Electron-Beam Lithography (EBL) System has revolutionized the field of nanotechnology for artificially fabricating nanostructures and studying their properties. EBL system is capable of writing resist patterns with accuracy and control down to about 20nm. With advance of nanotechnology and miniaturization of devices, EBL is emerging as a potential tool for manufacturing various nanodevices used in multidisciplinary fields. Unlike other available instruments EBL is precise with higher spatial resolution and fast considering its cost and user-friendly operation. This will be a unique facility in the Norfolk State cleanroom focusing multidisciplinary research in the areas of bio-chemical sensors, magnetic tunnel junctions for high density memories, semiconductor based wave-guides for communication and devices for energy generation and storage. The instrument will be operated out of the Norfolk State University (NSU) Micro- and Nanotechnology Center (MiNatC), an excellent facility for advanced device fabrication for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training in advanced electronic nanotechnology. Acquisition of the e-beam lithography system will not only strengthen major ongoing research and educational efforts in nanomaterials and nanotechnology at NSU but also will directly impact many undergraduate and graduate students; over 70% of them belong to the minority groups underrepresented in the fields of Engineering and Material Science. The addition of EBL will greatly increase the participation of NSU and the surrounding community in the national nano initiative.
Layman Summary: Electron-Beam Lithography (EBL) System produces artificial nanostructures which are about 20 nm wide. With advance of nanotechnology and miniaturization of devices, EBL is emerging as a potential tool for manufacturing various nanoscale devices used in multidisciplinary applications. EBL is very user-friendly and produces precise nanostructures cost-effectively. This will be a unique facility in our cleanroom focusing multidisciplinary research in the areas of bio-chemical sensors, high density memories, semiconductor based wave-guides for communication, and devices for energy generation and storage. The proposed instrument will be operated out of the Norfolk State University (NSU) Micro- and Nanotechnology Center (MiNatC), an excellent facility for advanced device fabrication for commercial applications as well as providing a center for excellence in teaching and training our students in advanced electronic nanotechnology. Addition of an EBL system will not only strengthen major ongoing research and educational efforts in nanomaterials and nanotechnology at NSU but also will directly impact many undergraduate and graduate students, over 70% of them belong to the minority groups underrepresented in the fields of Engineering and Material Science. The addition of EBL will greatly increase the participation of NSU and the surrounding community in the national nano initiative.
Theacquisition of Electron-Beam Lithography System at Norfolk state University allowedthe faculty and students to work in the frontier direction of varieties ofsensors, detectors and other potential devices through nanolithography. This enables each of the investigators bringing aunique knowledge base and experience, and the requested equipment will allow not only special collaborative opportunities to develop but also will provide opportunity to industries and other organizations to pursue their endeavor/device fabrication in the field of nanotechnology. The researchers have already demonstrated the fabrication of novel multi-scale DNA sensors forhealth diagnostic tool, bio-chemicalsensors, and fabrication of semiconductor based wave-guides for communication.The investigators from Norfolkstate University across the discipline will allow for the advancement of knowledge across disciplinary boundaries. With advance of nanotechnology andminiaturization of devices, e-beam lithography is emerging as a potential toolfor manufacturing various nanodevices used in multidisciplinary fields. Theaddition of e-beam lithography to Norfolk State University facilities will allow them to greatly increase the participation of NSU and the surrounding community in the national nano initiative. The extensive collaboration with surrounding organizations, such as NASA, Langley, Old Dominion University, College of William and Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, will enrich thescientific tie for moving forward in the direction of innovation. Apart from thatthe training offered to our students on this machine is already placing them infore front of placement in industry and government laboratories. The fineresearch produced using this piece of machine is gaining reputation for the Universityfor recruiting students in the STEM discipline. We provide an image for the first demonstration of the Nano-Biosensor using our electron beam lithography machine.
