Company
Portfolio Data
Back to Company SearchZYVEX LABS, LLC
UEI: ZUUFP2XW3YH8
Number of Employees: 7
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
SBIR/STTR Involvement
Year of first award: 2018
6
Phase I Awards
5
Phase II Awards
83.33%
Conversion Rate
$1,128,100
Phase I Dollars
$5,432,052
Phase II Dollars
$6,560,152
Total Awarded
Awards
High Temperature Overgrowth of Delta Layers to Enable 3D Dopant-Based Quantum Devices
Amount: $200,000 Topic: C58-11d
Current computational electronics are on a course potentially to overtake already large sectors such as transportation in energy consumption. Hopefully, a solution can be found that both maintains quality of life and vastly reduces energy consumption. One particular solution is a class of computing called Quantum Computing. While there are many architectures being pursued at the moment, we believe that dopant based qubits can be a fundamental element of the Quantum Computer solution. Currently, progress is being made in carefully placing dopant qubits in a single 2D plane inside silicon crystals, but there is an eventual problem in accessing these qubits. Based on a 3 layer structure proposed by Charles Hill, we in Phase I are taking steps to produce the first two layers of such prototype devices through studies in materials science, solid state physics, and Atomically Precise Lithography. This will be done by producing a bottom control layer using methods already known, then reproducing another atomically flat surface after growing more silicon crystal a few tens of nanometers above the first surface. Success with this will enable 3D device architectures so that the number of wires scales with the square root of the number of qubits instead of scaling with the number of qubits. Success in Phases I and II will lead to several potential commercial applications. Potentially the largest impact will be to drive investment into 2D systems of qubits using 3D architectures. Another indirect potential commercial application would be demonstration of the ability to make 3D metamaterials where each layer of material can be individually designed. The metrology capabilities could advance new industries such as semiconductor probing for QA/QC. With the versatility of 3D fabrication within a single crystal, this could drive yet undiscovered research and development.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase I
2024
DOE
High-Speed Platform for Highly Parallel STM Lithography and Hierarchical Assembly
Amount: $1,149,976 Topic: 17e
A lack of manufacturing precision has hampered the ability of nanotechnology to live up to its promise of exploiting emerging properties at the nanoscale, thus denying society many energy saving materials and applications. There is therefore a strong need to realize the promise of complex nanosystems by developing atomically precise manufacturing (APM). This project targets a key component of an Atomically Precise Manufacturing system: a high-speed sub-nanometer-precision manufacturing platform for atomic precision patterning and hierarchical assembly. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) has the requisite patterning precision for APM, but its throughput is inadequate for a manufacturing tool. Our overall objective is to devise a new physical and control implementation of the STM based on Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology for high-speed imaging and high-throughput lithography, which does not suffer from many of the limitations of piezoelectric scanners, first developed in 1982 and largely unchanged. The use of MEMS technology will also enable the possibility of developing an STM with multiple tips scanning simultaneously, so as to scale the overall throughput of a lithography tool for APM. A 1 Degree of Freedom (DOF) MEMS z actuator has been designed and fabricated at UT Dallas. It has been used to take atomic-resolution images in a hybrid STM at Zyvex Labs using the MEMS 1DOF z actuator to maintain the tip height through the tunnel current feedback loop, with a piezo tube performing the xy scanning. This is the first time a MEMS based STM has demonstrated atomic resolution imaging. The z actuator is being combined with a flexure-stage xy scanner to create a high- speed STM, which will be scaled up to multiple tips. Designs for 3DOF xyz MEMS scanners have been completed. What is planned for Phase IIB: (1) Further develop the successful 1DOF z actuator by using a new integrated tip concept from UTD which is an outcome of our DOE 1465 program, allowing for mass production of a commercial product; (2) Commercialize the 1DOF z actuator in collaboration with ScientaOmicron, identifying the advantages of a hybrid STM over a standard STM of interest to microscopy customers, and creating a viable product offering, similar to their QPlus AFM/STM product; (3) Implement the two-tip 1DOF Z actuator with a tilt stage on the flexure stage STM, and demonstrate simultaneous STM imaging with two tips; and (4) Contingent on a viable 3DOF MEMS actuator as an outcome of our 1465 program, we will test their capability for STM. Zyvex, which has a history of commercializing innovative nanotechnology products, will introduce these high-speed, ultra-high precision stages to first address the STM imaging research market at universities, national labs and commercial research companies, and move on to develop research tools for nano-manufacturing development, then metrology and inspection tools for advanced high precision manufacturing, and finally will enable Atomically Precise Manufacturing as a platform both for parallel atomic precision patterning and parallel hierarchical assembly. Atomically Precise Manufacturing will produce unprecedented energy efficient products across a wide range of applications, such as large energy savings from using nanopore membranes in separation processes and quantum computers.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2021
DOE
Atomically Precise Scanning Probe Based Analysis of Activated Dopants for 2D Micro Electronics
Amount: $1,149,856 Topic: 06a
The overall objective of this program is to improve the metrology of buried dopant structures for ultraprecise devices created using Scanning Tunnelling Microscope (STM) based lithography. During fabrication, it is necessary to determine the location of existing structures so as to align new dopant structures to them precisely. This metrology therefore needs to be done in-situ during fabrication with the same probe as used for lithography Second, for quantum devices, it is proving more important that there be the desired number of dopants in a patch, rather than that their position is atomically precise. In-situ metrology allows the possibility of error correction. This is a hallmark of Atomic Precision Advanced Manufacturing. The dopant deposition and incorporation is performed in a different chamber than the lithography. Therefore, after incorporation, we need methods to reliably and efficiently relocate the general area of the nm-scale dopant structures on a mm-size sample, determine the exact location of the dopants, and to provide as far as possible quantitative information about the dopant number and location. Thus far, in the initial Phase I program, we have used a closed-loop coarse motion system and patterned substrates to return efficiently to the same position on a sample. We have developed novel high-frequency STM-based spectroscopic methods to measure dI/dV and I- V spectra at high speed during scanning, and have successfully used these methods to create bipolar dopant structures by locating B dopant regions, and then aligning P dopant patterns to them. In Phase II, we will continue to develop these novel spectroscopic imaging methods. We will pursue two tracks: metrology of dopant patch location to support Atomically Precise device fabrication for the DOE objective of UltraPrecise Manufacturing, including our parallel STTR on fabrication of bipolar devices, DE-SC0020817; and single-pixel-scale experiments to determine the sensitivity of the novel spectroscopic methods to the number of dopants in small patches to support the fabrication of quantum devices. These metrology capabilities will be incorporated into our ultraprecise lithography tool, ZyVector, enhancing its commercial value, and improve the yield and throughput of manufactured ultraprecise dopant-based devices.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2021
DOE
Atomically Precise Ultra-High Performance 2D Micro Electronics
Amount: $1,149,878 Topic: 06a
The overall objective of this program is to explore the possibility of extending the PinSi dopant placement technology known as Atomically Precise Advanced Manufacturing APAM beyond donor dopants and combine ptype and ntype dopants in the same device. APAM technology allows us to reach much higher dopant densities in 2D than possible in 3D, and with the atomic precision placement, to create much smaller base dimensions in Bipolar Junction Transistors BJTs. As a result, devices such as the Tunneling Bipolar Junction Transistor and the Esaki Transistor become feasible in a siliconbased technology. We believe that analog rather than digital circuits will be best served by these devices. In the initial Phase I program, we chose a preferred acceptor dopant precursor, BCl3, and have demonstrated the ability to create patterned structures of B, and of both B and P in the same device, with the patches of dopants aligned to each other with atomic precision. The alignment process has benefited from the ability to quickly relocate the device area, and identify the location of incorporated dopants, capabilities developed in our parallel Phase I STTR DESC0020827 project. During Phase II, we will optimize the fabrication processes, especially the immature B incorporation process, and will use this to first create pn junction devices, and later pnp and npn devices such as Bipolar Junction Transistors, and explore their characteristics and performance. We will focus on device parameters, such as depletion width and builtin potential, that are likely to yield devices with useful characteristics of commercial interest to our large semiconducting industry partners. The expected very small bases should make possible extremely highfrequency devices. Based on experimental data from buried deltalayers of dopants, published literature on scaled BJTs and our ability to pattern them with atomic resolution, we see an opportunity to create a new class of BJTs with significantly improved gainbandwidth product, lownoise operation, unprecedented control of device performance for extremely wellmatched differential pairs, cryogenic operation, and being only one atom thick a high level of Rad Hardness. If we are successful in creating breakthrough performance improvements in these areas these devices they should be useful for the following applications: Defense, Space, Quantum computer backplane electronics for control and error correction of qubits, Ultrasensitive sensors.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2021
DOE
Atomically Precise Scanning Probe Based Analysis of Activated Dopants for 2D Micro Electronics
Amount: $199,991 Topic: 06a
