ANAB Graphene Purification for Semiconductor Purity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Graphene production often results in residual contaminants, particularly metallic impurities like copper, which hinder its use in high-purity applications such as semiconductor manufacturing due to the inability of existing methods to remove these impurities without damaging the graphene structure.
Innovation Solution
The use of accelerated neutral atom beams (ANAB) technology, specifically formed from gas cluster ion beams, to remove impurities from graphene surfaces without disrupting the carbon bonding lattice, utilizing controlled velocity and density to selectively remove metallic and polymer residues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If typical ion bombardment techniques are used to remove contaminants, then impurity removal is achieved, but the excessive energies required destroy the overall continuity of the graphene structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the energy parameter of the ion beam by using low energy accelerated neutral atom beams (EANAB) instead of high energy charged ion beams. This parameter change allows effective contaminant removal while preserving the graphene lattice structure, resolving the contradiction between purity improvement and structural integrity maintenance
2Manufacturing precision
If chemical methods are used to remove impurities, then some cleaning is achieved, but the methods cannot remove metallic impurities to acceptable levels for high purity applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning methods with a physical mechanism - low energy accelerated neutral atom beam irradiation. This mechanical/physical approach achieves superior purify removal capability that meets semiconductor industry standards, while avoiding the limitations of chemical methods
3Quantity of substance
If charged particle beams are used for impurity removal, then particle transport is achieved, but charge repulsion effects prevent high intensity delivery at very low energies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using neutral atoms instead of charged ions. This inversion eliminates charge repulsion effects, enabling high intensity particle delivery at very low energies (a few eV per atom), which is critical for removing surface contaminants without damaging the underlying graphene structure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces metallic and polymer impurities to acceptable levels, enabling graphene to be used in semiconductor and other high-purity applications without damaging the graphene structure, thus expanding its technical uses.
Implementation Method 1
The neutral accelerated atoms in the ANAB beam travel at the already accelerated velocity in tight formation just as when they were a part of the accelerated cluster. However their path is extremely straight and intense as there is no longer any charge repulsion pushing them away from each other as with a traditional charged particle beam.
Implementation Method 2
Once the cluster has formed the cluster can be ionized by electron impact and then electrostatically accelerated to a useful velocity.
Implementation Method 3
The accelerated cluster can then be broken up by collision with un-accelerated gas atoms, which overcome Van der Waals forces, and then the charged portion of the cluster is electrostatically or magnetically deflected out of the remaining cluster stream forming the accelerated neutral atom beam (ANAB).
Implementation Method 4
ANAB irradiation of graphene films provides reduction of metallic and polymer impurities to acceptable levels to allow entry into semiconductor device manufacturing facilities and other manufacturing locations with strict contamination guidelines.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for removing contaminants from a graphene product uses an accelerated neutral atom beam to remove product contaminants without disruption of the product's crystalline lattice and morphology to enable usage in high purity devices/systems such as exemplified in semi-conductor and like high purity needs applications.