Nanomanufacturing and Processing—Research, Education, Infrastructure, Security, Resource

Abstract

The National Science Foundation-European Community (NSF-EC) Workshop on Nanomanufacturing and Processing was held at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico from January 5-7, 2002. Some 50 participants including 34 U.S. researchers, and 9 EC and 7 NSF Directors participated in this Workshop. The program included several keynote and individual presentations addressing the state-of-the-art in nanoscience and technology and status of various programs supported by NSF in this area. The goal of the Workshop was to join the forces of the NSF with the EC program agencies to catalyze progress in research and education in the emerging field of nanomanufacturing and processing. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by these two organizations. It is envisioned that this collaboration will provide a critical thrust for new scientific developments and engineering applications that will have a mutually beneficial impact for both the U.S. and European research partners. Nanomanufacturing encompasses all processes aimed toward building of nanoscale structures, features, devices, and systems in 1D, 2D, and 3D. Nanomanufacturing include both bottom-up and top-down processes. Typical examples of the bottom-up processes include contact printing, imprinting, spinodal wetting/dewetting, laser trapping/tweezer, assembly and joining (self- and directed-assembly), template growth, electrostatic (coatings, fibers), colloidal aggregation, and 2-photon confocal processing. Typical examples of the top-down processes include lithography (e-beam, ion beam, scanning probe, optical near field), thin film deposition and growth, laser beam processing, mechanical (machining, grinding, lapping, polishing), and electro-chemical material removal processes. Advances in nanomanufacturing are anticipated to result in rapid progress in nanomaterials technology; information technology nanodevices including “nanosemiconductors,” molecular electronics, and spintronics; nanobiotechnology-diagnostics, implants, therapeutic delivery; safety and security aspects including sensors, adsorbents/filters/decontamination; and NEMS/nanorobots.