Cornell Nanofabrication Facility

Cornell Nanofabrication Facility
Name	Cornell Nanofabrication Facility
Established	1970s
Location	Ithaca, New York
Director	facility leadership
Affiliation	Cornell University
Website	official site

Cornell Nanofabrication Facility The Cornell Nanofabrication Facility is a shared-use cleanroom and technical resource at Cornell University serving researchers from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and external collaborators from industry and academia. The facility supports investigations spanning microsystems, nanotechnology, materials science, quantum information science, and bioengineering, providing access to lithography, etching, deposition, and characterization tools critical to projects affiliated with institutions such as National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and corporate partners. It operates within the broader ecosystem of university-based user facilities alongside centers like National Nanotechnology Coordination Office-linked nodes and is connected to regional innovation initiatives including NY-Ulster Opportunity Coalition and state economic development programs.

History

The facility traces its roots to early microfabrication efforts at Cornell University in the 1970s and expanded through investments during the 1980s and 1990s when funding from agencies like the National Science Foundation and programs such as the National Nanotechnology Initiative enabled modernization. Renovations in the 2000s aligned with strategic plans at institutions including Weill Cornell Medicine and partnerships with federal programs such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and state labs. Leadership transitions often involved faculty from departments like the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Cornell), the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, and the Materials Science and Engineering Department who coordinated upgrades to support projects funded by entities like the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Office of Naval Research. The facility’s growth paralleled regional developments involving Cornell Tech and collaborations with companies from Silicon Valley to Rochester Institute of Technology-adjacent startups.

Facilities and Equipment

The cleanroom includes multi-classification suites and tool sets supporting processes used by researchers from groups previously associated with the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science (KINSC) and the School of Applied and Engineering Physics. Key equipment categories mirror those found at national centers like MIT.nano and Stanford Nanofabrication Facility, including photolithography aligners used by teams connected to IBM, electron-beam lithography systems employed by projects with ties to Intel Corporation and NVIDIA, chemical vapor deposition chambers comparable to units used by University of California, Berkeley investigators, atomic layer deposition tools utilized in collaborations with Samsung Electronics, and reactive ion etchers similar to systems at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Metrology and characterization suites contain scanning electron microscopes used in studies linked to Argonne National Laboratory and transmission electron microscopes for work associated with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Wet labs, inspection stations, and rapid prototyping resources support researchers from centers such as Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and medical device teams partnered with Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic.

Research and Applications

Research enabled by the facility spans domains prominent at institutions like Harvard University, Princeton University, and University of Cambridge, including quantum device fabrication for groups associated with Google Quantum AI and IBM Quantum, photonic integrated circuits similar to projects at Caltech, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) used by teams from Honeywell and Texas Instruments, and biosensor platforms developed with collaborators like Pfizer and Gilead Sciences. Materials research includes two-dimensional materials investigated in partnership models seen at Columbia University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, semiconductor heterostructures relevant to Micron Technology collaborations, and superconducting circuits aligned with efforts at Yale University and Delft University of Technology. Translational work supports spin-offs and startups modeled after ventures from Stanford University and University of Pennsylvania, addressing applications in telecommunications, healthcare, energy storage, and national security initiatives funded by agencies such as DARPA and National Institutes of Health.

Education and Training

The facility provides hands-on training for users from undergraduate and graduate programs including the College of Engineering (Cornell), the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, paralleling educational offerings at facilities like Rice University Nanofabrication Facility. Training curricula integrate safety modules consistent with standards from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and operational best practices shared with U.S. Department of Energy user facilities. Short courses and workshops attract participants from institutions such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY Albany, and industry partners including Corning Incorporated and Applied Materials, while thesis and dissertation projects supervised by faculty in departments like Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Cornell) contribute to workforce development in nanomanufacturing and device engineering.

Governance and Funding

Governance combines academic oversight from colleges and departments within Cornell University with operational management and technical staff roles similar to governance models at University Shared Facilities. Funding streams include institutional support, recharge fees, research grants from agencies like the National Science Foundation, contracts with companies such as Intel and IBM, and philanthropic gifts analogous to donations received by centers like Kavli Foundation-supported institutes. Compliance and audit processes follow guidelines used by entities like National Institutes of Health and state funding authorities, while strategic planning aligns with university initiatives and regional economic development efforts linked to the New York State Innovation Hot Spot program.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The facility maintains collaborations with academic partners such as Cornell Tech, Ithaca College, SUNY Binghamton, and international partners modeled after relationships between EPFL and U.S. university cleanrooms. Industry partnerships include collaborations with semiconductor companies like TSMC-adjacent firms, photonics firms resembling Lumentum collaborations, and biotechnology companies similar to partnerships with Illumina. Engagements also include consortia and networks such as the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, cooperative agreements with national laboratories including Brookhaven National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory, and regional innovation initiatives with organizations like Start-Up NY.

Category:Cornell University Category:Nanofabrication facilities