The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering: University of Albany's World Class Research

The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex – a $4.2 billion megaplex that has attracted over 250 global corporate partners – is the most advanced research complex at any university in the world.

Facilities

CNSE students, faculty and corporate research partners have access to some of the most extensive facilities and leading edge tools available anywhere in the world.

CNSE is located within a 450,000 square foot complex that houses the most advanced 200mm/300mm wafer facilities in the academic world, including over 60,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms equipped with 300mm wafer processing tools.

The complex incorporates state-of-the-art, R&D and prototype manufacturing infrastructure for nano/microelectronics, nanophotonics and optoelectronics, nano/micro systems (MEMS) and nanopower science and technology.

Faculty and students have access to leading edge tools in metrology, lithography including EUV lithography, front-end-of-line and back-end-of-line processing. Qualified instructors and trained technicians help students and faculty master the tools and equipment and carry out their own experiments.

The NanoTech Complex

CNSE’s Albany NanoTech complex provides technology acceleration and business incubation support for onsite corporate partners including IBM, TEL, Applied Materials, ASML and International SEMATECH North, as well as other “next generation” nanotechnology research activities.

NanoFab 300 North, completed in December 2005, is a 228,000 square foot, $175 million facility including 35,000 square feet of cleanroom space with Class 1 capable 300mm wafer production. The NFN facility also houses the world’s first extreme ultraviolet (“EUV”) Alpha Demo Tool, developed by ASML.

NanoFab 300 South, completed in March 2004, is a 150,000 square foot, $50 million facility including 32,000 square feet of cleanroom space. The facility also includes classrooms and offices for the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.

NanoFab 200 (also known as CESTM) was completed in June 1997. This 70,000 square foot, $16.5 million facility includes 4,000 square feet of cleanroom space, plus CNSE metrology labs and office space for programs such as the State University of New York’s Atmospheric Sciences Research Center.

NanoFab 300 East is scheduled to be completed in fall 2008. The 250,000 square foot, $150 million facility will include 15,000 square feet of 300mm wafer, class 1 capable cleanroom space.

In sum, the CNSE complex will total 800,000 square feet of cutting-edge facilities with 80,000 square feet of 300mm wafer, class 1 capable cleanrooms, $4.2 billion in investments and 2500 R&D jobs on site by end of 2009.

Metrology Labs

Nanoscale Metrology and Imaging Center

Advances in the development of technologies and devices - semiconductors, optoelectronics, MEMS, nano-technology - require very powerful thin film and material characterization techniques. To this end, CNSE has established a comprehensive characterization laboratory with several advanced analytical capabilities in support of its projects.

CNSE's Nanoscale Metrology and Imaging Center offers its analytical capability and expertise to its Technology Development Partners that are hosted on campus (IBM, International SEMATECH, TEL, etc.) The Nanoscale Metrology and Imaging Center also provides its characterization expertise to third parties with the objective to assist local and regional colleges, universities and companies in their research and development efforts.

Business Resources

At CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex, corporate partners have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, supercomputer center, shared-user facilities and an array of scientific centers serving their long and shorter-term technology development needs, while training the workforce for the 21st century. We strive to provide a virtual one-stop shop for our partners by assisting companies to overcome technical, market and business development barriers through technology incubation, pilot prototyping and test-bed integration support, leading to targeted deployment of nanotechnology-based products.

This quick turn-around capability supports the increasingly difficult first stage fabrication cycle using industry compliant wafers and processes, allowing seamless transition to high volume industrial manufacturing after the demonstration of feasibility stage.

"Proof-of-concept" technology incubation is provided with over 450,000 sq. ft. of on-site office, laboratory and clean room incubation facilities. The Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory has designated Albany a "Clean Energy Incubator," providing access to direct operating support and a national alliance of venture capital investors and technology companies located around the country.
Product qualification support is provided with access to a unique state-of-the-art industry standard semiconductor fabrication facility, serving as a technology test-bed leading to the development, demonstration, integration and qualification of advanced fabrication technologies for the semiconductor industry.

Center of Excellence

New York State has provided unprecedented support for high technology development over the last several years. Over $1.4 billion has been committed by the state and its industrial partners to establish five Centers of Excellence in nanoelectronics, photonics, bioinformatics, information technology and environmental systems. Combined, these distributed technology deployment centers represent a comprehensive and integrated nanotechnology commercialization powerhouse.

The Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics (CEN) at CNSE's Albany NanoTech complex is a fully-integrated technology deployment, product prototyping, manufacturing support, and workforce training resource for emerging generations of integrated circuitry (IC). Its targeted portfolio of nanoelectronics-based products ranges from emerging microprocessor and memory computer chips with higher functionality and complexity, to the rapidly evolving areas of micro- and nanosystem based "systems-on-a-chip" (SOC) technologies, including biochips, optoelectronics and photonics devices, and nanosensors for the energy and the environment.

The overarching goal of the CEN is to act as a world class center for pre-competitive and competitive technology deployment, quick turn-around prototyping, and workforce training and development using universal 200mm and 300mm wafer platforms. Its aim is to assemble the critical mass necessary for the creation of vertically and horizontally integrated industry-university consortia and public-private partnerships to convert long-term prospective innovations into real business opportunities and revenue-generating ventures, within a technically aggressive and economically competitive technology development and deployment environment. In addition, the CEN implements innovative real-time educational programs to train a critical pool of highly qualified scientists, engineers, and technicians to support the needs of the nanoelectronics industry in the 21st century.

