Acquisition of an Electron-Beam Lithography System for Advanced Engineering Applications and Education

技术概述：电子束光刻（EBL）系统为人工制造纳米结构和研究其性能带来了革命性的纳米技术领域。EBL系统能够以精度和控制低至约20nm的方式书写抗蚀剂图案。随着纳米技术和器件小型化的发展，EBL正在成为制造各种纳米器件的潜在工具，用于多学科领域。与其他可用的仪器不同，EBL具有更高的空间分辨率和速度，考虑到其成本和用户友好的操作。这将是诺福克州立洁净室的一个独特设施，重点研究生物化学传感器、高密度存储器的磁隧道结、用于通信的半导体波导以及用于能源产生和存储的设备等领域的多学科研究。该仪器将由诺福克州立大学（NSU）微纳米技术中心（MiNatC）运营，该中心是一个用于商业应用的先进设备制造的优秀设施，同时也为先进电子纳米技术的卓越教学和培训提供了一个中心。电子束光刻系统的获得不仅将加强NSU在纳米材料和纳米技术方面的主要研究和教育工作，而且还将直接影响许多本科生和研究生；其中超过70%的人属于工程和材料科学领域的少数群体。EBL的加入将大大增加NSU和周边社区对国家纳米计划的参与。摘要：电子束光刻（EBL）系统可以产生大约20纳米宽的人造纳米结构。随着纳米技术和器件小型化的发展，EBL正在成为制造各种纳米器件的潜在工具，用于多学科应用。EBL对用户非常友好，并且成本有效地生产精确的纳米结构。这将是我们洁净室中一个独特的设施，专注于生物化学传感器、高密度存储器、通信半导体波导以及能量产生和存储设备等领域的多学科研究。拟议中的仪器将由诺福克州立大学（NSU）微纳米技术中心（MiNatC）运营，这是一个用于商业应用的先进设备制造的优秀设施，同时也为先进电子纳米技术的教学和培训提供了一个卓越的中心。EBL系统的增加不仅将加强NSU在纳米材料和纳米技术方面的主要研究和教育工作，而且将直接影响许多本科生和研究生，其中超过70%属于工程和材料科学领域代表性不足的少数群体。EBL的加入将大大增加NSU和周边社区对国家纳米计划的参与。

Technical Summary: Electron-Beam Lithography (EBL) System has revolutionized the field of nanotechnology for artificially fabricating nanostructures and studying their properties. EBL system is capable of writing resist patterns with accuracy and control down to about 20nm. With advance of nanotechnology and miniaturization of devices, EBL is emerging as a potential tool for manufacturing various nanodevices used in multidisciplinary fields. Unlike other available instruments EBL is precise with higher spatial resolution and fast considering its cost and user-friendly operation. This will be a unique facility in the Norfolk State cleanroom focusing multidisciplinary research in the areas of bio-chemical sensors, magnetic tunnel junctions for high density memories, semiconductor based wave-guides for communication and devices for energy generation and storage. The instrument will be operated out of the Norfolk State University (NSU) Micro- and Nanotechnology Center (MiNatC), an excellent facility for advanced device fabrication for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training in advanced electronic nanotechnology. Acquisition of the e-beam lithography system will not only strengthen major ongoing research and educational efforts in nanomaterials and nanotechnology at NSU but also will directly impact many undergraduate and graduate students; over 70% of them belong to the minority groups underrepresented in the fields of Engineering and Material Science. The addition of EBL will greatly increase the participation of NSU and the surrounding community in the national nano initiative.Layman Summary: Electron-Beam Lithography (EBL) System produces artificial nanostructures which are about 20 nm wide. With advance of nanotechnology and miniaturization of devices, EBL is emerging as a potential tool for manufacturing various nanoscale devices used in multidisciplinary applications. EBL is very user-friendly and produces precise nanostructures cost-effectively. This will be a unique facility in our cleanroom focusing multidisciplinary research in the areas of bio-chemical sensors, high density memories, semiconductor based wave-guides for communication, and devices for energy generation and storage. The proposed instrument will be operated out of the Norfolk State University (NSU) Micro- and Nanotechnology Center (MiNatC), an excellent facility for advanced device fabrication for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training our students in advanced electronic nanotechnology. Addition of an EBL system will not only strengthen major ongoing research and educational efforts in nanomaterials and nanotechnology at NSU but also will directly impact many undergraduate and graduate students, over 70% of them belong to the minority groups underrepresented in the fields of Engineering and Material Science. The addition of EBL will greatly increase the participation of NSU and the surrounding community in the national nano initiative.