Reprogrammable Parallel Nanomanufacturing

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This project assesses magnetic recording as a technology for parallel assembly ofnanostructures into larger devices with 10 nm resolution, determines the fundamentallimitations of this approach for nanomanufacturing, and investigates its societal andhistorical context as a nanotechnology. In this approach, a nanopositioning system scansa magnetic recording head, which records bits onto media underlying a microfluidic cellcontaining magnetic nanostructures. An array of these media/cell structures allows cellrecording in parallel, and with different patterns. Bottom-up assembly will bedemonstrated by using the stray fields emitted by these recorded patterns to temporarilyimmobilize the nanostructures, followed by permanent fixing through curing the cellfluid. The spatial repeatability of resulting nanostructure assemblies will be related tovariances in instrument stability, nanoscale positioning, assembly process, and thefundamental limits of the recording process. As a societal corollary to the technicalcomponents, the nano-community's awareness of the spatial tolerances currentlyachieved in magnetic recording will be investigated. In conjunction, a historical study ofthe magnetic recording community will produce a model of the interactions and isolationsof nanotechnology sub-communities (silos), to identify where current and futurenanotechnologies fail to connect, and the impacts on nanomanufacturing innovation. If magnetic recording enables nanometer precision in aligning nanostructures overmicrometer dimensions, potential applications range from building active nano-opticalstructures, assembling next-generation solar cells for alternative energy production,forming biological and chemical sensor technologies, to building implantable medicaldevices for disease diagnosis and treatment. Because of its scale, this technology could beincorporated into a device the size of a disk drive, allowing on-site customization by theend user. By leveraging the electronics for error rate control, mechanical positioning, andother attributes already available in commercial disk drives, this technology could emergewith proven reliability, increasing its chance of acceptance by consumers. Understandinghow the demand for information storage, enabled by technology scalability, rapidlymoved magnetic recording to the nanoscale, will help increase communication amongengineers and scientists, as well as industry and academia. This project will extendUSC's South Carolina Citizen's School of Nanotechnology by adding a classroomcomponent about technology manufacturing for the general public, as well as for studentsacross different disciplines.