761036-2 MMAMA: Microwave Microscopy for Advanced and Effficient Materials Anaylsis and Production

• Forschungsstelle: METAS
• Projektnummer: F-5217.30093

Schlüsselwörter (Englisch)

Characterization methods of materials; scanning microwave microscopy; advanced material analysis; modelling platform; open innovation environment

Kurzbeschreibung (Englisch)

Products which require complicated material systems and nanoscale structural organization, e.g. third-generation solar cells, are often difficult to develop. This is because electronic properties of bulk semiconductors are often masked or at least strongly superimposed by material interface properties. Additionally these interface properties are also complex and thus make product design difficult.
This project aims at solving this problem by offering a nanoscale characterization platform for the European manufacturers of coatings, photovoltaic cells, and semi-conductor circuits. It is proposed to use a combination of scanning microwave microscopes, dielectric resonators, and simulation to measure the material and interface properties of complicated material systems and nano-structures. A metrological system of cross-checks between different instruments, models and simulations with associated error bars is indispensable for obtaining trustworthy results.
Scanning microwave measurements will be directly used for three-dimensional characterization of electrical properties of nanostructured semiconductors used in organic and hybrid photovoltaic cells. The objective is to accelerate the development of high efficiency cells and to have measures to predict performances in early stages of prototype production. Where process monitoring of materials with nanostructures is necessary, a dielectric resonator is used to translate insights from scanning microwave microscope measurements to fabrication environments. Such dielectric resonators could be directly integrated in production lines for monitoring thin film deposition processes.
An open innovation environment will make the uptake of the results easier for European industry. A database containing exemplary measurement datasets of scanning microwave microscopes will be available in calibrated and raw versions. Simulation results of tip-semiconductor interactions will be made available on the EMMC Modeling Market Place.

Projektziele (Englisch)

The main objective of MMAMA is to enable advanced material analysis and boost its quality and production efficiency thanks to the GHz measurement and modelling platform in a wide community.
Specific objectives:

1. Development of Scanning Microwave Microscopy (SMM) technology towards high performance including spatial electrical resolution, bandwidth (frequency range), and different forms of microwave probes.
2. Extending measurements capabilities of SMM including sample size, temperature and environmental stability, and development for new calibration routines.
3. Establishing electromagnetic 3D models and software modules for advanced materials including modelling platform.
4. Validation of the high frequency characterisation technology through the fabrication and the characterisation of reference materials and structures.
5. Demonstration of multi-scale microwave imaging technologies at pilot scale for in-line and off-line production.
6. Development of standard operating procedures and implementation of open access Environment.

Abstract (Englisch)

Electronic properties of bulk semiconductors are often masked or at least strongly superim-posed by material interface properties. The MMAMA project, a Horizon 2020 project, aimed at solving this problem by offering a nanoscale characterization platform for the European manu-facturers of coatings, photovoltaic cells, and semi-conductor circuits. It was proposed to use a combination of scanning microwave microscopes, dielectric resonators, and simulation to measure the material and interface properties of complicated material systems and nano-structures. A metrological system of cross-checks between different instruments, models and simulations with associated uncertainty intervals was considered indispensable for obtaining trustworthy results. Scanning microwave measurements were directly used for three-dimensional characterization of electrical properties of nanostructured semiconductors used in organic and hybrid photovoltaic cells. The objective was to accelerate the development of high efficiency cells and to have measures to predict performances in early stages of prototype production. Where process monitoring of materials with nanostructures was necessary, a die-lectric resonator was used to translate insights from scanning microwave microscope meas-urements to production environment.

Umsetzung und Anwendungen (Englisch)

The activities in this project have enhanced competences, capabilities and options related to METAS' scanning probe activities with respect to future commercial and R&D applications. The following points deserve specific mentioning:

The newly developed coaxial tip will be used in other running and upcoming approved pro-jects:
Nanobat (Horizon 2020, started in 2020): Measurements are planned to be performed with the coaxial tip in the characterization of the solid electrolyte interface of batteries.
ELENA (EMPIR, start in 2021): It is planned to develop impedance standards for the coaxial tip. This opens the door to quantitative measurements with the new tip and further extends the commercial portfolio.
FutureCom (EMPIR, start in 2021): Based on the design and fabrication of the coaxial tip, an on-wafer prober will be developed with small pitch size enabling parasitic-free on-wafer meas-urements at higher frequencies. This opens further prospects in future R&D projects and is also addressing upcoming communication technologies as high frequency part of 5G, 6G and beyond. METAS has submitted a patent registration for this technology and to pursue this fur-ther the work in MMAMA was essential.

The measurement capabilities of the SMM have been significantly enhanced and extended with new scanning modes and improved feedback and control. This was driven by the chal-lenges related to the integration of the new tip. The software was significantly improved. With such increased versatility and better device specifications it is possible to perform measure-ments of higher quality and outside the former scope.

The SMM team has learned a great deal when being confronted with various aspects and challenges related to development and integration of the coaxial tip. The gained knowledge and competences will be useful in future activities related to electrical nano-measurements.