Villanova will purchase a thin film fabrication facility consisting of three electron guns and a computer controlled shutter housed in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber. This facility will enable the Physics Department to offer students a chance to learn the art of thin film fabrication and application. The facility will be used in five laboratory courses and three research project-related courses. The presence of such a facility will provide the capability of making film samples, superlattices, quantum wells, semiconductor devices and tunneling junctions, as well as designing integrated circuits and electronic components needed for laboratory courses. This facility will upgrade these courses and allow students to learn applications of thin films, useful in research and in applications in industry. The university will provide funds equal to 106% of the award toward the operation of the project.
