MRI: Acquisition of 30kV Electron Beam Lithography System for Multidisciplinary Research on Nano-Photonics, Nano-Biophysics, Nano-Chemistry, and Nano-Electronics

精确设计纳米级结构的能力对纳米科学的研究至关重要。电子束曝光术使用扫描电子束，是在相对较大的表面积上产生分辨率低于10 nm的图形的最可靠和最强大的方法之一。该项目使贝勒大学能够获得超高分辨率电子束光刻系统，用于开发贝勒大学高影响力的多学科纳米科学研究和教育项目。仪器用户将包括来自贝勒大学物理学、电气和计算机工程、机械工程、化学和生物化学以及环境科学系的教职员工和学生。该仪器将扩大贝勒大学的纳米制造能力，研究纳米级的物理、光学、化学、生物传感和光学设备应用。该仪器的能力将为研究人员探索前景广阔的纳米科学和应用开辟道路。电子束光刻系统还将被纳入教育和推广活动，包括贝勒·梅伯恩博物馆活动、在线推广活动、贝勒夏季科学研究计划、先进仪器研讨会以及美国光学学会的活动和研讨会。这台纳米加工设备提供的研究和培训机会将与贝勒大学推进研究和教育并加强与社会各界接触的战略计划相一致。该项目将获得一套超高分辨率电子束曝光系统，以支持纳米科学和纳米技术研究和教育。该工具提供超高分辨率(8 Nm)图案，并结合最高水平的自动化，适用于复杂的应用。热场发射灯丝技术、交叉过自由光路和列技术产生了极高的束流密度、极低的像差、快速的写入速度、大的场尺寸和无拼接误差的毫米长周期图案。德克萨斯州中部地区没有其他实验室拥有对最先进的纳米科学研究至关重要的这种类型的仪器。该仪器非常适合于纳米光学/光子学、纳米生物物理学、纳米化学以及大面积纳米电子和光子器件的研究。可制造的纳米级应用的例子包括可调谐的超薄光学亚表面组件、纳米级和便携式表面增强型相干拉曼传感器、芯片上的点式光学生物传感器、等离子体辅助光催化反应器、高效纳米级生物医疗应用以及下一代纳米电子/光子设备。收购这一电子束光刻系统不仅将使贝勒大学和附近学院开展面向系统的创新纳米科学和纳米设备研究活动，还将促进贝勒大学新一代学生和博士后研究人员在纳米科学和纳米工程方面的培训。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The ability to pattern designed nanoscale structures precisely is critical for research in nanoscience. Electron Beam Lithography, which uses a scanning electron beam, is one of the most reliable and powerful methods to create patterns with sub-10 nm resolution in a relatively large surface area. This project enables Baylor University to acquire an Ultrahigh Resolution Electron Beam Lithography System for the development of a high-impact, multidisciplinary program of nanoscience research and education at Baylor University. Instrument users will include faculty and students from Baylor University's Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Environmental Science departments. The instrument will expand nanofabrication capabilities at Baylor University for studying physics, optics, chemistry, biology sensing, and optical device applications on the nanometer scale. The instrument's capabilities will open the path for researchers to explore promising nanoscale sciences and applications. The electron beam lithography system will also be incorporated into education and outreach activities, including the Baylor Mayborn Museum events, online outreach activities, Baylor Summer Science Research Program, Advanced Instrumentation Workshop, and Optical Society of America events and workshops. The research and training opportunities provided by this nanofabrication instrument will align with Baylor University's strategic plan to advance research and education and strengthen the engagement with the community.This project will acquire an Ultrahigh Resolution Electron Beam Lithography System to support nanoscience and nanotechnology research and education. The tool provides ultrahigh resolution patterning (8 nm) in combination with the highest level of automation for complex applications. The thermal field emission filament technology, cross-over-free beam path, and column technology produce an extremely high beam current density, extremely low aberrations, fast writing speed, large field sizes, and millimeter-long periodic patterns with zero stitching errors. No other laboratory in the Central Texas region has this type of instrument critical to state-of-the-art nanoscience research. The instrument is ideally suited for research in nano-optics/photonics, nano-biophysics, nano-chemistry, and large-area nanoscale electronic and photonic devices. Examples of the nanoscale applications that can be fabricated include tunable ultrathin optical metasurface components, nanoscale and portable surface-enhanced coherent Raman sensors, point-of-care on-chip optical biosensors, plasmon-assisted photocatalytic reactors, efficient nanoscale bio-medical applications, and next-generation nano-electronic/photonic devices. The acquisition of this electron beam lithography system will not only enable innovative system-oriented nanoscience and nanodevice research activities at Baylor University and nearby colleges, but also facilitate the training of a new generation of students and postdoctoral researchers on nanoscience and nanoengineering at Baylor University.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.