Current Research Areas

 

The Center’s research scientists and engineers are creating the next generation of nanoscale measurement instruments and methods, which are made available through collaboration. Based on the collective input of our stakeholders regarding the key measurement barriers to advancing nanotechnology towards production, and the current capabilities and needs of NIST’s four Laboratories, we are currently emphasizing the following three research areas.

 

Future Electronics

In support of continued growth in the electronics industry beyond complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, CNST researchers are developing new methods to create and characterize devices, architectures and interconnects for graphene, nanophotonic, nanoplasmonic, spintronic, and other future electronics.

 

Nanofabrication and Nanomanufacturing

The Center is advancing the state of the art in nanomanufacturing by developing measurement and fabrication tools for both lithographic ("top-down") and directed assembly ("bottom-up") approaches.

 

Energy Storage, Transport, and Conversion

The CNST is building a program that will create new methods for elucidating light-matter interaction, charge and energy transfer processes, catalytic activity, and interfacial structure in energy-related devices.

 

Although the research staff is organized into three Groups, each researcher applies his or her multidisciplinary expertise across multiple areas. Note that the NanoFab is operated by its own dedicated staff of processing engineers and technicians. Although the NanoFab staff focus on training and supporting the facility users, running the tools, and establishing consistent baseline processes, the staff also participates in research in the course of developing new processes. Similarly, members of the research staff regularly apply their expertise to help evaluate and consult on NanoFab projects.