Education and outreach

We strive to make nanotechnology understandable and relatable. We use the abstract nature of nanotechnology as a tool to engage and educate the public. Our varied outreach programs cater to a range of audiences, including families, K-12 teachers and faculty at local community colleges. Each outreach effort is specifically tailored to make nanotechnology less complicated and more accessible to learners of all ages.

Research experience for teachers

ASU proudly serves as the Southwest hub of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure. The NCI-Southwest funds the Research Experience for Teachers program and is available to grade 6-12 teachers and community college faculty from the Phoenix metropolitan area. RET participants work with ASU faculty on summer research projects and then adapt what they learned for use in their classrooms.

Learn more about Research Experiences for Teachers.

The NCI-Southwest RET program consists of:

• A five-week non-residential summer internship at ASU NanoFab.
• A stipend of $5,300 (paid in 3 installments).
   

Who can apply?

• All applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Teacher applicants:

• Must teach in grades 6-12
• Must teach science or technology
• Must have a minimum of two years of teaching experience
• Community college applicants
  • Must be currently teaching at a two-year post-secondary institution
  • Must have taught for at least two years at a two-year institution
  • Must teach science or engineering

Research experience for undergraduates

As the Southwest node of the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, ASU NanoFab participates in the Research Experience for Undergraduates national program, providing motivated undergraduate students with a summer of research experience. The REU program is a nine-week residential experience for undergraduates chosen from across the country through a national competition. Students spend the summer working with faculty and their students on a variety of nanotechnology-focused research projects. At the end of the summer, program participants join other NNCI REU interns for a three-day convocation where they share the results of their research in a workshop-style setting. See more details of the ASU REU program. 

K-12 outreach

City of Tempe’s Geeks’ Night Out

For the past few years, the city of Tempe has teamed with the Arizona SciTech Festival to present Geeks’ Night Out, a signature event that is a fusion of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM), offering a variety of interactive displays and hands-on activities.

Staff from ASU and Rio Salado College partner to share a booth at Geeks’ Night Out. Activities include the operation of a remotely accessible scanning electron microscope as well as the construction of solar cells and other demos to help attendees better understand the latest developments in nanoscience and energy technologies.

College-level coursework

EEE: 435 Fundamentals of CMOS & MEMS

This course teaches engineering science through the application of advanced process modeling techniques to real world data measured during the NanoFab laboratory sessions. For example, students adjust the process parameters in the Athena model to fit the measured data of oxide thickness grown at 1050 C for various times. Students are also exposed to engineering design problems by using the simulated and measured data to design MOS structures with certain characteristics. For example, they design a CMOS process flow to give a transistor with a threshold voltage of 0.7 V. 
Find an upcoming class.

TEC Talks: Technology, Expertise, Collaboration

The TEC Talks seminar series, presented by ASU Core Research Facilities, focuses on cutting-edge technology and its practical application. The objective is to drive innovation in discovery, from project conception and funding through data analysis and publication. The goal is achieved by addressing scientific problems with customized solutions and fostering collaborations between researchers and core facility scientists.

Plasma processing techniques

Dropbox recording

This talk will review the various plasma processing techniques that exist within the NanoFab. These techniques include Reactive Ion Etch, Inductively Coupled Plasma Etch, Deep Silicon Etch, Plasma Sputtering and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition. The discussion will also include an introductory look into plasma discharge concepts, discharge configurations and tool design considerations.

Thin film deposition techniques

Dropbox recording

In order to fabricate nanoscale devices in the ASU NanoFab, a lithography technique is required to resolve patters at nanometer dimension. The JEOL 6000 FS/E Electron Beam Lithography system is a tool used to define patters as small as 20 nm by scanning a focused beam of electrons in a patterned fashion across a surface in order to create very small structures, such as integrated circuits or other nanostructures.

Thin film deposition capabilities

Dropbox recording

This talk will review Thin Film deposition capabilities by reviewing the various techniques and tools available to perform these processes in the NanoFab. These capabilities will range from sputtering, plasma enhance chemical vapor deposition, electron-beam, and atomic layer deposition of metallic and dielectric films. Specific examples of depositing optical coatings will be given by Jaime Quintero. In addition, the process development and testing of superconductor films will be described by Farzad Faramarzi.