporation. This technology may improve material flexibility, process capability, and manufacturing efficiency for customers ranging from research laboratories and shared nanofabrication facilities to industrial semiconductor manufacturers. 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.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman