THE FUTURE IS HERE

CRYSTAL: Crystal Substrate Bonding Technologies and Algorithms – Advanced Research Concept

https://www.darpa.mil/research/programs/crystal-substrate-bonding

Bonded single crystal thin film multi-functional materials (electro-optic, acousto-electric, acousto-optic, magneto-optic or multi-ferroic materials) are vital for diverse sensing and communications technologies (integrated quantum, photonic, terahertz [THz], radio frequency [RF], and actuator platforms).

Wafer bonding onto compatible substrates is the critical step for integrating single crystal thin films into multi-functional devices and systems. There is currently no method to analytically investigate wafer bonding processes.

The ability to predictively model wafer bonding of thin film crystals would rapidly accelerate the research and development of multi-functional materials, and their fabrication and scalable integration in diverse applications.

This ARC Opportunity is soliciting ideas to explore the following question: To accelerate development and integration of multi-functional materials, how do we create generalizable models to explore thin film crystal bonding onto suitable substrates under diverse real-world process conditions and parameters?