Modelling and technological expansion of nanowire surface-controlled contact printing

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Steffen Strehle
• Subject Area: Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
• Term: from 2017 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392124230

An efficient assembly of nanowire based devices possesses inherently a high application and innovation potential. Nevertheless, suitable technologies interlinking the advantages of bottom-up synthesized nanowires and the possibilities of modern top-down microfabrication are still missing. Within the proposed research project the recently in my group developed technology of surface controlled contact printing shall be studied in further detail. In principle, this technology enables planar single nanowire deposition on a target substrate (demonstrated with silicon nanowires) with known x-y-position and known angular alignment by means of so-called catchers. This significantly supports the successive utilization of parallel and large-scale integration technologies for an efficient nanowire device assembly. Within the scope of this research project, a first descriptive model shall be developed that supports the technological expansion to other material systems with respect to the used substrates, catcher design and nanowire materials as well as supporting in future higher printing selectivities and sequential prints. Furthermore, dynamic parameters shall be firstly considered for surface controlled contact printing and also quasi in-situ printing experiments will be done based on nanowire decorated atomic-force-microscopy probes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants