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Laser Diode Based Metrology Module

Project number
24073
Organization
ASML US, Inc.
Academic year
2023-2024
Project description:
Design, build, and bench test a compact laser diode based metrology module that can illuminate a stream of water droplets and record the reflected signal from each droplet (or group of droplets) over a given time interval using a suitable solid state detector.
Background:
ASML in Rancho Bernardo, CA develops EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet, 13.6 nm radiation) lithography light sources for EUV lithography tools using LPP (Laser Produced Plasma) technology. EUV generation takes place inside a large diameter (>1.5 m) chamber by vaporizing/ionizing small liquid Sn (Tin) droplets at high repetition rates (50 kHz) using a powerful CO2 laser. The vaporized/ionized Sn droplets produce EUV radiation which is collected by a mirror and focused into a lithographic scanner. The scanning system exposes lithographic patterns on semiconductor wafers using the EUV light.
During EUV source operation, the Sn droplet stream passes through a light curtain (for example, a light curtain produced by a laser beam). The reflected light from the curtain is collected by a solid state detector whose signal is used to fire a powerful CO2 laser at the “proper time” to vaporize/ionize each Sn particle in the stream – thus producing EUV light.
Problem and Capstone Statement (using water droplets):
The detection of Sn particles and their position in space at a given time is critical to the operation of the LPP EUV source system. It is desirable to produce a metrology system using a diode laser and solid state detector that can be used to identify the position of small (~1 mm) moving targets - water droplets - in such a way that the light signals can be used to control the output of an external light source (an LED for example) which could in principal be used to fire an external laser or device.
The project task is to take this design and build a prototype using commercial off the shelf parts, supplemented by 3D printed or locally machined parts to deliver a unit that could be tested on a UoA test bench. The approximate size of the system (metrology unit) consisting of the water droplet dispenser, laser diode, and detector should fit inside a cube of no more than 2ft on each side – additional circuitry for collecting and displaying outputs need not be included in the contained metrology unit. Details of the firing sequence, and other details will be explored by the team during conversations with ASML leads.

**This sponsor will not be at Open House. If you would like to speak to him about this project, please schedule a time here - https://tinyurl.com/ASML24073OpenHouse23**

Aquaponic Media Cleaning Device

Project number
24072
Organization
UA Department of Biosystems Engineering
Academic year
2023-2024
Design and build a device for cleaning and removing roots and dead plant material from light expanded clay aggregate (LECA)
The device will employ hydraulics
The device will treat between 50 and 200 L of media per batch
The device should be automated

Design and Testing of Apparatus for Weight Bearing 3D Ultrasound Shear-Wave Elastography of the Foot

Project number
24071
Organization
UA Department of Biomedical Engineering
Academic year
2023-2024
Design, fabrication and validation testing of a platform, servo motor device, and the software to collect 3D scans of the stiffness of the ligaments supporting the arch of the foot using ultrasound shear wave elastography. The platform will accommodate feet of various sizes and patients with variable difficulty with prolonged standing. The servo device will hold the ultrasound probe and scan the foot at a user selected speed. The ultrasound data will be post-processed to create a 3D model of the stiffness of the arch supporting ligaments.

**Dr Latt will not be at Open House. If you would like to speak to him about this project, please schedule a time here - https://tinyurl.com/BME24071OpenHouse23**

Automated Material Sampling

Project number
24070
Organization
FLSmidth Krebs
Academic year
2023-2024
In mining, it has been difficult to consistently and repeatedly sample slurry discharged from cyclones in a manifold system. It is currently a manual process that varies in accuracy because of the accessibility to the sampling source and the variation of samples taken due to the human element involved. In the same way being that it is a human process, it is difficult for an individual to connect a heavy armature to the side of the launder to take a sample without the risk of the individual being pulled into the tank. The same sampling problem also becomes a safety issue that could be resolved by automating the sampling process.   To properly automate the process the cutter box or the collector for the liquid, needs to pass underneath the spray evenly and at an even speed. Depending on the box shape, the box needs to pass radially or parallel through the discharge stream to collect the proper sample.   In summary we are looking to find a way to automate the sampling collection process to make it safer and more accurate. The automated solution will make it possible to conveniently sample any of our cyclone systems from a control room.