Atomically precise placement of dopants in 2D planes inside semiconductor crystals has shown enormous potential for creating valuable structures such as analog quantum simulations and devices such as qubits for quantum computers ultra-high performance analog transistors, and potentially quantum metamaterials with designer quantum properties. These applications will have an enormous impact on energy efficiency as well as other important attributes important to our nation’sinterest. This technology has a number of unique and powerful advantages already realized and more capabilities are being developed: Ability to place dopant atoms (primarily P donors) in a single buried (100) plane of a Si or Ge crystal. Emerging capabilities to place acceptor (B and Al) dopants and heavier donor (As) dopants. Doping levels can be extremely high in a single (100) plane. As much as ¼ monolayer of P atoms in a single Si (100) plane renders metallic conducting material that is also direct bandgap. Even higher doping levels have been obtained and ongoing improvements in doping levels may produce 2D superconducting semiconductor material. These delta doped layers have 5-6 orders of magnitude less 1/f noise. The ability to pattern with atomic precision the 2D regions that dopants are placed in. Near deterministic control of doping in a given region. By repeating these 2D patterning and dopant placement after epitaxial growth the atomically precise dopant placement can be extended to 3D designs. A current limitation in these potentially revolutionary devices and structures is the ability to control exactly the number of dopant atoms that end up in specific nanoscale elements. For instance in spin donor qubits the number of dopant atoms that make up a single qubit is extremely important and currently the methods of placing the dopant atoms is stochastic in nature. There are attempts at developing methods that are deterministic, but there is no dopant counting metrology technology to guide this development and verify the numbers of dopant atoms in production. Building on our Atomically Precise Patterning tool which is integral to creating these 2D structures and devices, we will integrate into this tool the ability to count individual dopant atoms beneath the surface and verify that specific nanoscale areas contain the desired number of dopant atoms. This will be accomplished by using a specific modality of scanning tunneling microscope imaging. We intend to develop a method that operates at room temperature rather than cryogenic temperatures which will make the process more affordable and will reach a larger market.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2020
DOE
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPE BASED HYDROGEN DEPASSIVATION LITHOGRAPHY AUTOMATION VIA ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Amount: $999,987 Topic: 16a
Hydrogen Depassivation Lithography is a promising atomic precision tool with the potential to produce energy efficient processes, devices, and materials by exploiting quantum technology. This patterning technology is based on scanning tunneling microscope instrumentation. Up to now, opportunities for advancing research and its application to manufacturing have been limited due to the poor reliability and lack of automation often associated with scanning tunneling microscopes. This STTR project will develop physics-based artificial intelligence algorithms run on a proprietary operational system which will remove the tedious, time-consuming manual processes to enable a fully autonomous atomic precision lithography process. This will improve the productivity and reliability of research tools and pave the way for highly parallel tools that could be used for manufacturing of products such as quantum computers. In Phase I, artificial intelligence developed image recognition algorithms were created that successfully identified the position of all atoms in a scanning tunneling microscope image of the surface. A defect- detection algorithm was also developed to identify and classify typical defects on the surface - typically a time-consuming manual process. Another success was that an additional algorithm was demonstrated that identified the atomic step edges that are the boundaries of single atomic terraces, making identification highly robust with respect to all possible elements observed on the surface. In Phase II, we will integrate these algorithms into a scanning tunneling microscope control system in order to automate atomic precision lithography, establishing human supervised real time feedback between the operational microscope platform and the Artificial Intelligence system. We also plan to develop process optimization algorithms to improve the speed and performance of the processes including error detection and correction, tip state optimization, elucidation of manipulation conditions, and real time object-based feedback for automated manipulation. The combination of our artificial intelligence combined with our proprietary control system will essentially bring mass production to the quantum scale. Because of the significant boost in federal funding for quantum research via the National Quantum Initiative Act and the much higher and broader level of industrial interest in quantum compared to other nanotechnologies, there will be truly revolutionary new developments in sensing, communication, and computing technologies. This will create a significant boost to the nanolithography research market and open a path for atomic precision manufacturing tools for quantum technologies. Solid state quantum technologies require higher precision than state-of-the-art semiconductor devices and will therefore create a significant business opportunity. Because Hydrogen Depassivation Lithography has dramatically better resolution and precision than even the most advanced semiconductor lithography tools or E- Beam Lithography tools, our team is extremely well positioned to break into this new sector of the research nanolithography market. We have a scanning tunneling microscope control system designed for hydrogen depassivation lithography already on the market which will directly benefit from the technology developed in this program.
