NNCI: Texas Nanofabrication Facility (TNF)

非技术描述：德克萨斯州纳米纤维设施（TNF）将使纳米科学和技术的研究和开发成为可能，并应用于纳米电子学/光子学、绿色能源和医疗保健。TNF将在纳米器件原型设计、计量和纳米制造方面提供最先进的能力。例如，这将包括物联网纳米传感器、绿色能源高效太阳能电池和纳米药物输送系统的研究。TNF是美国西南地区唯一的NNCI节点，包括德克萨斯州和邻近的俄克拉荷马州、阿肯色州和路易斯安那州。将通过NNCI工作人员对用户的培训，以及为无法前往TNF的外部用户提供远程服务的工作人员，在洁净室中进行纳米电子设备原型设计的工作。再加上设备制造，TNF将提供尖端的工具，在纳米成像和计量在原子尺度。位于得克萨斯州中部一个充满活力的美国技术中心，TNF将在纳米技术教育和创业方面产生巨大影响，特别是在代表性不足的少数民族，如西班牙裔，得克萨斯州相当大的少数民族，以及俄克拉荷马州的美洲原住民。此外，TNF将进行社会科学研究，探索纳米技术的伦理影响。我们将定期举办我们的洁净室，研究设施和纳米技术实验室的图尔斯之旅，并为K-gray的公众成员举办关于纳米技术的热门讲座，因为教育和推广对于创造一个知情的公众至关重要，并确保美国的经济和环境未来。德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的德克萨斯纳米纤维设施（TNF）德州大学奥斯汀分校（UT-Austin）由微电子研究中心（MRC）、德州材料研究所（TMI）、和纳米制造工厂（nm-Fab），在22，000平方英尺的空间内总共容纳了130多个主要工具。由25名专业人员组成的实验室MRC洁净室提供广泛的纳米制造能力，TMI提供最先进的计量工具，而nm-Fab在卷对卷制造和高速大面积纳米压印领域开发并提供新型纳米制造工具。我们的愿景是继续推动和促进电子和能源领域的突破性纳米创新，这些领域在西南部有着重要的影响力。TNF将在医疗电子和纳米医学领域与UT的新戴尔医疗医院合作。具体来说，TNF将专注于科学的可扩展性，其中一个集成纳米器件原型与纳米器件制造业。TNF将通过将我们的工业用户连接到UT-Austin的Longhorn Startup本科创业课程，Austin Technology Incubator和NSF I-Corps计划来培育创新生态系统。TNF将在纳米技术领域开展教育活动，旨在吸引代表性不足的少数民族，特别是在德克萨斯州占相当大比例的西班牙裔和妇女。根据REU倡议，该设施将与奥斯汀社区学院合作，为两年制大学生提供全年的纳米技术研究和培训经验。 此外，TNF将探索纳米技术的社会和伦理影响，并开始一项新的教育/外展工作，重点是计算和NSF量子飞跃。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

Non-Technical Description:The Texas Nanofabrication Facility (TNF) will enable research and development in nanoscience and technology, with applications in nanoelectronics/photonics, green energy and healthcare. TNF will provide state-of-the-art capability in nanodevice prototyping, metrology, and nanomanufacturing. This will include, for example, research in nanosensors for the Internet-of-Things, high efficiency solar cells for green energy, and nano drug delivery systems. TNF is the only NNCI node in the southwest region of the US, encompassing Texas and the neighboring states of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The efforts in prototyping of nanoelectronic devices in the cleanroom will be enabled by training of users by NNCI staff, as well as by staff providing remote services for external users who are unable to travel to TNF. Coupled with device fabrication, TNF will provide cutting-edge tools in nanoscale imaging and metrology at the atomic scale. Located in a vibrant US technology hub in central Texas, TNF will have tremendous impact in nanotechnology education and entrepreneurship, particularly among under-represented minorities such as Hispanics, a sizeable minority in Texas, and Native Americans in Oklahoma. Furthermore, TNF will perform social scientific research to explore the ethical implications of nanotechnology. We will regularly host tours of our cleanroom, research facilities and nanotech labs, and host popular lectures on nanotechnology for K-gray members of the public because education and outreach are critical to creating an informed public, and securing the economic and environmental future of the US.Technical Description:The Texas Nanofabrication Facility (TNF) at the University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) is composed of the Microelectronics Research Center (MRC), the Texas Materials Institute (TMI), and nanomanufacturing fab (nm-Fab) which collectively house over 130 major tools in 22,000 sq.ft. of labs, staffed by 25 professionals. The MRC cleanroom provides extensive nanofabrication capabilities, TMI provides state-of-the-art metrology tools, while the nm-Fab developes and provides novel nanomanufacturing tools in the areas of roll-to-roll manufacturing, and high speed, large area nanoimprinting. Our vision is to continue to enable and foster breakthrough nano-innovation in the areas of electronics and energy, which have significant presence in the South West. TNF will partner with the new Dell Medical Hospital at UT in the area of healthcare electronics and nanomedicine. Specifically, TNF will focus on science-to-scalability, where one integrates nanodevice prototyping with nanodevice manufacturing for industry. TNF will foster an innovation ecosystem by connecting our industrial users to the Longhorn Startup undergraduate entrepreneurship course at UT-Austin, the Austin Technology Incubator, and NSF I-Corps program. TNF will establish educational activities in nanotechnology directed at engaging underrepresented minorities, particularly Hispanics, who are a sizable minority in Texas, and women. Under the REU initiative, the facility will partner with Austin Community College to provide year-round research and training experience in nanotechnology for two-year college students. Furthermore, TNF will explore the social and ethical implications of nanotechnology, and start a new effort on Education/Outreach focused on Computation and NSF Quantum Leap.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.