The objective of this research is to acquire a Nanonex 1000 Nanoimprint Lithography System with high-resolution (~10 nm) and high-throughput (~60 sec) capabilities for use in low-dimensional nanoscale research and educational initiatives. The approach is to utilize the requested system for multidisciplinary research projects in nanotechnology and support educational initiatives underway at Stevens.
Intellectual Merit The fabrication capabilities enhanced by the requested system will directly impact a variety of research projects spanning many emerging micro/nanotechnology and science areas. The requested system is a state-of-the-art nanolithography tool that will significantly enhance ongoing research projects centered in the multi-user Micro Device Laboratory at Stevens Institute of Technology, which currently lacks high-throughput nanopatterning capability. The acquisition of the requested system will therefore significantly enhance the efforts of currently funded research projects, while expanding the scope of emerging research activities.
Broader Impacts The interdisciplinary research projects will provide the requested system a consistently growing user base, fostering a multidisciplinary research-intense learning environment in nanotechnology. This acquisition will also directly support educational initiatives underway at Stevens. The requested system will be highlighted in an ongoing NUE project, an innovative multimedia/web-based learning material development program seeking to incorporate both nanotechnology education and academic research into the undergraduate curriculum. Research enabled by the requested system will also be incorporated into graduate and undergraduate classes being developed and taught at Stevens. In this manner, the proposed acquisition will further foster integration of research and education through the educational initiatives and research activities at Stevens and our local collaborators.
Consistent with the U.S. nanotechnology agenda, nanodevices and systems are a major strategic research area of Stevens. The acquired nanoimprint lithography system strongly supports the research and education thrust in the area of nano/microtechnology, pursued by young faculty groups, who have been very successful in establishing strong research collaborations. The acquisition of the nanoimprint lithography system adds a critical nanopatterning capability to the current capabilities of the Micro Device Laboratory at Stevens, which directly impacts research projects spanning many emerging nanotechnology and science areas of national and societal important. Given the strong multidisciplinary team of researchers assembled for this project and the interdisciplinary research projects that the equipment supports, this acquisition significantly impacts the research training environment while directly supporting educational initiatives underway at Stevens. These initiatives strongly couple to the technical merit of the acquisition by greatly increasing the number of undergraduate and graduate students exposed to the nanoimprint lithography system and the research projects leveraging its capabilities, for example, through an NSF Nanotechnology for Undergraduate Education project developing an innovative materials seeking to incorporate both nanotechnology education and academic research into the undergraduate curriculum. Research enabled by the system has also been incorporated into graduate and undergraduate classes being developed and taught at Stevens. In this manner, the acquisition further fosters integration of research and education through the educational initiatives and research activities at Stevens and our local collaborators.