Tagged as:
SBIR
Phase II
2020
DOE
Atomically Precise Ultra-High Performance 2D Micro Electronics
Amount: $199,444 Topic: 06a
Digital electronics provides sophisticated control of our manufacturing processes providing excellent energy efficiency. However the vast majority of our manufacturing processes operate in an analog world and the effectiveness of the control systems depends on the accuracy of the inputs to the digital control system and its analog outputs that implement that control. Recently developed atomically precise fabrication techniques can provide unprecedented control of the physical fabrication of analog Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) with: extremely accurate operation, high gain-bandwidth performance, and very low noise. Additionally these devices will be extremely RAD HARD and will operate at cryogenic temperatures. These devices combined with the available digital control systems will provide significant energy savings for Government and commercialuses. We now have the technology to create these devices using the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) patterning technology known as Hydrogen Depassivation Lithography (HDL). It provides a means to placing dopant atoms in a single (100) atomic plane. Precursor molecules for acceptor and donor dopants in separately patterned areas on the Si surface and can be covered up with epitaxial Si. The overall objective in phase I is to explore through experiments and modelling the most fundamental bipolar device, a PN junction. This knowledge will provide insight of how to develop the remarkable transistors in Phases II and III. In Phase I of this program we will: Select a precursor molecule for acceptors to complement PH3 which will be used to place donors. Develop a process to co-deposit both acceptors and donors in separate atomically precise patterns. Develop semiclassical models to better understand Atomically Precise 2D PN junctions. Make and measure these PN junctions and predict performance of 2D BJTs to be built in Phase II. Assuming that some of the performance advantages that we predict for these Atomically Precise 2D BJTs will be developed in Phase II and III, we will match device capabilities to specific high-value applications such as ultra-high performance discrete devices and small circuits. We will need to start with niche markets that can be penetrated with low volume production. These would include markets such as amplifiers for interfacing with quantum computers that operate at cryogenic temperatures, and electronic warfare applications where high gain-bandwidth and low noise operation are at a premium.If these niche markets are successful, and other applications based on atomically precise patterns of 2D dopants help fund further developments in fabrication tools, we can expect to develop moreapplications that are much larger markets such as inputs for sensors and ADCs to provide inputs to industrial controllers.We fully expect that there will be a drive toward solid state quantumapplications that will fund the development of manufacturing tools that will enable us to reach these larger markets.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2020
DOE
High-Speed Platform for Highly Parallel STM lithography and Hierarchical Assembly
Amount: $982,355 Topic: 17e
Nanotechnology has failed to live up to its promise of exploiting the emerging properties at the nanoscale because of the lack of manufacturing precision thus denying society many energy saving materials and applications. There is therefore a strong need to realize the promise of complex nanosystems by developing atomically precise manufacturing (APM). This project targets a key component of an Atomically Precise Manufacturing system: a high-speed sub-nanometer precision manufacturing platform stage for atomic precision patterning and hierarchical assembly. The overall objective is to devise a platform based on Micro-Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology comprising hardware, software and control algorithms for Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)-based high-speed imaging and high-throughput lithography. We will develop xyz nanopositioners using MEMS technology with sub-Ångstrom accuracy, and use them to develop an STM, which will not suffer from many of the limitations of piezoelectric scanners. Secondly, the use of MEMS technology will enable the possibility of developing an STM with multiple tips scanning simultaneously, so as to scale the overall throughput of a lithography system. A MEMS-based Z actuator is being built and tested in air and in a ultra-high vacuum (UHV) STM system at Zyvex Labs. The design for the 2DOF XY nanopositioner was completed. Task 1: Build 2D xy scanner, based on design from Phase I. Use 1DOF actuator for z axis. Mount onto a UHV STM system at Zyvex Labs for testing as a single-probe MEMS-based STM. Task 2: Design and build array of z-axis actuators, and mount onto 2D xy scanner to make multitip STM. Requires coarse tip approach motors. Task 3: Design control system for multitip STM, to allow for automatic landing of the probes, and planarization of the array onto the surface. Implement into ZyVector controller. Task 4: Develop a means to prepare atomically-sharp STM tips suitable for imaging and lithography on the z-axis MEMS actuators, and to repair or replace these tips as necessary. Task 5: Commercialize products as appropriate in collaboration with our existing partners. The first candidate is the high-bandwidth 1DOF z-axis actuator as an enhancement to a standard STM. