Engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have received a $14.5 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a new 3D printing method for semiconductor chip production. The technique, called Holographic Metasurface Nano-Lithography (HMNL), aims to produce electronics faster and with less environmental impact than current manufacturing methods.
The research team includes partners from the University of Utah, Applied Materials, Bright Silicon Technologies, Electroninks, Northrop Grumman, NXP Semiconductors and Texas Microsintering. Associate Professor Michael Cullinan from UT Austin’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering leads the project.
“Our goal is to fundamentally change how electronics are packaged and manufactured,” said Michael Cullinan. “With HMNL, we can create complex, multimaterial structures in a single step, reducing production time from months to days.” The technology uses ultra-thin optical masks called metasurfaces that create holograms when exposed to light, enabling precise patterning of metal and polymer materials into 3D structures.
The process can achieve resolutions smaller than the width of a human hair and could enable new electronic designs such as 3D printed capacitors and electronic packages for unconventional spaces. Applications span from smartphones to aerospace systems, including the potential to embed artificial intelligence in customized configurations for robots or rockets.
The team has developed four prototypes demonstrating various applications, including fan-out modules for consumer devices, defense communication systems, nonplanar electronics packages, and active structures that serve both mechanical and electrical functions. Cullinan plans to commercialize the technology through Texas Microsintering Inc., a startup he founded.
Source: news.utexas.edu
