Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin are leading an academic and industry all-star team that aims to revolutionize the production of semiconductor chips with a new 3D printing method. The new approach, which the researchers are calling Holographic Metasurface Nano-Lithography (HMNL), aims for faster, more efficient and environmentally friendly production of advanced electronics.
HMNL has applications ranging from smartphones to robotics to aerospace. It can create designs that were previously impossible, such as 3D printed capacitors, which store energy in electronic devices, or electronic packages that fit into unconventional spaces. For example, it would make it possible to embed artificial intelligence in customized configurations to fit the specifications of robots or rockets.
"Our goal is to fundamentally change how electronics are packaged and manufactured," said Michael Cullinan, an associate professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering's Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, who is leading the team. "With HMNL, we can create complex, multimaterial structures in a single step, reducing production time from months to days."
The team, comprising researchers at the University of Utah, Applied Materials, Bright Silicon Technologies, Electroninks, Northrop Grumman, NXP Semiconductors and Texas Microsintering, has received a $14.5 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to pursue this work.
Electronics manufacturing today is a complex, time-consuming process that involves layering materials one step at a time. This approach not only limits design flexibility but also generates significant material waste. HMNL offers a faster, more sustainable alternative.
The key to this technical leap lies in metasurfaces, which are ultra-thin optical masks capable of encoding high-density information. When exposed to light, these metasurfaces create holograms that enable the simultaneous patterning of a hybrid resin made of metal and polymer into intricate 3D structures. The process is so precise that it can achieve resolutions smaller than the width of a human hair.
Additionally, by eliminating multiple production steps and reducing material waste, the process minimizes the environmental footprint of industrial activities. The increased speed will make it easier to develop unique prototypes.
The researchers created four prototypes as part of this project for a variety of applications:
- Commercial electronics: A fan-out module for consumer devices, showcasing faster production and improved design flexibility.
- Defense systems: Advanced prototypes for high-frequency communication and reconfigurable electronics.
- Nonplanar designs: Electronics packages that fit into challenging spaces.
- Active packages: Structures that serve mechanical and electrical functions, such as precise beam-pointing systems for optical applications.
"This isn't just about making electronics faster or cheaper; it's about unlocking new possibilities," said Cullinan.
The researchers plan to commercialize the technology through Texas Microsintering Inc., a startup founded by Cullinan.
