MRI: Acquisition of Process Equipment for Bio-MEMS Research, Training and Commercialization

新墨西哥大学(UNM)是一所卡内基博士/研究型大学-广泛的西班牙裔服务机构，正在其制造培训和技术中心(MTTC)内建造一个洁净室，以支持微电子和微电子机械系统(MEMS)的研究、培训和商业化。洁净室的建设资金来自联邦和州政府，主要设备来自私营部门。NSF MRI提供的深度反应离子刻蚀机和对二甲苯涂层机将使净化室不仅能够支持传统的半导体工艺，而且还能够支持生物微电子机械系统(Bio-MEMS)的制造。特别是，这种设备将使UNM能够制造具有深沟道的生物MEMS设备，以及植入式设备所需的生物兼容涂层。具体的设备可能包括植入式药物输送设备、用于更本地化成像的微型超声波发射器和探测器、微型癌症治疗探头、基于光子学的细胞分类器和芯片上的微型电机。应用领域将扩展到人类疾病的诊断和治疗、空间任务所需的传感器和执行器，或环境污染物、毒素和传染病的监测。除了研究和开发支持外，所需的设备设在MTTC洁净室内，将用于与地区社区学院(CCS)的技术人员共同培训新墨西哥州州立大学的不同类型的工程专业学生。而且，这些设备将供私营公司在大规模生产之前证明设备的可制造性。

The University of New Mexico (UNM), a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University-Extensive and a Hispanic-serving Institution, is building a cleanroom within its Manufacturing Training and Technology Center (MTTC), to support research, training and commercialization of microelectronics and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The cleanroom has received construction funding from federal and state sources, and major equipment from private sector sources. The deep reactive ion etcher, and the parylene coater provided by NSF MRI will enable the cleanroom to support not only conventional semiconductor processes, but to also support fabrication of bio- microelectromechanical systems (bio-MEMS). In particular, this equipment will allow UNM to make bio-MEMS devices with deep channels, for example, and biocompatible coatings needed for implantable devices. Specific devices might include implantable drug delivery devices, micro-scale ultrasound emitters and detectors for more localized imaging, micro-scale cancer treatment probes, photonics-based cell sorters, and micro-motors on a chip. Applications will extend to the diagnosis and treatment of human disease, sensors and actuators needed for space missions, or monitoring of environmental pollutants, toxins and infectious agents. In addition to research and development support, the requested equipment, set within the MTTC Cleanroom, will be available to co-train a diverse population of engineering students at UNM with technicians from regional community colleges (CCs). And, the equipment will be available for private companies to prove the manufacturability of a device prior to large-scale manufacturing.