Optimization of a Carbon Dioxide-Assisted Nanoparticle Deposition Process Using Sequential Experimental Design with Adaptive Design Space

Abstract

A sequential design of experiments methodology with an adaptive design space is proposed and implemented to optimize a nanofabrication technique that possesses significant uncertainty in terms of design region and model structure along with an engineering tolerance requirement. This method is termed Layers of Experiment (LoE) with Adaptive Combined Design (ACD) and is developed specifically for advanced technology processes where there is little or no foreknowledge of the design region and/or model structure from either mechanistic understanding or empirical studies. This technique was applied to optimize an elevated pressure, elevated temperature carbon dioxide (epet-CO2) nanoparticle deposition process where silver nanoparticles were deposited directly from an organometallic precursor in the fluid phase onto a silicon wafer surface. A target mean nanoparticle size of 40 nm was chosen, with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as the motivating application. Using the LoE/ACD method, it was possible...