MRI: Acquisition of Process Equipment for Bio-MEMS Research, Training and Commercialization

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The University of New Mexico (UNM), a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University-Extensive and a Hispanic-serving Institution, is building a cleanroom within its Manufacturing Training and Technology Center (MTTC), to support research, training and commercialization of microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The cleanroom has received construction funding from federal and state sources, and major equipment from private sector sources. The deep reactive ion etcher, and the parylene coater provided by NSF MRI will enable the cleanroom to support not only conventional semiconductor processes, but to also support fabrication of bio- microelectromechanical systems (bio-MEMS). In particular, this equipment will allow UNM to make bio-MEMS devices with deep channels, for example, and biocompatible coatings needed for implantable devices. Specific devices might include implantable drug delivery devices, micro-scale ultrasound emitters and detectors for more localized imaging, micro-scale cancer treatment probes, photonics-based cell sorters, and micro-motors on a chip. Applications will extend to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease, sensors and actuators needed for space missions, or monitoring of environmental pollutants, toxins and infectious agents. In addition to research and development support, the requested equipment, set within the MTTC Cleanroom, will be available to co-train a diverse population of engineering students at UNM with technicians from regional community colleges (CCs). And, the equipment will be available for private companies to prove the manufacturability of a device prior to large-scale manufacturing.