Backgrounder: Nanoscale research attracts big funding
Neil Branda, 778.782.8061, nbranda@sfu.ca
Byron Gates, 778.782.8066, bgates@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, PAMR, 778.782.3035
Neil Branda and Byron Gates, Canada research chairs and material scientists, are receiving $884,106 from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) to enhance Simon Fraser University’s capability for materials design and development at 4D LABS.
WD awards federal funding for research development that fosters economic growth and diversification in western Canada. WD Minister of State Lynne Yelich announced the new funding for 4D LABS, a multidisciplinary, international research team advancing nanotechnology for application in health, information and energy technology development. See http://tinyurl.com/d3q7ox.
Branda and Gates, academic heavyweights in nanotechnology, are using their WD award to build a mask-writing facility, the first of its kind in Canada, for 4D LABS’ nanofabrication laboratory.
“This new facility will transform academic and private industry researchers’ ability to cost effectively develop and design new micro- and nanofabricated materials and devices in a timely manner,” says Branda, one of 4D LABS’ founders.
Through lithographic and mask-making processes, scientists pattern materials with nano features that are the foundation of new technology platforms. For example, nano features could form the critical components in electronic and biomedical diagnostic devices.
Currently, scientists in British Columbia have to get masks with micronscale features (from 500 nanometres to more than 100 micrometres in size or about the diameter of a human hair strand) manufactured in Alberta. It has the closest facility for this kind of work.
4D LABS’ new mask-writing facility will enable B.C. scientists to readily create nano- and micronscale features and structures under 20 nanometres (about 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair strand) in size.|
Researchers will also be able to rapidly and directly write features onto materials and structures. This will eliminate the need for extensive lithographic patterning and allow for the creation of 3D nanoscale features.
“This capability will eventually be as key to nanoscale materials fabrication as the photocopier is to information dissemination,” explains Gates, 4D LABS’ director of nanofabrication. “With our new mask-writing facility, we’ll be able to fabricate the next generation of technologies, particularly in the fields of alternative energy and biomedical engineering.”|
Researchers are already lining up to use 4D LABS’ new equipment. Micro-structured fuel cell manufacturers such as Ballard Power Systems, Angstrom Power Inc. and Sweet Power and biotechnical consortiums such as the Centre for Drug Research and Development in Vancouver are among potential clients.
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Bahram
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