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

技术总结：电子束光刻（EBL）系统是纳米技术领域的一场革命，它可以人工制造纳米结构并研究其性能。EBL系统能够以精确度和控制性写入低至约20 nm的抗蚀剂图案。随着纳米技术的进步和器件的小型化，EBL正在成为制造多学科领域中使用的各种纳米器件的潜在工具。与其他现有仪器不同，EBL具有更高的空间分辨率和更快的速度，考虑到其成本和用户友好的操作。这将是一个独特的设施，在诺福克国家洁净室重点多学科研究领域的生物化学传感器，磁隧道结高密度存储器，半导体为基础的波导通信和能源生产和存储设备。该仪器将在诺福克州立大学（NSU）微纳米技术中心（MiNatC）外运行，该中心是一个用于商业应用的先进设备制造的优秀设施，并提供了先进电子纳米技术教学和培训的卓越中心。电子束光刻系统的收购不仅将加强在NSU纳米材料和纳米技术的主要正在进行的研究和教育工作，而且将直接影响许多本科生和研究生;他们中的70%以上属于少数群体在工程和材料科学领域的代表性不足。EBL的加入将极大地提高NSU和周边社区在国家纳米倡议中的参与度。Layman小结：电子束光刻（EBL）系统生产约20 nm宽的人造纳米结构。随着纳米技术的进步和器件的小型化，电子束激光正成为制造用于多学科应用的各种纳米器件的潜在工具。EBL是非常用户友好的，并具有成本效益地生产精确的纳米结构。这将是我们洁净室中的一个独特设施，重点进行生物化学传感器、高密度存储器、基于半导体的通信波导以及能源产生和存储设备领域的多学科研究。拟议的仪器将运行出的诺福克州立大学（NSU）微纳米技术中心（MiNatC），先进的设备制造的商业应用，以及提供卓越的教学和培训我们的学生在先进的电子纳米技术中心。添加EBL系统不仅将加强NSU在纳米材料和纳米技术方面正在进行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70%以上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倡议的参与。

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.