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Research Opportunities at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility

Thursday, November 2, 2017, 3:20 pm, Room 18

The Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility (CNF) is a member of NNCI, a network of open-access facilities partially subsidized by the US National Science Foundation to provide researchers with rapid, affordable, shared access to advanced nanofabrication tools and associated staff expertise. Hundreds of researchers worldwide (from academia, industry, and government) utilize CNF to make structures and systems from the nanometer scale to the centimeter scale. CNF offers extensive capabilities in electron-beam lithography, stepper photolithography, soft lithography, and direct-write tools for rapid prototype development, along with the flexibility to accommodate diverse projects and to deposit, grow, and etch a wide variety of materials. CNF’s technical staff is dedicated full-time to user support, providing one-on-one help with process development, tool training, and troubleshooting. They can offer expertise in a wide range of fabrication topics, including electronics, photonics, magnetics, MEMS, materials, basic studies in chemistry and nanostructure physics, fluidics, and the life sciences and bioengineering (more than 30% of CNF’s users now focus on biology). All researchers are welcome and all reasonable interactions are possible; no experience in nanofabrication is necessary. A central part of CNF’s mission is education and outreach, with a special interest in assisting users from “non-traditional” fields seeking assistance to implement nanofabrication techniques for the first time. CNF’s user program is designed to provide the most rapid possible access (typically 2 weeks) with the lowest possible barriers to entry (users retain full control of their IP, with no entanglement by CNF or Cornell University). Projects range from extensive, long-term device development to short-term use of specific tools, advanced capabilities, or singular staff expertise.

This talk will explore the CNF tool set, areas of expertise, types of services and advice available, and examples of ongoing work with the hope of stimulating ideas and possibilities.

We invite you to explore the CNF and NNCI and discuss ways we can help bring your research visions to fruition. As a first step, CNF’s User Program Managers will at no cost provide detailed processing advice and cost estimates for potential new projects. The CNF technical staff meets every Wednesday afternoon for conference calls where we welcome questions about any topic related to nanofabrication. Visit cnf.cornell.edu to contact us and get started.