Nanofabrication Facility

��AV is keeping it "nanofab-ulous" as nanotechnology efforts expand

Katarina Benson — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:48:44 +0000

��AV is keeping it "nanofab-ulous" as nanotechnology efforts expand Katarina Benson Wed, 02/26/2025 - 10:48

Ever since InsideNoVa’s Bruce Potter coined the term “nanofab-ulous” to describe the exciting advancements in nanotechnology in the region, ��AV has embraced it in full force.

A student enjoys the exhibits at Nanotechnology Day on the Science and Technology Campus. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Eleanor Wagoner, one of the brains behind Nanotechnology Day and Nano Boot Camp, finds the phrase is a new part of her regular vernacular. The school is certainly living up to that name, broadening its efforts to educate and inspire future leaders in the field that’s revolutionizing how we live and work.

George Mason provides students, faculty, and the community with real-world experiences that bring academic knowledge to life. These programs create pathways to careers in high-demand sectors like health care and microelectronics while making nanoscience more relatable to the public.

The second Nanotechnology Day was held in October 2024 on the university’s Science and Technology Campus. Participants in Katherine Johnson Hall immediately found themselves surrounded by interactive stations and engaging lectures presented by career scientists. Wagoner said that she couldn't have imagined a better turnout.

"Witnessing people become genuinely excited about nanotechnology was my biggest motivation for creating this event," said Wagoner, the STEM outreach coordinator for the Institute for Biohealth Innovation (IBI) at George Mason. "It’s the type of event that causes people to realize that they're more than capable of grasping a topic that's often seen as highly complex."

Nano Boot Camp, launched in January 2025, is for those who want to get up close and personal with nanofabrication. The program does not rely solely on classroom lectures: Participants jump right into the clean room in the university’s Nanofabrication Facility to test their new skills.

From left, Nanofabrication Facility manager Shawn Wagoner with Nano Boot Camp participants William West and Hongmei Jian Roy. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Camp participant Bryson Higginbotham said he was happy to have discovered a program that recognizes that not everyone has the same learning style.

"Nano Boot Camp was really refreshing as someone who is a hands-on learner," said Higginbotham, a security officer at George Mason’s Biomedical Research Laboratory. "I’m looking for a lifelong career, and when the executive director of the IBI, Amy Adams, offered me a spot in the program, I jumped at the chance to work with the machines and get a taste of what it’s like to be a professional in the field." GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of high-wage jobs in strategic industries, provided the funding that made Nano Boot Camp possible through the Nano-IMAGINE program. During her visit to the camp, GO Virginia Region 7 Vice President Susan Baker had the chance to meet participants, hear their stories, and learn about the hands-on training taking place.

“It was incredible to meet participants from so many different walks of life—veterans, career changers, and young professionals—all learning advanced nanotechnology skills,” said Baker. “This program shows how investing in education and workforce development doesn’t just change individual lives—it elevates the entire community.”

The university’s commitment to nanotechnology education is arriving at just the right time: Micron Technology, one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers, recently announced plans to invest up to $2.17 billion to bolster its operations in Manassas, Virginia, bringing up to 2,700 manufacturing and community jobs. The United States and Micron need a workforce trained for jobs in the semiconductor industry at scale. This will require workforce development solutions and access to STEM education that will create a highly skilled talent pipeline.

"��AV is developing the skilled professionals the semiconductor industry needs," said Delbert Parks, vice president and site executive of Micron Technology Virginia. "Programs like their Nano Boot Camp foster innovation and inspire students to pursue careers in STEM, forming a direct pipeline of talent that helps keep our industry strong."

Delegate Michelle Maldonado, who represents Virginia’s 20th District and is a GO Virginia state board member, has worked to bring funding to workforce programs in Prince William County. She’s proud of George Mason’s dedication to high-tech education and views it as an important contributor to the local economy.

“��AV’s focus on emerging technologies is helping build a competent and qualified workforce,” said Maldonado. “Giving individuals the right skills is vital to keeping Virginia competitive in today’s fast-paced tech environment."

George Mason is proving that diving into the nanoscale world doesn’t have to be intimidating. From inspiring curiosity to supporting people who are exploring new career paths, the university is making it more accessible than ever. And while the science may be small, its impact is anything but.

