This project provides for acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) to enhance nano-technology research, training, and education at Louisiana Tech University (LaTech), and to allow neighboring Grambling State University (GSU) and other users in north Louisiana and the region to have access to this instrument for research, educational, and industrial needs. LaTech and GSU (HBCU) have 3 Joint Faculty Appointment Faculty (JFAP) positions associated with the Institute for Micro-manufacturing (IfM). The PI and Co-PIs of this proposal are with IfM. The PI (Varahramyan) is the IfM Director, two Co-PIs (Lvov & McShane) are IfM nano-technology leaders, one Co-PIs (Dobbins), she is a nano-technologist and a JFAP faculty directly linking the IfM and GSU nano-technology research and educational efforts, and another Co-PI (Gunasekaran) heads IfM's Measurements & Characterization Section, and has experience with wide range of instruments (including SEM) for nanoscale measurements. IfM, has existed for over 12 years, and is dedicated to micro-/nano-scale systems research, education, and commercialization. It provides its faculty and external partners/users with micro-/nano-manufacturing resources, for development of micro-/nano-systems for biomedical, chemical, information technology, and other applications. IfM, with over 30 science & engineering faculty & post-docs, and a staff of 15, consists of 65,000 sq. ft. of facilities, including a modern 41,000 sq. ft. R & D building, to house the new FESEM, in the Measurements & Characterization Section.
Intellectual Merit: A wide range of research/training efforts will benefit from FESEM, including work sponsored by major NSF projects: Nano-engineered Shells for Encapsulation and Controlled Release NSF NIRT, Multilayer Modification for Micro-cantilever Biosensors NSF-ECS, and Micro/Nano-technologies Advanced Physical, Chemical, and Biological Sensors NSF/EPSCoR RII. As part of these efforts, a major area heavily relying on imaging of nano-structured materials is the development of self-assembled nano-materials for encapsulation and controlled localization of drugs, proteins, nucleic acids, and cells, for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and sensing applications. A second project recently funded by NSF is to develop extremely sensitive and highly selective micro-sensors for chemical warfare agents or simulants, by using multilayer modified micro-cantilevers. In developing these chemical sensors, the beams and nano-coatings need to be inspected with nanometer resolution. Another key focus area is biosensors and tissue engineering, which are in IfM's bioengineering area, where the techniques use a combination of micro and nano-fabrication with a biological interface of molecules that cannot be analyzed or evaluated without metrology equipment with nanometer resolution. Current IfM imaging capabilities are unable to meet the requirements of these efforts. Research needs on these and several other ongoing and new projects, including at GSU, give the basis for the FESEM request, where high resolution SEM is needed to characterize nano-scale materials and structures at 1 nm resolution, with ability to determine chemical information and spatial distributions of elements (existing SEM can not resolve features at less than ~35 nm).
Broader Impact: A new FESEM coupled with existing IfM resources makes it possible for LaTech and collaborating institutions to promote nano-technology research, training, and education in a historically disadvantaged region of the nation. Planned educational efforts include teaching FESEM theory and practice in courses at LaTech (e.g. Micro/Nano Scale Materials Measurements & Analysis), attracting students from programs with nano-technology emphasis, ranging from Ph.D. in Engineering and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, to MS in Molecular Science & Nano-technology and MS in Microsystems Engineering. About half of 549 (Fall 04) engineering and science M.S. and Ph.D. students are specializing in research and taking courses associated with IfM. Of 128 Ph.D. students, over half are with IfM, and their research and course work will be highly impacted by the FESEM availability. Same will be for undergraduate students, including in LaTech's new B.S. in Nano-systems Engineering (planned for Fall 05) in College of Engineering & Science, and in GSU's B.S. degrees in Physics and Chemistry, in College of Science & Technology, where Drs. Dobbins (a Co-PI) and Derosa (a Co-Investigator) are in JFAP faculty positions associated with IfM and will be leading some of these efforts. The FESEM will also serve LaTech's NSF-REU funded-project (2003-06), on "Undergraduate Experiences in Micro- & Nano-Engineering," for 10 students (including underrepresented groups) to pursue research during summer. Moreover, the FESEM will noticeably impact economic development and industrial needs of north Louisiana and the region, and will also support IfM's efforts in the NSF PFI grant (2003-06), on "Ventures for Emerging Technologies in Rural North Louisiana."
