Title: Statistical design and analysis for a three-step surface initiated polymerisation process

Authors: Navin N. Acharya, Harriet Black Nembhard

Addresses: Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 310 Leonhard Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ' Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 310 Leonhard Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA

Abstract: Many nanomanufacturing processes are conducted over a series of stages. Additionally, some of the process variables in some of the stages might be difficult or hard to change in terms of time, limited resources, or – in many cases – money. Specifically, a polymerisation process for the fabrication of nano-films is investigated, where the fabrication is carried out over three stages. To execute efficient experimentation and fully understand the intricacies at the nano-scale, split-plot designs that can be applied effectively over multiple stages are proposed with the aim of reducing the cost of experimentation, and their characteristics examined. Criteria for assessing designs are proposed and are used to evaluate catalogues of split-plot designs for three and four stages.

Keywords: DOE; design of experiments; multistage designs; nanomanufacturing; randomisation restrictions; split-plot designs; surface initiated polymerisation; nanotechnology; nanofilms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2008.022560

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2008 Vol.2 No.4, pp.331 - 345

Published online: 15 Jan 2009 *

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