ABSTRACT

This Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT), cofunded by the Division of Materials Research, the Division of Chemical and Transport Systems, and the Division of Engineering Education and Centers, will develop a "bottom-up" approach based on block copolymer directed thin film assembly of silica nanostructures on silicon and subsequent laser induced melting to generate silicon surface arrays with spacings down to the molecular level (~10 nm). The aim is to understand the dynamics governing creation of these structures, as well as to invent enabling technologies that will allow inexpensive fabrication of large areas of such nanostructures without the use of traditional photolithography. In a first application we will engineer the surfaces towards integration of biomolecules, i.e., to match the natural spacing of an antibody. The team consists of B. Baird, D. Muller, S. Gruner, C. Ober (collaborator), M. Thompson, and U. Wiesner. This work falls into the NSF research and education themes "Nanoscale Structures, Novel Phenomena, and Quantum Control" and (to a lesser extend) "Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture".
Intellectual merit of the proposed activity
Understanding nanostructured thin film formation and nanopillar array formation including the effects of surface wetting and crystal growth in small dimensions will have impact on many areas of nanotechnology. If successful we will enable technologies for the inexpensive fabrication of large areas of such nanostructures without the use of traditional photolithography. This will open up the field to many which currently don't have access to such expensive facilities. Furthermore, engineering the surface structure of a synthetic material towards the molecular architecture of a biomolecule constitutes a powerful paradigm for nanobiotechnology and may lead to completely novel ways of organizing, e.g., proteins on solid substrates for analysis and detection. Cornell is uniquely positioned to make advances in this field and the program will make effective use of Cornell facilities such as the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) as well as facilities of the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) and the Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC).
Broader impacts resulting from the proposed activity
Through the collaborative environment with activities ranging from organic synthesis to materials characterization to biology we will promote a way of teaching, training, and learning and thus a unique educational experience for postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students not frequently obtained. We will also involve other components of training and development of human resources including the participation of underrepresented groups, efforts to enhance the infrastructure for research and education, and industrial outreach. To this end we intend to work with the excellent and proven platforms provided by the NSF funded Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) and Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC). In particular, because of the large multiplication effect we will develop Teacher Teaching Teacher (T3) workshops with hands-on lessons that can be brought back into the classrooms, and we will build on a successful collaboration with Simmons College, a primary female college, to introduce students to concepts of nanoscale science and engineering.

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