Acquisition of an Electron Beam Lithography System for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research and Education

University Of Texas At Austin, Austin TX

Investigators

Abstract

CTS-0116504 MRI: Acquisition of an Electron-Beam Lithography System for Nanoscience Research and Education Brian A. Korgel University of Texas Austin $784,000 ABSTRACT An electron beam lithography (EBL) system (JEOL JBX-5000LS) will be acquired for nanoscience and nanotechnology research and education at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). EBL is the standard method for defining structural features on substrates with dimensions of 100 nm or less. This EBL instrument will aid ongoing research in a diverse range of fields including resist-material development, which includes efforts to use EBL-defined structures for applications in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS-both microfluidics and sensors), characterization of electrically erasable and programmable read-only memories (EEPROM), and fundamental studies of mesoscopic physics in nanostructures, such as silicon nanowires and carbon nanotubes. UT Austin is also a leader in the area of bionanoelectronics, with the development of new evolutionarily engineered peptides for electronic materials processing, and interfacing EBL will aid these efforts. The acquisition of the EBL instrument will help promote an environment where students with diverse backgrounds work together to make small structures for future technologies. UT Austin, as an institution, has recognized the critical need for on-site EBL. The Texas Materials Institute (TMI), the Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology (CNM), the Microelectronics Research Center (MRC), the College of Engineering, and the Departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Physics have committed $466K in matching funds toward the instrument purchase along with support for a full-time technician at a salary of $70K per year. The instrument will be managed through the MRC and located in the cleanroom (12,000 square feet of class 100 and class 1000 space) at the Pickel Research Campus at UT Austin where it will greatly strengthen and complement the existing microfabrication and nanofabrication facilities.