Vanderbilt University has been awarded $965,000 by the National Science Foundation for the acquisition of a 50 kV, high-throughput electron beam lithography (e-beam) tool. This grant, part of the NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program, represents a significant step forward for research, education and outreach at Vanderbilt.
The project, “Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a 50 kV, High-Throughput Electron Beam Lithography Tool for Research, Education, and Outreach at Vanderbilt University,” is led by Professor of Mechanical Engineering Joshua Caldwell, director of the Interdisciplinary Program in Materials Science.
The instrument will enable a broad variety of research that is not currently possible at Vanderbilt, such as the realization of large-area meta-optics for low-power image processing at the speed of light, optical nanotweezers capable of single exosome trapping and analysis for early cancer detection, and for energy applications, fabrication of silicon photonic waveguides, and on-chip photonic devices. Essentially, the tool enables the creation of complex nanoscale structures with great detail and at a faster pace than lower-power e-beam tools.
Richard Mu, research professor and Associate Director for Research, TSU Interdisciplinary Graduate Engineering Research Institute at Tennessee State University (TIGER), is a co-investigator. Vanderbilt co-investigators are Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering Sharon Weiss, director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, James McBride, Research Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, and Justus Ndukaife, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
This advanced e-beam lithography tool will be installed in the VINSE cleanroom and enable groundbreaking research across various fields, enhance collaboration between institutions, and provide unparalleled educational opportunities for students. It also demonstrates Vanderbilt’s commitment to advancing both fundamental science and its applications in technology and innovation.
Contact: brenda.ellis@vanderbilt.edu