High-speed Nanomanufacturing with Roll-Based Lithography Printing
Outcome/Accomplishment
Scientists demonstrated reliable, high-speed continuous nano-manufacturing using roll-based lithography in research at the Nanomanufacturing Systems Center (NASCENT), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at the University of Texas at Austin.
Impact/Benefits
The breakthrough promises a significant advance in high-volume nanomanufacturing, helping build a bridge from science to scalable nanotech factories. The roll-to-roll and roll-to-plate processes demonstrated by NASCENT researchers will help produce the much smaller metal components required to continue the miniaturization of electronics. Multiple companies have licensed the technology.
Explanation/Background
The low-cost process combines existing tools for manufacturing metals on a large scale, using the speed and precision of roll-to-roll and roll-to-plate printing to produce nano-scaled patterns, thus lowering costs, increasing productivity, and the accessibility of the technology. It has applications across many different fields such as the automotive, electronic, chemical, and aerospace industries.
NASCENT's goal is to enable silicon-grade precision in scalable roll-to-plate (RTP) and roll-to-roll (R2R) nano-manufacturing using nanoimprint lithography with sub-50nm patterning and sub-25nm residual layers for etching functional films. Researchers demonstrated reliable R2P nanopatterning at a speed of one meter per minute while minimizing the residuals that could cause overheating and battery drain in electronics.
Location
Austin, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Advanced Manufacturing
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Outcome/Accomplishment
Scientists demonstrated reliable, high-speed continuous nano-manufacturing using roll-based lithography in research at the Nanomanufacturing Systems Center (NASCENT), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at the University of Texas at Austin.
Location
Austin, Texaswebsite
Start Year
Advanced Manufacturing
Lead Institution
Core Partners
Fact Sheet
Impact/benefits
The breakthrough promises a significant advance in high-volume nanomanufacturing, helping build a bridge from science to scalable nanotech factories. The roll-to-roll and roll-to-plate processes demonstrated by NASCENT researchers will help produce the much smaller metal components required to continue the miniaturization of electronics. Multiple companies have licensed the technology.
Explanation/Background
The low-cost process combines existing tools for manufacturing metals on a large scale, using the speed and precision of roll-to-roll and roll-to-plate printing to produce nano-scaled patterns, thus lowering costs, increasing productivity, and the accessibility of the technology. It has applications across many different fields such as the automotive, electronic, chemical, and aerospace industries.
NASCENT's goal is to enable silicon-grade precision in scalable roll-to-plate (RTP) and roll-to-roll (R2R) nano-manufacturing using nanoimprint lithography with sub-50nm patterning and sub-25nm residual layers for etching functional films. Researchers demonstrated reliable R2P nanopatterning at a speed of one meter per minute while minimizing the residuals that could cause overheating and battery drain in electronics.