Acquisition of Instrumentation for Development of Reliable Technologies for Harsh Environments

对爱达荷大学(UI)研究的竞争性支持从96财年的3,500万美元稳步增长到01财年的6,300万美元。这一增长在一定程度上是由于几个多学科研究机构和团体的研究活动。例如，伊利诺伊大学的NASA大挑战团队提供了探测外星生命的顶级概念。这一概念将利用微电子机械系统(MEMS)技术在太空中实现。目前，UI根本不具备在自己的实验室中实施和测试MEMS设计在恶劣环境下的可靠性所需的能力。此外，伊利诺伊大学的研究人员正在进行其他项目，预计将产生微型串联质谱计系统、微型谐振器、微泵、自主车辆导航系统、磁性随机存取存储器以及用于小型单片微波集成电路的磁性薄膜。所有这些研究活动都将受益于通过主要研究仪器计划所要求的额外能力。由于目前资助研究项目的进展，并在大学管理部门的支持下，私人投资机构寻求获得制造、测试和评估新技术的稳健性的仪器。这项请求包括一套等离子体增强型化学气相沉积系统、一台电子束蒸发器、一台振动/冲击试验台、非热真空室和一台激光测振仪。购买这些仪器还将提供更多将研究培训与研究生和本科教育相结合的机会。爱达荷大学正在向国家科学基金会申请约29万美元，该项目的总成本超过61.1万美元。这些设备将补充邻近华盛顿州立大学的现有设备，并提供目前在西北内陆地区无法获得的研究设备，从而为他们的地区增加显著的能力。它还将为爱达荷州HOIST项目(帮助印度学生和教师了解科学和技术)的参与者提供更多机会，获得工程研究的实践经验。该项目将由经验丰富的私人助理管理，他们将使用探明仪器管理方法来确保设备的有效操作和维护。一名合格的工程技术人员将为他们提供帮助。这些设备将被安置在UI主园区的一栋建筑内，该MRI奖项将得到UI微电子研究和通信研究所主任和工作人员的全面行政支持。

Competitively awarded support for University of Idaho (UI) research has steadily grown from $35 million in FY'96 to $63 million in FY'01.This increase is due, in part, to the research activities of severalmultidisciplinary research institutes and groups. For example, UI'sNASA Grand Challenge team provided the top-ranking concept fordetecting extraterrestrial life. This concept would be accomplishedin space using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Atpresent, UI simply does not have the capabilities needed to implementand test MEMS designs in their own laboratories for reliability inharsh environments. In addition, UI researchers are conducting otherprojects expected to result in a miniaturized tandem mass spectrometersystem, miniature resonators, micro pumps, autonomous vehicle guidancesystems, magnetic random access memories, and magnetic films for small monolithic microwave integrated circuits. All of these research activitieswill benefit from the added capabilities requested through the MajorResearch Instrumentation Program. As a result of current progress in funded research projects, and withthe support of the university's administration, the PIs seek to acquireinstruments to fabricate, test, and evaluate the robustness of newtechnologies. This request includes a plasma enhanced chemical vapordeposition system, an e-beam evaporator, a vibration / shock table, athermal vacuum chamber, and a laser vibrometer. Acquisition of theseinstruments will also provide more opportunities to integrate researchtraining with graduate and undergraduate education. The University ofIdaho is requesting approximately $290,000 from the National ScienceFoundation from a total project cost of over $611,000. This equipmentwill add significant capabilities to their region by complementingexisting equipment at neighboring Washington State University and byproviding research equipment that is currently unavailable in the inlandNorthwest. It will also provide additional opportunities for participantsin Idaho's HOIST program (Helping Orient Indian Students and Teachers toScience and Technology) to get hands-on experience in engineeringresearch. The project will be managed by experienced PIs who will use proveninstrument management approach to ensure efficient operation andmaintenance of the equipment. A qualified engineering technician willassist them. The equipment will be housed within a single building onthe main UI campus, and this MRI award will receive full administrativesupport from the Director and staff of the UI Microelectronics Researchand Communications Institute.