News
President Bernstine Statement on Federal Appropriations for Oregon, Nanoscience
Following the approval by the U.S. Congress of the Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 2863), which includes approximately $7 million in funding for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), Portland State University President Daniel O. Bernstine issued the following statement:
The funds include $2.5 million for the “Nanoscale Metrology” ONAMI initiative, connected to Portland State University's Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication, as well as additional funding for ONAMI Safer Materials and Manufacturing and ONAMI Tactical Energy Systems.
ONAMI is a collaboration between the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the state of Oregon and private industry partners focused on research and commercialization of nanoscience and microtechnologies to foster the creation of new jobs and products in the Pacific Northwest.
“Nanometrology” is the science of imaging and measuring the properties of nanoscale materials and devices, a critical and underserved area of research. ONAMI’s “Nanoscale Metrology for Nanoelectronics” program is initiating vital research into nanoscale metrology and the testing of nanoscale electronics and devices while leveraging Portland State University’s Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication facilities, the most advanced in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information, contact John Carruthers, ONAMI research co-director and senior distinguished professor of physics at Portland State University, who is leading ONAMI’s nanometrology initiative (carruthe@pdx.edu or john.carruthers@mindspring.com).
Background on Nanometrology
The trend toward increasing densities— in transistors for integrated circuits and in bits for storage devices—has moved these technologies into the nanoscale (10–100nm) over the last few years. However, continued technical progress is hampered by the lack of various imaging and measurement capabilities at the nanometer-feature size. Major limitations include the high defect levels inherent to this size range, the need to measure embedded interfaces associated with the very high surface-to-volume ratio at the nanoscale, and the need to use such metrologies during the monolithic fabrication processes for making useful devices and device arrays. Unless these metrology capabilities are further developed and news ones invented, it is not likely that nanoscale technologies can be functionally deployed for devices such as biosensors or high-density memories on silicon integrated circuits.
Sources:
Deborah Murdock, Office of Government Relations (503-725-5040)
John Carruthers, Department of Physics (carruth@pdx.edu)
For Immediate Release (PR-05-172)
“This funding signals the strength of Oregon’s faculty in nanoscience and nanotechnology research. At Portland State, our Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication, used by ONAMI researchers, is the most advanced university facility of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. I want to thank the entire Oregon delegation for their hard work to make Oregon’s initiative in this area a national model.”
The funds include $2.5 million for the “Nanoscale Metrology” ONAMI initiative, connected to Portland State University's Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication, as well as additional funding for ONAMI Safer Materials and Manufacturing and ONAMI Tactical Energy Systems.
ONAMI is a collaboration between the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the state of Oregon and private industry partners focused on research and commercialization of nanoscience and microtechnologies to foster the creation of new jobs and products in the Pacific Northwest.
“Nanometrology” is the science of imaging and measuring the properties of nanoscale materials and devices, a critical and underserved area of research. ONAMI’s “Nanoscale Metrology for Nanoelectronics” program is initiating vital research into nanoscale metrology and the testing of nanoscale electronics and devices while leveraging Portland State University’s Center for Electron Microscopy and Nanofabrication facilities, the most advanced in the Pacific Northwest.
For more information, contact John Carruthers, ONAMI research co-director and senior distinguished professor of physics at Portland State University, who is leading ONAMI’s nanometrology initiative (carruthe@pdx.edu or john.carruthers@mindspring.com).
Background on Nanometrology
The trend toward increasing densities— in transistors for integrated circuits and in bits for storage devices—has moved these technologies into the nanoscale (10–100nm) over the last few years. However, continued technical progress is hampered by the lack of various imaging and measurement capabilities at the nanometer-feature size. Major limitations include the high defect levels inherent to this size range, the need to measure embedded interfaces associated with the very high surface-to-volume ratio at the nanoscale, and the need to use such metrologies during the monolithic fabrication processes for making useful devices and device arrays. Unless these metrology capabilities are further developed and news ones invented, it is not likely that nanoscale technologies can be functionally deployed for devices such as biosensors or high-density memories on silicon integrated circuits.
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Sources:
Deborah Murdock, Office of Government Relations (503-725-5040)
John Carruthers, Department of Physics (carruth@pdx.edu)
For Immediate Release (PR-05-172)