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: Zyvex, which has a history of commercializing innovative nanotechnology products, will introduce these high-speed, ultra-high precision stages to first address the STM imaging research market at universities, national labs and commercial research companies, and move one to develop research tools for nano-manufacturing development, then metrology and inspection tools for advanced high precision manufacturing, and finally will enable Atomically Precise Manufacturing as a platform both for parallel atomic precision patterning and parallel hierarchical assembly. Atomically Precise Manufacturing will produce unprecedented energy efficient products across a wide range of applications. It will also enable materials with engineered properties including extremely high specific strength for additional energy efficiency from abundant materials.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase II
2019
DOE
Scanning Tunneling Microscope based Hydrogen Depassivation Lithography Automation Via Artificial Intelligence
Amount: $149,915 Topic: 16a
Atomically Precise Manufacturing will bring enormous energy savings through improved efficiency in power generation and use, via light weighting, reduced friction and wear, and a host of other improvements in materials and active mechanisms. Atomically Precise Manufacturing will bring considerable benefit to our technology, economy, and standard of living. However, significant technological development will be required before Atomically Precise Manufacturing can be realized as a reliable and efficient manufacturing process. A promising technology that is being used to develop Atomically Precise Manufacturing is Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) based hydrogen depassivation lithography that can make atomically precise patterns on surfaces. However, hydrogen depassivation lithography is in early stages of transitioning from a microscope technology to a lithography technology. Currently a human expert is required to look at images and make some judgement calls about how to complete the patterning process. To get the human out of the loop so that the patterning process can be automated, faster, and more reliable, Artificial Intelligence guided by physics of the system will be developed to provide the required image analysis capabilities. In Phase I, Zyvex Labs will work with applied Artificial Intelligence experts at Oak Ridge National Lab to develop an AI STM image analysis capability that can identify key features on the Si (100) 2X1 H passivated surfaces. This will allow automated assessment of the lithography process as it is being carried out so that conditions may be optimized even in the face of tip variation and surface defects to create atomically precise patterns. The image analysis will also enable error detection and correction processes to approach patterning perfection. Using these capabilities we will develop sophisticated and adaptable automation processes. If successfully developed, Artificial Intelligence guided hydrogen depassivation lithography will initially make small but extremely valuable products like solid state Analog Quantum Simulation devices to better understand quantum physics and help bring the expected amazing range benefits of quantum materials to the general public, and perhaps a little further down the road the spectacular benefits of quantum computation and communication. Even though massively parallel hydrogen depassivation lithography will be developed, it will still have limited throughput capabilities that can be leveraged by using hydrogen depassivation lithography to make nanoimprint or even roll to roll templates that will dramatically reduce the cost of making extremely accurate patterns at the nanoscale and above. One example application would be Atomically Precise membrane filters which will dramatically reduce manufacturing costs in chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical processing.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2019
DOE
Products for Fabrication of Atomically Precise Strongly Correlated Materials
Amount: $228,955 Topic: ST17C-002
This STTR will develop atomically precise fabrication and measurement technology that will enable a new experimental regime to study the physics of strongly correlated quantum systems.The fabrication techniques are based primarily on Hydrogen Depassivation Lithography (HDL) which uses Scanning Tunneling Microscope technology to create atomically precise patterns of H on a Si (100) 2x1 surface in a UHV environment.Shortly after patterning, phosphine is dosed on the surface where it sticks to the clean Si and nowhere else. A short anneal and low temp 28Si epitaxy buries the P donor dopants in the crystal plane they were deposited on. Extremely small and precise geometries each containing a controllable number of dopants in a 2D array will create tunable electronic states and, we believe, strongly correlated quantum systems.The technology to create and measure these designed 2D materials is only just emerging. We will significantly improve the accuracy and scale of the arrays, develop reliable electrical contacts to permit transport measurements, develop other dopant options including acceptors and donors, and develop transport and other measurement processes to explore the quantum nature of these devices. This commercialization will put these capabilities into the hands of many quantum researchers.
Tagged as:
STTR
Phase I
2018
DOD
DARPA