Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
École Polytechnique de Montréal
$143,471.00
Scanning Acoustic Microscope to Probe Voids and Interfaces in Functionalized Materials and Hybrid Devices
FY 2011-12
Summary
The recently deployed wafer bonding capabilities at Ecole Polytechnique create a wealth of opportunities to develop a new class of hybrid devices by allowing large scale integration of materials with different properties in the same platform thereby achieving single multifunctional entities. Assessing the quality of bonded interface and its behavior during processing is of the utmost importance in order to exploit the full potential of this heterogeneous integration. The interface between dissimilar materials plays a central role in shaping the physical, chemical, optical, and electrical properties of engineered heterostructures and hence defines the reliability and performance of a variety of current and emerging hybrid technologies. Therefore, a precise inspection of interfaces is crucial to verify the quality of the fabricated hybrid devices and to track their long-term stability, which is of compelling importance to optimize various fabrication, functionalization, and integration processes. With this perspective and to establish the characterization infrastructure that complements our wafer bonding facilities, we seek to set up a scanning acoustic microscope, which enables a non-destructive, high resolution, and sensitive imaging of buried interfaces. This microscope works like a sonar, sending a high frequency acoustic signal and measuring the time it takes to reflect back to the detector. It is particularly sensitive to voids, cavities, porosity, delaminations, cracks, and particles trapped between two joint surfaces thus providing valuable insights into microstructural characteristics of materials. The microscope will be managed by the Microfabrication Laboratory which hosts state-of-the-art facilities accessible to all researchers from public and private sectors. The microscope will be central to advance research activities in microelectronics, optoelectronics, photonics, photovoltaics, microfluidics, electromechanics, and surface coating technologies. The acquisition of the SAM will also offer an excellent opportunity to enhance the training of highly qualified personnel
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
422915-2012
Name nom
Moutanabbir, Oussama
Department département
Génie physique
Organization id
64
Institution établissement
École Polytechnique de Montréal
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2011
Competition year année de concours
2012
Award amount
143471
Program id
EQPEQ
Program nane en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1505
Committee name en
Physics
Committee name fr
Physique
Area of application code
1208
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Materials sciences
Area of application fr
Sciences des matériaux
Research subject code
2000
Research subject group en
Materials science and technology
Research subject group fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Research subject en
Materials science and technology
Research subject fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Scanning Acoustic Microscope to Probe Voids and Interfaces in Functionalized Materials and Hybrid Devices
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
The recently deployed wafer bonding capabilities at Ecole Polytechnique create a wealth of opportunities to develop a new class of hybrid devices by allowing large scale integration of materials with different properties in the same platform thereby achieving single multifunctional entities. Assessing the quality of bonded interface and its behavior during processing is of the utmost importance in order to exploit the full potential of this heterogeneous integration. The interface between dissimilar materials plays a central role in shaping the physical, chemical, optical, and electrical properties of engineered heterostructures and hence defines the reliability and performance of a variety of current and emerging hybrid technologies. Therefore, a precise inspection of interfaces is crucial to verify the quality of the fabricated hybrid devices and to track their long-term stability, which is of compelling importance to optimize various fabrication, functionalization, and integration processes. With this perspective and to establish the characterization infrastructure that complements our wafer bonding facilities, we seek to set up a scanning acoustic microscope, which enables a non-destructive, high resolution, and sensitive imaging of buried interfaces. This microscope works like a sonar, sending a high frequency acoustic signal and measuring the time it takes to reflect back to the detector. It is particularly sensitive to voids, cavities, porosity, delaminations, cracks, and particles trapped between two joint surfaces thus providing valuable insights into microstructural characteristics of materials. The microscope will be managed by the Microfabrication Laboratory which hosts state-of-the-art facilities accessible to all researchers from public and private sectors. The microscope will be central to advance research activities in microelectronics, optoelectronics, photonics, photovoltaics, microfluidics, electromechanics, and surface coating technologies. The acquisition of the SAM will also offer an excellent opportunity to enhance the training of highly qualified personnel
