MRI

This year's comprehensive maintenance week has once again proven its tremendous value to our nanofabrication operations, delivering improvements in system reliability and facility performance throughout the past twelve months. During this intensive five-day period, our technical teams successfully serviced nearly all critical systems across the facility, from lithography and deposition tools to environmental controls and support equipment. This proactive approach has resulted in a reduction in unscheduled shutdowns, translating to increased research throughput.

The Materials Characterization Laboratory will offer two hands-on characterization courses this fall.  Space in each course is very limited.  For more information, reach out to the course instructors or Josh Stapleton – jjs366@psu.edu.

Join us for an informative workshop where MCL's thermal analysis suite will be showcased. This session will cover three key techniques: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and combined TGA/DSC up to 1500°C (SDT), along with evolved gas analysis (EGA) via a TGA coupled to a Mass Spectrometer (TGA-MS). Learn directly from the instrument manufacturer how to maximize the use of these instruments. Bring your application examples and questions for discussion.

LOCATION
N-201 Millennium Science Complex
University Park, PA

WHEN

Co-hosted by the 2DCC and the Nanofab Nanomanufacturing of Emerging 2D Materials and Devices

Rate Setting and Subsidy Levels

The new LEO storefront feature has had a limited release and is being piloted by the Nanofabrication Facility. This feature makes it easier for researchers to request supply and consumable items for their research projects. The automated request system has been embedded into the LEO interface and allows researchers to request items without having to track down a staff member. Fulfillment notifications from staff indicate where and when the item(s) can be picked up. This new feature will be refined and further improved through user feedback.

The Nanofab now offers the Eshylon Charging Station and electrostatic carrier wafers—an advanced solution for mounting thin wafers and small parts in etch tools. This system improves thermal stability, eliminates adhesive residue, and enables damage-free handling of fragile substrates. It ensures uniform contact and heat transfer, making it ideal for high-temperature or delicate processes. For implementation support, contact Guy Lavallee.

The Nanofab now offers advanced, automated electron beam lithography calibration using GenISys Inspec software, integrated with our Zeiss Crossbeam 550L. This powerful SEM-based solution enables rapid, high-precision pattern inspection and seamless data export to Tracer and Beamer software, creating a fast, automated feedback loop for optimizing pattern fidelity and process control. Researchers can contact Chad Eichfeld or Bangzhi Liu to get started.

This unique one-credit course, offered by Penn State’s Materials Characterization Laboratory, is designed to teach students the fundamental theory and practical skills required to properly operate a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The class will consist of a mixture of hands-on activities on the microscope and lectures.  Topics covered will include basic operation and components of the microscope, imaging modes and detectors, imaging variables, imaging of non-conductive samples, sample preparation, and elemental mapping using energy dispersive spectroscopy.

FREE WORKSHOP
JULY 22 - 23, 2025
The Materials Characterization Lab (MCL) and Bruker are excited to co-host a two-day workshop on July 22–23 at the Millennium Science Complex. Dive into the latest innovations and real-world applications in atomic force microscopy, nanoscale infrared spectroscopy, and nanoindentation.

Whether you're working in materials science or the life sciences, this workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore how these powerful techniques are transforming research at the nanoscale.