Symposium H: 3 D Nanoengineered Assemblies; April 12-16, 2004; Moscone West, San Francisco, CA

Materials Research Society, Warrendale PA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of this symposium is to provide a forum for scientific and technical exchange to advance the practice and progress of nanoengineering in three dimensions. The two dimensional character of materials processing will have to become more three dimensional as the layer thickness or feature size becomes comparable to the remaining length scales. There is a need to find alternatives to conventional processing tools that will work in three dimensions. These more truly 3D structures will have different applications. The path to 3D nano-engineered assemblies is crossdisciplinary, and progress depends on the exchange of information and ideas between researchers working in different areas. The advance to nanoscale materials processing is taking place on myriad paths, including lithography, production of nanoparticle assemblies, surface manipulation and many others. Many of the new techniques create structures that are three-dimensional, or almost three-dimensional. Even smaller structures intended to be two-dimensional have a more three-dimensional geometry as their (2D) feature size and layer thickness become similar. The properties of these denser assemblies are driving different applications in electronics (single electron devices), optics (photonic crystals & switches) and elsewhere (NEMS). Insights from one area of research can be crucial in the development of other areas. The topic of this symposium is particularly timely, and the emphasis on three-dimensional nanostructures is novel.