NSEC: Center for Nano-Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems\Nano-CEMMS

This award provides for the continuation of the Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical-Manufacturing Systems (Nano-CEMMS) Science and Engineering Center, which is a collaboration between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the California Institute of Technology, and the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. The Center aims to revolutionize the nation's nanomanufacturing capabilities to position the nation at the forefront of high technology manufacturing. The Nano-CEMMS Center's research builds on two key breakthroughs made by members of the Center's research team, molecular gate technology and Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) fluidic circuits, to directly manufacture nanoscale structures and systems. The molecular gate can be digitally switched to deliver and control incredibly tiny attoliter (0.000,000,000,000,000,001 liter) amounts of material, a billion times smaller than the nanoliter switches of today. Molecular gates also are akin to transistors that deliver and control electrons, but with increased functionality since diverse and dissimilar materials can be delivered and molecules can undergo chemical reactions. The capability to build large arrays of addressable molecular gates through VLSI fluidic circuits coupled with other advances in micro-fluidics, nanoelectronics and optical sensing, and nanopositioning carves out a pathway for developing truly novel, scalable and robust manufacturing processes for constructing 3-D nano-structured multi-material devices.

Nano-CEMMS researchers, with expertise in manufacturing, micro- to nanofabrication, micro- to nanofluidics, nanoelectronics, chemistry, computation, systems, operational planning and control, and combinatorial optimization will team up to develop new methodologies and tools that exploit chemical, mechanical and electronic phenomena and processes for 3-D manufacturing at the nanoscale. The planned integration of these nanoscale processes and devices is anticipated to result in scalable manufacturing systems and assembly lines capable of manufacturing unique devices and products for applications ranging from medical to photonic systems. The Nano-CEMMS Center is organized to have a broader impact through its industrial and educational programs. The Center has been structured in two ways to accelerate the transfer of its technological and system innovations for the benefit of industry and society. First, an Industrial Advisory Board, including top pharmaceutical, biological, and electronic industry leaders as well as cutting-edge industrial innovators, spanning multiple application areas and the nanomanufacturing value chain, will advise the Center and participate in its research, education and outreach plans. Second, test-beds will be targeted at specific applications that can be potentially transformed by the Center's research. Two examples that the Center will pursue include combinatorial chemistry and biology assays, and nanoscale organic optoelectronics; both capable of impacting multi-billion dollar industries. Ambitious goals have been set to ensure that the Center includes a diverse group of participants. These goals are supported by specific outreach activities designed to reach diverse groups of students and faculty and encourage student and faculty exchanges across the three lead institutions. In addition, fully realizing that nanotechnology cannot be successful without a well-trained workforce, an extensive education and outreach program has been planned to enhance the scientific research, education, and industrial nanotechnology workforce of our nation. The program, spanning K-12 education and professional training, will build on existing successful K-12 outreach and education programs and will be centered on an extensive web-based Collaboratory that will allow for the dissemination of materials across the nation and the participation of its students, teachers, scientists and industry professionals. A comprehensive assessment component will help the Center track its broader impact and continuously improve its programs for increased effectiveness.