ARI-R2: The renovation and refurbishment of a class 10000 cleanroom at the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering core laboratories

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。该项目将使范德比尔特纳米科学与工程研究所（VINSE）核心实验室综合体的10000个洁净室设施现代化。这个1635平方英尺的洁净室设施自2003年以来一直在持续服务。目前，许多教职员工和学生正在使用该洁净室设备进行不同的研究项目，包括研究从电子场发射的太阳能转换，碳纳米管的热传输，需要电子束光刻的生物传感器合成，以及由光学调制的金属绝缘体跃迁。为使该洁净室设施继续安全使用，需要更换以下两个重要部件：1)有毒气体监测系统（TGMS）；2) HEPA过滤风机（FFU）。本方案是将旧的TGMS机组更换为新的，使洁净室符合现行标准。新的TGMS装置有望检测半导体制造工厂中使用或产生的所有气体。使用范德比尔特纳米科学与工程研究所（VINSE）核心实验室的教学、培训和教育活动在提案中得到了很好的定义和详细说明，洁净室设施在这些活动中起着关键作用。此外，美国国家科学基金会支持的范德比尔特大学与菲斯克大学的IGERT项目为未被充分代表的少数民族学生提供了使用VINSE核心实验室设施进行培训和教育的机会。这些设施也被特拉华州立大学的学生和教职员工用于他们的教育和研究活动。其他拓展活动包括通过范德比尔特暑期学院为高中生提供纳米科学和纳米技术项目。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This project will modernize the 10000 cleanroom facility in the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) core laboratory complex. This 1635 square foot cleanroom facility has been in continuous service since 2003. At present many faculty members and students are working on different research projects using this cleanroom facility including studies on solar energy conversion from electron field emission, thermal transport in carbon nanotubes, biosensor synthesis requiring e-beam lithography, and metal-insulator transitions that are modulated by optics. For the continued safe use of this cleanroom facility, it is in need of replacement of the following two essential components: 1) Toxic Gas Monitoring System (TGMS); and 2) HEPA filter fan units (FFU). This proposal is to replace the old TGMS unit with a new one, and make the cleanroom compatible to the current standards. The new TGMS unit is expected to detect all of the gases used or generated in a Semiconductor manufacturing facility. Teaching, training and educational activities using the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE) core laboratory complex are well defined and detailed in the proposal, and cleanroom facilities play a key role in these activities. In addition, the NSF supported IGERT program at Vanderbilt University with Fisk University provides opportunity for underrepresented minority students to be trained and educated using the VINSE Core Laboratory facilities. These facilities are also used by students and faculty members from Delaware State University for their education and research activities. Other outreach activities included nanoscience and nanotechnology programs for high school students through Vanderbilt Summer Academy.