Nanotechnology R

1
Nanotechnology RD at NIST

• Robert Celotta, Director
• The Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology
• NIST TEDCO Showcase
• April 8, 2008

(For further information see http//cnst.nist.gov
)
2
Outline

• NIST at a Glance
• The New Center for Nanoscale Science and
  Technology
• The Nanofab
• The Research Program
• Quick Tour of Nanotechnology throughout NIST

3
The NIST Laboratories
4
CNST Mission and Structure

• Mission
• To enable the development of nanotechnology
• Provides both research and access to facilities
• Works to solve outstanding nanoscale measurement
  and fabrication problems
• Structure
• The CNST consists of a Research Program and the
  CNST Nanofab
• The Nanofab
• A national facility offering convenient and
  economical access to expensive nanoscale
  measurement and fabrication tools.
• The Research Program
• Multidisciplinary research staff operates in a
  highly collaborative mode

5
Advanced Measurement Laboratory

• CNST leverages the facilities of the AML
  arguably the worlds most advanced laboratory
  for its nanotechnology research.

6
The CNST Nanofab is well equipped and
expandingSee cnst.nist.gov for details
7
Research Program

• Developing measurement capabilities for
• Future Electronics
• Devices, architectures, interconnects
• Nanomanufacturing and Nanofabrication
• Top-down and bottom-up fabrication and assembly
• Energy
• Conversion, storage, and transport
• Complementary to and interactive with strong,
  existing NIST Laboratory programs
• Areas of concentration will, of necessity, change
  with needs

8
Core Competences

• Atomic Scale Characterization and Manipulation
• Fabrication and measure the geometric and
  electronic structure of materials with atomic
  resolution using a UHV cryogenic/high magnetic
  field scanning tunneling microscope system.
• Directed Assembly
• Fabrication and study the effects of templating
  structures on the organization of nanoscale
  materials and their resultant properties.
• Laser-Atom Manipulation
• Laser control of atomic motion is used to develop
  new nanofabrication and nanoscale measurement
  methods.
• Nanomagnetic Imaging (SEMPA)
• Use of spin polarized electrons generated in a
  scanning electron microscope to image magnetic
  structures over a large magnification range.
  Measurements are sensitive to less than a
  monolayer of magnetic material.
• Nanophotonics
• Study of nanofabricated optical structures that
  confine light to wavelength-scale dimensions and
  to investigate light-matter interactions with
  near-field probing and microphotoluminescence
  setups.
• Nanoscale Transport
• Device fabrication and photo-electrical probing
  of electronic and ionic transport properties of
  thin-film materials and nanoscale objects
  equipped with probe station, cryostats, air/
  liquid /high-vacuum STM/cAFM.
• Nanoplasmonics

9

• Highlights
• Molecular Spintronics
• Used nanoscale pore in Si wafer
• One molecule thick layer of self assembled
  molecules
• Observed vibrational energies of molecular states
• Laser-based Nanotube Cleanup
• Purifies raw nanotube material
• Reduces carbon impurities, e.g., graphite, soot,
  etc.
• Does not destroy tubes
• Nanoscale Pores Provide Analysis
• Detects and sorts different sized polymer chains
• Uses a lipid bilayer membrane
• Pore size 1.5 nm
• Current flow indicates chain size

10

• Highlights
• Nanotechnology Research Recognized with two
  Nano 50 Awards
• Scanning Electron Microscopy
• Scatterfield Optical Microscopy
• First Results Reported for Helium Ion Microscopy
• New instrument has been installed
• Study of imaging process has begun

11

• Highlights
• Nanowire Device Fabrication Method Demonstrated
• Nanowires grown on sapphire wafer in specific
  locations and directions
• Gold deposits used as nucleation points
• Zinc Oxide nanowires grown to create 600 nanowire
  based transistors
• Nanoelectronic Switch Demonstrated
• Uses self-assembled layers of organic molecules
• Silver atoms quickly assemble to form conduction
  path
• Growth provides nanoscale binary switch
• SWNT Interaction with Polarized Light Studied
• DNA stretching alignment method used
• First experimental verification of optical
  response
• Joint with Physics Lab and RIT

12

• Highlights
• New Hybrid Microscope Developed
• Scanning Photoionization Microscopy (SPIM)
• High spatial resolution
• Electrical sensitivity from low energy electron
  detection
• Highly Charged Ions Used to Study GMR/TMR
• Insulating buffer layer modified by xenon 44
  ions
• Device incorporates both GMR and TMR effects
• High Speed Nanoscale Vibrations Measured
• The 40 MHz NEM vibrations observed
• Offers potential of 500-fold increase in STM
  speed

13

• Highlights
• Fossilized Liquid Assembly
• Components self assemble freely in liquid
• UV light exposure polymerizes a monomer
• Allows the study of the self assembly process
• Carbon Nanotube Tools
• Carbon nanoknife stretched between two tungsten
  needles
• Could be applied to slice individual cells
• Rapid Method for Judging Nanotube Purity
• Uses simple quartz crystal apparatus
• Resonance frequency change on heating
• Gauges consistency of samples

14
Nanotechnology RD at NIST

• Robert Celotta, Director
• The Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology
• NIST TEDCO Showcase
• April 8, 2008

(For further information see http//cnst.nist.gov
)
15
Using the CNST Nanofab

• The Nanofab is a nanofabrication and nanoscale
  measurement facility
• Based on highly successful NNIN Nanocenter model
• Fee based, shared use
• Open to all users
• NIST site access restrictions apply
• Fees are based on operating costs
• Similar to the full cost recovery fees of the
  NNIN-NSF Nanocenters
• External users may apply to have a portion of
  their fee waived
• For research supportive of CNST goals
• Net charges similar to NNIN-NSF academic rates
• The Nanofab will train users in tool use
• Alternatively, the process can performed by a
  process engineer at an additional cost
• User can maintain IP rights under certain
  circumstances
• For information about use of the Nanofab
• Contact Dr. Alex Liddle (alex.liddle_at_nist.gov),