Leach Pad Cover Wind Mitigation Proposal

Project number
24069
Organization
Freeport McMoRan
Academic year
2023-2024
Project Scope: Freeport-McMoRan Inc, (Freeport) is a leading responsible copper producer – supplying 9% of the world’s mined copper. Copper is at the heart of the energy transition because it is the metal of electrification. Technologies critical to the energy transition such as EVs, charging infrastructure, solar photovoltaics, wind, and batteries all require much more copper than conventional fossil-based counterparts. Analysts forecast that supply must double by 2035 to supply enough copper to support the global decarbonization initiatives and objectives. However, bringing on new copper supply is challenging, which may delay the energy transition. Freeport is committed to responsibly meeting growing demand through our sustainability strategy. Our Leach to the Last Drop Initiative (L2LD) involves advancing technologies and strategies to generate incremental and less carbon intensive copper production from ore on our leach pads that has historically been defined as waste. Leaching generally has a lower carbon footprint, is less capital intensive, and uses less than 50% of the water versus processing copper through a concentrator.
One component of our L2LD initiative involves covering leach stockpiles with a thin urethane sheet that is proven to increase copper recovery through heat retention and reducing water consumption due to evaporation. Covers are installed manually on the leaching stockpiles and then manually weighed down by operators using rocks to prevent them from blowing away. This manual process takes time, is human resources intensive, and has the potential to increase hazard exposure to our employees. Safety is a core company value and is foundational to our sustainability approach. Over the past several years we have partnered and designed automated cover deployers that can deploy the plastic onto the piles; however, the wind presents another challenge in keeping the covers securely on the pile to allow them to generate heat.

Advanced Rapid Manufacturing of Low-cost, Visually-realistic Targets

Project number
24068
Organization
Fort Huachuca
Academic year
2023-2024
Innovative engineering solutions to rapidly create affordable but visually accurate target as seen by various sensors (E.g., satellite imagery, drone camera). Fort Huachuca hosts the Army's first Multi-Domain Operations range and needs dynamic and realistic adversary targets to practice on. Range Control, Exercise Planners, Instructors, and Adversary Modelers need the ability to produce low cost and destructible life-sized and visually accurate targets to provide continually updated, and also a variety of, the visual profiles used by imagery analysts to identify a target and corroborate electronic signals, allowing the fusion of information across intelligence disciplines to practice and train target location on the Multi-Domain Operation Non-Kinetic Range at Ft. Huachuca. An optional second theme would be the proof of concept for programable smart targets, physical targets that can autonomously relocate themselves across the range to provide realistic adversary movements and patterns of life (given terrain, Weather and adversary tactics), to create realistic movements and enhance scenario design and training effectiveness for Intelligence Soldiers on Multi-Domain Operation Non-Kinetic Range at Ft. Huachuca.

SIPhTR: Small Item Photographing Triage Robot

Project number
24067
Organization
Elbit Systems of America
Academic year
2023-2024
SIPhTR shall be capable of three sorting challenges: sort by color, by size/shape, and by character using optical character recognition (OCR).

Challenge 1 – SIPhT by COLOR!
Given an assortment of small items of uniform shape and size, SIPhTR shall sort by color
SIPhTR shall be able to physically sort at least 12 different colors, but the electronics shall be programmable to algorithmically sort more
Assumed size of bead to be used shall be a standard “perler” or fuse bead with dimensions as shown in attached documention

Challenge 2 – SIPhT by SHAPE!
Given an assortment of small items, SIPhTR shall sort by size and shape
SIPhTR shall be able to physically sort at least 12 unique sizes and shapes, but the electronics shall be programmable to algorithmically sort more
The resolution of objects to be sorted shall be 500 microns. SIPhTR shall support items as small as 3x3x3 mm3 and as large as 15x15x15 mm3.

Challenge 3 – SIPhT with OCR
Given an assortment of lettered beads, SIPhTR shall sort with optical character recognition (OCR)
Letters can be assumed to be from the Roman alphabet
Lettered beads can be assumed to be uniform shape and size

Speed
In order to be as efficient as possible, SIPhTR should sort quickly! At a rate of at least 0.2 Hz (or 1 bead every 5 seconds) but the team should stretch for a rate of 1 Hz.

