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Welcome to the Nanofabrication Lab

We provide access to our world-class facilities and staff while offering the most progressive IP policy in academia.

The Nanofabrication Laboratory saves companies the expense of maintaining their own state-of-the-art equipment.

These engineered films have great potential for energy harvesting applications, MEMS, micro actuators, and sensors for a variety of miniaturized systems.

Lab space within the 9,500 sq. ft. Nanofab Cleanroom (Class 1000 / 100)

Controlling the optical behavior of molecules near the vicinity of noble metal nanoparticles

Our Story

A hallmark of our facility is the “three laboratories-one integrated solution” concept. We provide open access to MRI facilities for fabrication at the nano- and micro-scale, in conjunction with materials and device characterization utilizing the most advanced techniques available, and a suite of computational modeling capabilities backed by faculty experts. With our three-lab solution, our staff scientists and engineers will enable users to transition fundamental research in nanomaterials to innovation-driven multicomponent integrated devices and system demonstration.

Research Expertise

SEM of tunneling field effect transistor Energy Efficient Information Processing Devices and Architectures
Flexible Circuit Film Materials and Devices for Free Form Electronics and Optoelectronics
Maintain high energy density values as the capacitor volume increases Functional Oxides for Transduction, Actuation, and Sensing
Simulating cell enviornoments during metastasis NanoBioFluidic, NanoBioMechanical Systems for Personal and Global Health
Organic electronics Heterogeneous Integration
Gear produces with 3D printing Advanced Additive Manufacturing

FREE Characterization Webinars for 2DCC Users

With the reduction in campus research activities, the Penn State Materials Characterization Lab (MCL) is initiating a FREE webinar series “Making the Best of a Bad Situation:  Characterization Seminar Series” to keep users engaged and learning about various analytical techniques. We are partnering with several Big Ten facilities at: the University of Wisconsin, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign to offer 3 webinars per week starting Monday March 30th.  These will be held via Zoom on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays at 11:00AM eastern time. For a listing of upcoming webinars and to register (required) visit the MCL webpage at https://www.mri.psu.edu/materials-characterization-lab/webinars

Two-Dimensional Metals Open Pathways To New Science

Click here to read the article 

Core Capabilities

The general theme of the Nanofabrication Laboratory's core areas is the ability to handle non-standard materials alongside the more common materials. Procedures are in place to handle a wide variety of research that often uses non-standard materials.

News in the Nanofab

Randy McEnctaffer, professor of astronomy and astrophysics and of physics at Penn State, and his research group utilize the state of the art lithography, etch and deposition tools in the MRI nanofab to fabricate the diffraction gratings used in x-ray telescopes. Recently one of those telescopes, the Water Recovery X-ray rocket, or WRX was launched from Kwajalein Atoll, the Republic of the Marshall Islands on April 4th 2018 with gratings made at the PSU nanofab. 

Read the full story on news.psu.edu.

Customer Quotes

Using the PSU nanofab, we have avoided millions of dollars in capital expenses, saving precious capital and extending our runway.  For a startup company, that's a big deal.  The Nanofab staff is capable and ready to help; they bailed us out of a difficult situation more than once.

We have been using the fabrication facilities at Penn State to build and characterize our development  devices for five  years.  The equipment is well maintained by a knowledgeable, capable, and helpful staff so its ready when we are.  We've saved millions in capital and operational expenditures; more importantly, we saved precious time.  Great job, keep it up!

 Joe Marcanio, Owner & CEO, Marcanio Co., Greensburg, PA

Nanovus is successful at the Penn State Nanofab because the world class facility is well maintain by a professional dedicated staff.  There are baseline recipes for all of the equipment and the staff actively provides technical support on the equipment and process flow.  The Nanofab is complemented by the professionally staffed, full characterization suite in the same building.  I have not found the the breadth or depth of abilities anywhere else.

 Mike Rogosky, Owner, Navous, Lancaster, PA

As a small business resources are often limited, Nanofab worked with our engineers to produce micro featured gears for one of our medical devices. The bench top gear data was leveraged to support a successfully awarded Phase II NSF grant.

 Maureen L. Mulvihill, PhD, President & CEO, Actuated Medical Inc., Bellefonte, PA

The level of technical resources provided by the PSU Nanofab can help enable and extend the continued growth and global reach of our Pennsylvania-based company. We enthusiastically support the PSU Nanofab and will actively seek ways to strengthen our relationship with this valuable resources.

 Kurt J. Lesker III, CEO, Kurt J. Lesker Company, Pittsburgh, PA

Publication Acknowledgement

Part of this work was carried out in the Nanofabrication Laboratory at Penn State's Materials Research Institute