"Additive Manufacturing of Microelectronic Devices for Extreme Environm" by Nicholas McKibben

Publication Date

12-2023

Date of Final Oral Examination (Defense)

August 2023

Type of Culminating Activity

Dissertation

Degree Title

Doctor of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering

Department Filter

Materials Science and Engineering

Department

Materials Science and Engineering

Supervisory Committee Chair

Dave Estrada, Ph.D.

Supervisory Committee Member

Zhangxian Deng, Ph.D.

Supervisory Committee Member

Harish Subbaraman, Ph.D.

Supervisory Committee Member

Jessica Koehne, Ph.D.

Abstract

This work encompasses a comprehensive exploration of advanced manufacturing techniques for fabricating microelectronic devices compatible with extreme environments. The research integrates the fields of chemistry, nanomaterials, and additive manufacturing to achieve remarkable progress in sensor development, with a particular emphasis on aerosol jet printing (AJP), surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, patterned graphene growth, and surface functionalization. The investigation begins with the AJP process development of a commercial silver nanoparticle ink, culminating in the fabrication of a piezoelectric SAW transducer that was prototyped as a high-temperature thermometer, showing excellent linearity when validated to 200°C. Next, the investigation continued with the development and formulation of a water-based nickel nanoparticle ink that was utilized to create novel fabrication routes to high-temperature microelectronic devices and patterned graphene. Thermal sintering experiments were performed on the nickel nanoparticle thin films, showing good survivability up to 600°C and beyond. Several fundamental physical processes were observed during these experiments, such as high-temperature failure, which appears to be thickness dependent and resulted in the spontaneous dewetting of the thin film, as well as the reduction mechanism of oxidized nickel films, which resembled that of typical nucleation and coalescence. Finally, a novel, reactive, lithium niobate ink was conceptualized for functionalizing passive substrate surfaces, and preliminary process development steps were taken toward realizing this AJP ink.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18122/td.2182.boisestate

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