Entry Date:
January 10, 2007

Micro and Nano Engineering Research at Mechanical Engineering


The Micro and Nano Engineering area seeks to create new engineering knowledge and products on the micro and nano-scale. Our focused efforts include:

(*) Identifying and solving grand challenges in micro and nano technologies
(*) Providing design, fabrication, and enabling tools to other groups
(*) Educating students about micro and nano science and technologies

Micro- and nano-scale research can be categorized into three broad domains: theoretical foundation (science) research, applications research, and enabling tools research. Specific research areas within each domain include:

(*) Science -- quantum computing, molecular modeling and simulation, mechanics and materials, chemistry

(*) Applications -- microfluidics; bioengineering; optics, magnetics, and imaging; energy; thermal systems, carbon nanotube (CNT)

(*) Tools -- design, micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), nanomanufacturing

In addition to multi-domain research, our strengths are that we are multidisciplinary, networking both inter- and intra-departmentally; and that we are multi-scale, with the ability to design and build systems at all size scales, and integrate micro/nano structures into multi-scale systems.

Facilities include the Microsystems Technology Laboratories, which house three clean-room facilities (the Integrated Circuits Laboratory, Technology Research Laboratory, and Nano-structures Laboratory), as well as the Research Group Laboratories and the Computational and Communication Network Facility. In addition, the brand new Pappalardo Nanomanufacturing Facility (aka Pappalardo II) provides nearly 5,500 square feet of state-of-the-art space for nano-scale mechanical engineering research and education.