MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography DPN 5000 System

University Of Puerto Rico, San Juan PR

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal: 0923021 Rosa University of Puerto Rico MRI: Acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography DPN 5000 System Technical Abstract: The University of Puerto Rico System, through its Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (IFN), will expand the Jurisdiction's capabilities in research and education, enhance the innovation potential and collaborative nature of research projects in the Jurisdiction, and foster the integration of undergraduate and graduate education in research-intensive environments through the acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography System (AFM-NS) that will be the first in its class in PR and will form part of the shared research facilities of the IFN. AFM-NS is a direct writing technique were an AFM tip is used to deliver a substance directly to a nanosize region of a substrate. The AFM-NS has been developed for the fabrication of nanostructures with features ranging from a few nanometers to hundreds of nanometers and the deposition of a large variety of substances, such as small organic molecules, polymers, nanoparticles, large biomolecules and inorganics, on either metal, semiconducting or insulating substrate surfaces. It will provide UPR researchers with the ability to fabricate nanodevices in order to test and exploit the emerging properties of nanoscale materials. The applications of Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography span the fields of Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, and Biology. The Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography DPN 5000 System to be acquired is a fully-integrated hardware and software system. The instrument can perform massive parallel writing using 1D and 2D tip (55,000 tips) arrays with a line resolution better than 10 nm. This cutting-edge Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography capability will enable the evolution to the next level in the following on-going interdisciplinary research projects: DNA arrays as sensors, metal silicide nanostructures functionalized for biosensors, nanolithography of polymeric lines for graphite conversion, organic ferroelectric tunnel junction bottom up nanofabrication, EMS base reconfigurable antennas, diblock copolymer for nanocylinders and nanospheres fabrication, and miniaturized robust UV sensors. The seven core faculty members involved in this project and twenty additional experimental researchers of four UPR campuses (Rio Piedras, Mayaguez, Cayey, Humacao and the School of Medicine) will learn Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography, explore applications of this technique to their research, and request their research students to become trained in the use of the AFM-NS. Non-technical Abstract: The University of Puerto Rico System, through its Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (IFN), will expand the Jurisdiction?s capabilities in research and education, enhance the innovation potential and collaborative nature of research projects in the Jurisdiction, and foster the integration of undergraduate and graduate education in research-intensive environments through the acquisition of an Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography System (AFM-NS). The Atomic Force Microscope Nanolithography System to be acquired will be the first in its class in PR and will form part of the shared research facilities of the IFN. The ability to fabricate devices enabled by the AFM-NS will be used to test and exploit the emerging properties of nanoscale materials. Applications of the AFM-NS span the fields of Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, and Biology and will enable the evolution to the next advanced level in the following on-going interdisciplinary research projects: DNA arrays, functionalized metal silicide nanostructures for biosensors, nanolithography of polymeric lines for graphite conversion, organic ferroelectric tunnel junction bottom up nanofabrication, miniaturized solar-blind UV sensors, EMS base reconfigurable antennas, and di-block copolymer for nanostructure fabrication. The acquisition of AFM-NS will: (a) foster the development of new and existing collaborative research projects among institutions in PR and with strategic partners in other parts of the Nation; (b) improve the pertinence and collaborative nature of academic programs of four UPR campuses (Rio Piedras, Humacao, Mayaguez and Cayey), ranging from B.S. to M.S. to the Ph.D. in Science and Engineering in the Jurisdiction, (c) expose and familiarize technicians with the AFM-NS and its applications for the nano/micro industry, and (d) help to increase and diversify the National pool of highly-skilled scientific, engineering, and technical workforce.