Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
Nano Technology Lab Process game, developed
by Utah Valley University, Digital Media Department, was selected as a finalist in the 2019
Serious Games Showcase and Challenge in the Student
Category.
In the game, through virtual hands-on training,
students participate in the different steps needed to create flawless nano
technology circuit boards.
Game Development Background
Utah Valley University received a $704,000
grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a nanotechnology program.
“Nanotechnology has to do with the smallest
components the smallest structures that humankind can produce. The circuitry of
a computer is ultra-tiny; this is where the word nano comes in. It is
one-billionth of a meter,” Paul Weber, a professor in the physics department
said.
This is the second year of a three-year
project. A new nanotechnology course will begin in the Spring 2020 semester. The
educational material UVU is producing includes lecture materials and laboratory
exercises with hands-on involvement.
But before students ever set foot in the lab,
they will run through the processes with online games and virtual reality
simulations created by UVU’s digital media team.
By using virtual reality, it allows the
students to familiarize themselves with the equipment they are using in the
lab. “We want to make sure that the students feel both familiar with doing the
equipment and also confident in what they are doing,” Weber said, “The
simulations that they’ve done in digital media are spot on. They look just like
the real instruments.”
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
The goal is for students to see the basic processes for the creation of
structures, mostly electronic circuits. Students will learn techniques like
photolithography, where they will etch and transfer patterns onto a silicon
wafer. These are used in the production of microchips for electronic gadgets.
UVU’s laboratories will include a novel water-based technique for
photolithography that will avoid using the harmful solvents of conventional
methods.
Nano Technology Lab Process - Game
Context
Nanotechnology is the science, engineering, and application of
submicron matters that tie together unique biological, physical, chemical
properties of nanoscale materials in essentially new and useful ways (circuit
boards). Nanoscience involves the ability to see and control individual atoms
and molecules. Nanotechnology is expected to have a large impact on many
sectors of the world’s economy. A strong nanotechnology economy can lead to new
products, new businesses, new jobs, and even new industries for many countries.
Costs for a typical lab range from several thousand dollars to hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
Each lab requires expensive machine to perform the process and
materials to complete the process. Due to the prohibitive costs of these items,
only one set of machines is available at some universities and only one student
can perform an experiment at a time. Additionally, inexperienced and
experienced users alike run the risk of damaging these costly materials. In
comparison, the equipment needed to perform a VR experiment is significantly less expensive.
There are several Nanofabrication modules in the creation of circuit boards. Currently the developers have created three virtual modules: Photolithography, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Plasma Etching, with the potential for more being developed.
Each player must sign in and log into the lab. Once the player enters
the room, they are directed to start the simulation and a clock counts down the
time to complete the process. If the player gets close on time the lights in
the room will flash letting them know they are almost out of time. Once
finished, the player will view the whiteboard and see their final grade for the
process completed. The player may play the simulation as many times as is
needed to achieve mastery.
Photolithography Process
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
Within
this process, there are two main machines that are being used by the player, a
Spin-Coater, which takes a viscous fluid that is applied to a wafer by an
eyedropper and spins it achieving an evenly distributed coating across the
surface
of the wafer. Next the player uses a hot plate to bake the liquid on the wafer.
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
The
other main machine is the Mask Aligner, which holds a patterned mask of a
circuit and through a timed UV light blast projects the pattern onto the wafer
surface
and to finish it is then submersed into a solution to finish the developing of
the UV light process the wafer.
Image credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
Plasma Etching Process
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
RF
plasma is created by introducing a neutral gas into a low vacuum chamber
wherein two RF powered electrodes create a magnetic field. This magnetic field
causes the gas to ionize and become plasma which is then attracted to the
negatively charged electrode located underneath the substrate. Leading to
material being removed from the substrate as these ions bombard the wafer. The
player begins by preparing the substrate for etching. Following that they are
instructed to ready the machine by providing the components needed for RF
plasma etching. Next, they are taught what computer systems and settings are
used to etch the substrate. Once the sample has been etched, they learn about
proper machine shutdown procedures and storage of substrates.
SEM Process (Scanning Electron
Microscope)
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is an important tool in proving these designs, since it is capable of greatly exceeding light microscope magnifications because it is not limited by the wavelength sizes of visible light. Because the SEM uses beams of electrons in a scanning pattern, instead of visible light, nanometer-scale features can be observed and measured. In addition, electron beams can be used to provide identification of the elements on the surfaces of structures.
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is an important tool in proving these designs, since it is capable of greatly exceeding light microscope magnifications because it is not limited by the wavelength sizes of visible light. Because the SEM uses beams of electrons in a scanning pattern, instead of visible light, nanometer-scale features can be observed and measured. In addition, electron beams can be used to provide identification of the elements on the surfaces of structures.
Image
credit: Nano Technology Lab Process by Utah Valley University
Each
time a Lab Process is completed, the players are graded on the whiteboard within
the virtual lab.
The goal of the game is to learn each of the steps necessary to create
flawless circuit boards consistently virtually and then transfer that dexterity
and memorization of process on to the real-world equipment. The challenges are
to perform the processes accurately within the allotted time, without dropping,
breaking materials or spilling liquids, and to clean-up after themselves so
that the liquids stay non-contaminated.
The target audience are college students who are learning Nano Technology. The game is also intended for high school students to explore Nano Technology and devise whether it could be a field of interest for them.