To achieve the technical and economic goals of the CEN, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the University at Albany, in partnership with the State of New York and the private sector, has established a critical mass of integrated 200mm/300mm wafer research and development facilities. These facilities offer a state-of-the-art "quick-turn-around" and prototyping infrastructure to permit companies to perform, in close collaboration with CNSE's researchers and scientists, the increasingly difficult "proof-of-concept" and first stage fabrication runs using industry compliant wafers and processes. This capability thus ensures that nanotechnologies developed at CNSE are manufacturing worthy and cost-effective, and guarantees a seamless transition to the high-volume industrial manufacturing stage after the necessary and difficult demonstration of feasibility stage.

Strategic Partners:

• Absolute Promotions
• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)
• Albany Valve & Fitting
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
• Arsenal Business & Technology Partnership
• ASML
• Air Force Research Labs, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
• Air Products
• Alfred University
• AM&J Digital
• Applied Materials (AMAT)
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Benet Laboratories
• Blasch Precision Ceramics
• Capital Signsmith, Inc.
• Capovani Brothers
• Center for Economic Growth (CEG)
• Center of Excellence for Infotonics
• Center of Excellence for Environmental Systems
• Chapman Instruments
• Clean Air Technologies
• Commerce Hub
• Con Ed New York
• Critical Imaging
• CVD Equipment
• DARPA
• Dow Chemical
• Dow Corning
• DuPont
• Eastman Kodak
• Ebara Technologies
• EKC Technology Inc.
• Einhorn Yaffee Prescott (EYP)
• Electric Power Research Institute
• Empire State Development
• Energetiq Technology
• EVGroup
• EYP Mission Critical
• Fala Technologies
• Ferro Corporation
• Florida State University
• Fluor Corp.
• Freescale Semiconductor
• Gelest
• General Electric
• Genus
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Glimmerglass, Ltd.
• Harriman Research & Technology Development Corp.
• Harvard University
• HC Starck
• Honeywell
• Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC)
• Hudson Valley EDC
• IBM
• Icon Dynamics
• IEM Corporation
• Imitec Inc.
• Inficon
• Intel
• Intermagnetics General (IGC)
• International SEMATECH
• InterScience Inc.
• Intevac
• Inverter Unlimited Inc.
• Ion Optics
• KLA Tencor
• Lehman Brothers
• Lockheed Martin Federal Systems
• M&W Zander
• MARCO
• MKS Instruments
• Marktech Optoelectronics
• MIT
• Materials Diagnostics
• Mechanical Technology Inc.
• Micron Technology, Inc.
• Minatec
• Molecular Imaging
• Motorola
• MTECH Labs
• Nano Ink
• NanoQuebec
• NASA
• National Grid
• NY Power Authority
• NYSERDA
• NYSTAR
• Northeast Health
• Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum
• Philips Semiconductor
• Physical Electronics
• Planar Semiconductor Corp.
• Plug Power
• Praxair
• Precision Flow Technologies
• Purdue University
• Qimonda
• Raytheon Corp.
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Saratoga Economic Development Corp.
• SEMI
• Semiconductor Research Corporation
• Sequenom
• Solid State Cooling
• Sony
• SourceOne Network
• Stanford University
• Starfire Systems
• Stony Brook University
• Syracuse MDA
• Tech Valley Printing
• Texas Instruments
• Thermo Electron
• Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL)
• Toshiba
• UES Inc.
• Union College
• Veeco
• Vistec
• Welliver & McGuire
• X-Ray Optical Systems
• Yale University
• Zeiss


Degree Programs at UAlbany

CNSE's cross-disciplinary Ph.D. and M.S. curricula integrate the fundamental principles of physics, chemistry, computer science, biology, mathematics, and engineering with the cross cutting fields of nanosciences, nanoengineering, nanotechnology, and nanoeconomics. A comprehensive portfolio of courses provides fundamental knowledge in the design, growth, and properties of nanomaterials (including metals, semiconductors, polymers, and chemical and biological materials). This includes the integration, processing, testing and qualification of these materials in integrated nanocircuitry, micro- and nanosystems and sensors, and integrated optics.

The Nanoscale Science program provides the critical theoretical and experimental skill base and know-how for knowledge creation in the areas of nanoscale materials, structures, and architectures.

The Nanoscale Engineering program provides corresponding skill and expertise in the design, fabrication, and integration of nanoscale devices, structures, and systems for the development and deployment of emerging nanotechnologies.

Both the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Masters of Science (M.S.) curricula place significant emphasis on the science and technology know-how for atomic scale material modeling, characterization, and metrology within each discipline, enabling students to develop the fundamental skills necessary for independent and original research. The curricula are also designed to enable students to acquire specialization in the economics of the semiconductor and nanotechnology industries.

The "Nano+MBA" represents two dual-degree interdisciplinary programs, linking the M.S. in Nanoscale Science or the M.S. in Nanoscale Engineering with the Masters in Business Administration (MBA). The "Nano+MBA" is a cooperative effort between the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and the School of Business at the University at Albany. The goal of the programs is to develop industry ready graduates who will be facilitators of change with the ability to integrate science or engineering with business and management.

CNSE offers the following graduate programs leading to Masters of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees:

• M.S. in Nanoscale Science
• Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science
• M.S. in Nanoscale Engineering*
• Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering*

*The M.S. and Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering do not lead to New York State licensure for practicing engineers in civil construction, surveying or the trades.

CNSE offers two dual-degree "Nano+MBA" programs:

• M.S. in Nanoscale Science/Masters of Business Administration
• M.S. in Nanoscale Engineering/Masters of Business Administration

Courtesy: University of Albany