MRI: Acquisition of Focused Ion Beam Tool for the USF Nanomanufacturing and Nanomaterials Research Center

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this research is the fabrication of a variety of nano-scale structures and the preparation of transmission electron microscopy samples using focused ion beam (FIB) to support several active research projects at the University of South Florida. Among the projects supported are directed assembly of carbon nanotube devices, the study of microstructure and fracture in thin films, the preparation and characterization of conducting semi-transparent inorganic and polymeric films, the investigation of reliability issues in interconnect layers, the fabrication and characterization of nanostructured hard coatings, the fabrication of light harvesting "rectenna" array prototypes, the fabrication of magnetic nanostructures, and the fabrication RF MEMS Switch prototypes. Broader Impacts: The proposed instrument will be installed in USF's new Nanotechnology building. This facility will provide all campus and the surrounding community with nanofabrication, materials processing, and analytical facilities. Due to its inherent versatility the proposed FIB tool will add a significant range of capabilities to USF's materials research infrastructure, enabling massively cross-disciplinary experiments previously difficult or impossible. This instrument will bring together several of the most significant materials research groups at USF's Engineering and Physics departments, facilitating experiments on new and innovative materials and device structures. The students of these groups and across campus will benefit from having a state-of-the-art research tool on their hands, allowing them to perform cutting edge research, and be involved in interdisciplinary experiments with their peers from other departments.