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

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纳米技术领域的革命性变化。EBL系统能够以大约20 nm的精度和控制写入抗蚀剂图案。随着纳米技术的进步和器件的小型化，电子束发光正在成为一种潜在的工具，用于制造用于多学科领域的各种纳米器件。与现有的其他仪器不同，EBL具有精度高、空间分辨率高、速度快的特点，考虑到它的成本和用户友好的操作。这将是诺福克州立大学洁净室中的一个独特设施，专注于生化传感器、用于高密度存储器的磁性隧道结、用于通信的半导体波导器以及用于能源生成和存储的设备等领域的多学科研究。该仪器将在诺福克州立大学(NSU)微纳技术中心(MiNatC)运行，该中心是用于商业应用的先进设备制造的优秀设施，也是先进电子纳米技术教学和培训的卓越中心。收购电子束光刻系统不仅将加强南洋理工大学正在进行的纳米材料和纳米技术方面的重大研究和教育工作，还将直接影响许多本科生和研究生；他们中超过70%属于在工程和材料科学领域代表性不足的少数群体。EBL的加入将极大地提高NSU和周围社区对国家纳米倡议的参与。莱曼摘要：电子束曝光(EBL)系统可以产生宽约20 nm的人造纳米结构。随着纳米技术的进步和器件的小型化，电子束发光正在成为一种潜在的工具，用于制造用于多学科应用的各种纳米级器件。EBL对用户非常友好，并以经济高效的方式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，专注于生化传感器、高密度存储器、基于半导体的通信波导器以及能源生成和存储设备等领域的多学科研究。拟议中的仪器将在诺福克州立大学(NSU)微纳技术中心(MiNatC)运行，该中心是用于商业应用的先进器件制造的优秀设施，并在先进电子纳米技术方面提供卓越的教学和培训中心。增加EBL系统不仅将加强南加州大学正在进行的纳米材料和纳米技术方面的重大研究和教育努力，还将直接影响许多本科生和研究生，他们中超过70%属于在工程和材料科学领域代表性不足的少数群体。EBL的加入将极大地增加NSU和周围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.