Share thisA nanotechnology facility designed to accommodate the research of today and prepared for advances of tomorrow
NOTE: This is the first in a series of articles on the state-of-the art Birck Nanotechnology Research Facility at Purdue University. Throughout this year and into 2007, we will be featuring exclusive coverage of some of the leading nanotechnology facilities in the U.S.
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The Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University provides both an appealing façade and a high level of functionality. The open architectural style supports the collaborative, interdisciplinary nature of the research being performed in the building. |
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The 25,000 square foot nanofabrication cleanroom is designed using a bay-chase concept with equipment bulkheaded through the chase walls. This minimizes the area under filter while separating maintenance from operation functions on equipment. This style of design is well suited to a research environment. |
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“The Birck Nanotechnology Center (BNC) building at Purdue University is itself a scientific instrument,” states Research Development Manager George Adams. “All elements of the facility work together to the same end, enabling nanoscale research.” The building includes the largest and cleanest university cleanroom in the United States, a separate biological cleanroom, a uniquely designed link between the two clean-room types for materials transfer, and highly sophisticated general laboratories optimized for nanoscale research. These cleanrooms and laboratories in turn support an advanced equipment set. This entire facility is supported by a highly experienced technical staff. The infrastructure of building, equipment, and staff is the foundation forand the partner with Purdue’s researchers in their quest to push the limitsin nanoscience, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology and to create novel materials,structures, and devices that are life-changing. The opportunities appear limitless.
Beginning with the nanofabrication clean-room equipment set, the capability for lithography has been pushed to six nanometers (0.006 micrometers) with a newlypurchased Leica Vec-torBeam lithography system, additional e-beam and opticallithography systems, including double-side alignment tools, round out the lithographyarea of the BNC. To achieve this capability, Building Manager Mark Voorhis tunedthe cleanroom control system to maintain less than two-tenths of a degree temperaturevariation in this portion of the cleanroom. This, coupled with ISO Class 3 (Class 1) particle control, a NIST-A vibration rating on the cleanroom waffle slab,and low EMI levels, allow the VectorBeam to achieve its full capability.