Nanomaterials, Nanostructures, and Nanofabrication

A (simulated) view down the middle of a boron nitride nanotube A (simulated) view down the middle of a boron nitride nanotube. (Photo Credit: Vin Crespi, Penn State Physics)

The ability to control or manipulate matter on the atomic scale is a key defining trait of nanofabrication and the nanotechnologies it enables. Materials frequently take on new properties at the nanoscale as opposed to their bulk form, sometimes with altered color, electrical conductivity, chemical reactivity, or flexibility. Nanomaterials such as carbon nanofibers are valued for their strength (about 100 times greater than steel at a fraction of the weight) and have been incorporated into many manufactured products. Nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices and systems are dependent on the availability of new nanomaterials and advanced nanofabrication methods. A separate section (See Biomedical Materials and Devices) focuses on the multiple uses and potential uses of nanomaterials in the life sciences.

Nanostructured materials and devices are created in two ways, called top-down and bottom-up. In top-down, nanostructures are created by carving away bulk materials, using techniques such as lithography or ion-beam milling. Bottom-up techniques use chemical methods, such as self-assembly, colloid chemistry, printing, and electrochemical deposition.

At Penn State, nearly one hundred research groups are engaged in high-impact science and engineering at the nanoscale. Penn State is one of only 14 university members of the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN), the federally mandated program that supports research and nanotechnology infrastructure across the nation. The Center for Nanoscale Science is a NSF sponsored Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) carrying out collaborative interdisciplinary research in nanoscale materials. Penn State is also a leader in nanotechnology education through the Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization.