NSEC: Center for Scalable and Integrated Nanomanufacturing (SINAM)

This award provides for the continuation of the Nano Science and Engineering Center for Scalable and Integrated Nanomanufacturing (SINAM) for an additional five years. The center focuses on a manufacturing paradigm that offers to transform laboratory science into industrial applications in nano-electronics, biomedicine, and in traditional industries. The center includes a team of scientists and engineers from six institutions, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCSD, University of North Carolina and HP Labs. Research will focus on a nano-manufacturing paradigm that includes plasmonic imaging lithography (PIL) using engineered surface plasmons with extremely short wavelength and ultra-molding lithography. Both aim at nanomanufacturing at the 1-10 nanometer scale. SINAM will further develop a novel hybrid approach, in combining the top-down and bottom up technologies to achieve massively parallel integration of heterogeneous nanoscale components into higher-order structures and devices. SINAM will develop system engineering strategies to scale up the technologies developed and work with industry to develop the next generation of nanomanufacturing tools that will be used for commercial product design and development. The center?s goal over the next five years is to fully develop and scale up the nanomanufacturing technologies that enable the transition to industrial applications.

SINAM's broader impacts includes education and training for a high tech workforce, and societal outreach for general public benefits. Special efforts will be made with California schools to reach out to minority and female students. These educational activities include: (1) Grades 7-12, Discover Nanotechnology where SINAM researchers will make use of an inquiry module on Nanotechnology for students; (2) a Nano-Manufacturing Summer Academy that will provide six weeks summer training for undergraduates students and K-12 school teachers; and (3) 'Graduate Young Investigator (GYI)' and Industrial Internships for Graduate Students. To build awareness of the opportunities and impact of nano manufacturing, center personnel will work with California Science Museums and the California State Economic Strategy Panel, and they will work through professional organizations such as ASME, SME, and IEEE in organizing symposia. The SINAM Industrial Consortium, established during the first five years of the center, will work closely with the center?s industrial partners, such as HP and IBM, to transfer new technologies to industrial applications. The new manufacturing paradigm resulting from this research will impact the society through the acceleration of the emergence of new technologies and industries based on nanotechnology.