NASA STTR 2005 Solicitation

FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY


PROPOSAL NUMBER:05 T4.02-9982
RESEARCH SUBTOPIC TITLE:Space Science Sensors and Instruments
PROPOSAL TITLE:Integration of Superconducting Electrical and Thermal Circuits for Microscale Cooling

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (SBC): RESEARCH INSTITUTION (RI):
NAME: Atlas Scientific NAME:San Francisco State University
ADDRESS:1367 Camino Robles Way ADDRESS:1600 Holloway Avenue
CITY:San Jose CITY:San Francisco
STATE/ZIP:CA  95120-4925 STATE/ZIP:CA  94132-1722
PHONE: (408) 507-0906 PHONE: (415) 338-7091

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name,Email)
Ben P.M. Helvensteijn
bhelvensteijn@atlasscientific.com

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Microcalorimetry is an enabling technology for many NASA space science missions because it permits detection of single photons at high rates with unprecedented energy resolution and efficiency. This remarkable technology relies upon superconducting devices that must be cooled below 100 mK. We propose to construct a doubly-integrated circuit in which critical features of microcalorimeter pixels on micromachined thermal isolation structures are cooled by microscale refrigerators that exhaust heat into the substrate at 300 mK. In Phase 1 we will demonstrate a new process for fabricating suspended thermal isolation membranes that is planar and fully photolithographic. A parallel Phase 1 activity will be to design a self-contained "omni-orientable" sorption refrigerator as a 300 mK heat sink that can be started and operated in any orientation in order to facilitate retrofitting microcalorimeters to existing materials analysis systems.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA applications for Icy IC's is to produce spectrometers and imaging arrays for space science instrument. Microcalorimetry is an enabling technology for many NASA space science missions because it permits detection of single photons at high rates with unprecedented energy resolution and efficiency.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are two potential applications of integrating a microcalorimeter-based X-ray spectrometer in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) wafer metrology. As semiconductor device geometries continue to shrink, the defects that threaten yields become smaller. One solution is to use X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with low electron beam voltage, which takes advantage of the small electron scattering range and thus the small volume in which X-rays are generated by the low-energy incoming electron beam. To analyze < 50 nm defects, acceleration voltages of < 3 kV are needed. However, in the low energy region of the X-ray spectrum, line overlap becomes a serious issue which makes clear distinction between different materials difficult. This problem can be overcome with superconducting detector technology which has very high energy resolution (< 20 eV) and thus the ability to separate X-ray lines of important material combinations.
Microcalorimeter-based X-ray microanalysis technology can also be adapted to provide quantitative implant metrology for ultra-shallow junctions (USJs). A junction profile is typically measured by a spreading resistance probe or secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Both methods require special sample preparation and are destructive. An X-ray microanalysis system utilizing the superconducting detector technology can serve as an alternative method to obtain dopant profiles in the substrate with high spatial resolution and high precision.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
High-Energy
Instrumentation
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors


Form Printed on 09-19-05 13:14