End Product
SIPhTR is not meant to be stand alone product but can be a “bread board” or “open frame design”
However all components should fit on a single table top roughly in a 3x3 ft square area or smaller
Electronics hardware should be a part of the end product, I.E. SIPhTR should not run from a personal computer
Power supplies should also be part of the end product, I.E. SIPhTR should not run off of lab power supplies

Baseball Swing Rotation Trainer

Project number
24066
Organization
Chicago Cubs
Academic year
2023-2024
Baseball hitting coaches are continuously searching for new and novel ways to evaluate batters and increase their success at the plate. A player’s ability to transfer energy from the body to the bat is one of many skills needed to have success. A tool is being proposed here that will increase and strengthen a batter’s ability to rotationally accelerate and decelerate their body during a swing. The tool will also measure the batter’s response for evaluation and progress tracking.
Work with Mech. Science and hitting department (Justin Stone) to develop a body/swing rotation trainer to teach batters how to respond to high rotational loads and transfer them more efficiently into the bat.

WATER-SAFE - PFAS/Microplastic Water Detection System for Environmental and Human Health

Project number
24065
Organization
Kidney ADVANCE Project - NIH/ACABI
Academic year
2023-2024
Requirements: 1. Review and define PFAS and microplastics – what are they, wat are we measuring specifically – classes and size. 2. PFAS (collect and detect)– develop simple system to measure – including developing a simple sensors system. Alternatively, as a minimum develop and extraction means for send of isolated compounds – with high grade accumulation – to analytical lab. 3. PFAS (report) – develop a readout and a database system for prediction and AI. 4. Microplastics (detect, collect and size) – develop simple system using optics, small laser or electrostatic means for particle detection. System will image and collect materials as well for further analysis of composition. 5. Microplastics (report) – develop a readout and a database system for prediction and AI. 6. Homogenization with environmental standards – the reporting should be in accordance with evolving EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) or other standards agencies that are being developed.
7. Small footprint and graphical user interface.

F1 Drug Detector

Project number
24064
Organization
Lightsense Technology
Academic year
2023-2024
Project Description:

The DrugDetect-F1 scanner uses Photoemission/Reflection Spectroscopy to detect fentanyl and
methamphetamine by illuminating the target substance at specific wavelengths of ultra-violet (UV) light
to activate the relevant target molecules. Photons are returned from the target material(s) and detected
and analyzed by the sensor’s electronics. This scanner detects methamphetamine at 0.1% and 1.0%
concentrations and fentanyl at quantities of 100µg and 900µg in the sensor’s ½” diameter optical beam
through plastic bags to ensure user safety so that no contact with the substance is required.

Project Scope:

We are eagerly seeking a creative and innovative team to assist us in the enhancement of the "red head"
component attached to our F1 Device, the heart of our optical sensing technology. Here is a detailed
overview of the project:

1) Immersive Assembly Experience: Our project commences with a hands-on assembly of an F1 Unit
from the ground up. This vital step is designed to foster a deep understanding of the technology we're
working with. Lightsense will provide all necessary materials for assembly, and guide participants
through the procedure, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

2) Evaluation and Innovation: Once the units have been built, the team will critically evaluate the existing
technology and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) files. Research into possible alternatives to the current
design will then be conducted and presented upon. This process is expected to spark innovative ideas for
improving the "red head" component atop the unit.

3) Design and Development: The team will create a detailed 3D CAD file, aiming to replicate or enhance
the current "red head" design. The hands-on building procedure is expected to highlight areas of
improvement, shaping the direction of the design process. The final design should be optimized for
manufacturing purposes.

4) Prototype Creation and Verification: Utilizing advanced 3D printing technology, the team will create
prototypes of the new design. These prototypes will undergo rigorous testing to ensure their
performance aligns with our stringent criteria and the design's intended functionality.

5) Production Readiness: If the 3D printed prototypes demonstrate a high level of success and viability,
Lightsense will allocate a budget to create an aluminum mold of the design to be created. This mold
represents the potential gateway to direct production.

We look forward to the innovation and improvements this project promises, driving our technology and
products to new heights.

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