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Small prints with big impact

Nathan Kahl — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 15:33:41 +0000

Small prints with big impact Nathan Kahl Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:33

Lithography, a printmaking technique using a plate or other hard, smooth surface to transfer ink onto a medium such as paper, was invented in the late 18th century by German playwright Alois Senefelde. It is used to create a myriad of products, many sitting around your home and office.

But what if you needed to create something really small using lithographic techniques, even as small as the nanometer level, which is one billionth of a meter?

Ethan Ahn, an associate professor of electrical engineering at ��AV, is doing research using a new technique called electron-beam lithography (EBL), which scans a focused beam of electrons to draw shapes. In fact, as the only skilled practitioner at Northern Virginia’s only EBL facility—in the university’s Nanofabrication Facility on the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas—he’s an evangelist for the technique, eager to get students and other faculty members trained on the technology.

The university logo created with EBL. This image is blown up 17,000 times its actual size. The lines forming the logo are 250 nanometers wide, or 250 billionths of a meter.

“This equipment is infamous for its sensitivity,” he said. “It’s a hard tool to use and it takes a lot of practice, a lot of training, and a lot of knowledge. So, this is not something that’s easily accessible to everyone.”

In fact, before Ahn’s arrival in 2023, students and faculty who wanted to work on EBL had to go to the National Institute of Standards and Technology campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland, more than an hour away from SciTech. Ahn is eager to train students and others to use the EBL technology, envisioning allowing time for researchers both within and outside of George Mason to tinker with the tiny-making toy.

“We will be able to get grants and funding that we wouldn't without this technology, absolutely,” said Ahn, about the possibilities EBL opens up. “And there’s an implication for myself, for example, because I'm working on nano electronics, and this will let us make nanoscale logic devices, nanoscale memory devices, and more.”

Ahn with the EBL machine. Photo provided.

Ahn pointed to the microchip industry as a place where lithographic patterning is used extensively. Holding one up he said, “One small chip is as small as my thumb. But if you zoom in to see what is in there until you see individual devices and components, you’ll see billions of transistors there. That’s what I do for my research, making such devices using EBL, with transistors that are faster, more energy efficient, more reliable, and more secure.”

And students coming through Ahn’s EBL boot camp may find a future that is more secure, as they will be more marketable upon graduation, particularly in the high-tech hub that is the Washington, D.C., area.

Funding to support the EBL capability came from the GO Virginia Nano-IMAGINE program.

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Nanofabrication Lab opens on SciTech Campus

Martha Bushong — Fri, 17 May 2024 17:15:09 +0000

Nanofabrication Lab opens on SciTech Campus Martha Bushong Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:15

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New graduate certificate focuses on microfabrication

Colleen Rich — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 18:51:33 +0000

New graduate certificate focuses on microfabrication Colleen Rich Tue, 03/12/2024 - 14:51

In response to the evolving demands of the engineering industry, ��AV's College of Engineering and Computing is launching four new graduate certificate programs, offering specialized training in burgeoning areas in engineering and computer science.

Mason researcher Pei Dong in the lab. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

One of the new programs is the Microfabrication Graduate Certificate program, designed to address the growing demand for multidisciplinary training in the manufacturing sector.

Led by Mason mechanical engineering professor Pei Dong, this program will focus on practical training opportunities and is facilitated by Mason's new cleanroom facility, the Nanofabrication Facility on Mason’s Science and Technology Campus.

“Mason has demonstrated extensive expertise in this field for an extended period,” said Dong, whose research interests include the design and synthesis of advanced materials, as well as their applications in energy, water, and biomedical areas. “The new research facility now offers hands-on training opportunities for students, marking an exciting development. We believe the timing is perfect to launch the program.”

The space is the only cleanroom facility and resource for partners in Northern Virginia and offers interactive nanofabrication workforce training in groundbreaking research and emerging research applications that will accelerate growth of high-tech companies.

While the certificate program is designed to benefit Mason graduate students in engineering and science, Dong noted, those with a bachelor’s in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) field from outside of the university can also enroll.

The program began in spring 2023, and it comprises four courses: Introduction to Nano-Materials, Nano Bio Sensors, Semiconductor Device Fundamentals, and Solid State Physics and Applications.

“I am thrilled about the four courses currently available to students,” said Dong. “The tremendous support from the Mechanical Engineering Department, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, the Physics and Astronomy Department, and the cleanroom team, ensures that these courses offer comprehensive training from both engineering and science perspectives.”