The scanning electron microscope Sirion (FEI Co.) has been installed in the Nanofabrication Facility, the Dept. of Physics & Astronomy. This state-of-the-art thermal field emitter is equipped with the writing attachment, which enables the nanolithography with 10-nm resolution. The Nanofabrication Facility is already in use for the student training: two graduate students (Wei Jian and Elena Loginova), an undergraduate student (Lev Markov), and a high-school student (JonLuka Agnihotri) has been trained in nanolithography.

This laboratory has hosted two nano-interns: Leo in the summer 2002, and Jonluca in the summer 2003 (an on-going project on nanolithography). For his project “The Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth and Atomic Force Microscope Characterization of Organic Crystals”, Leo won the first prize in the competition among Rutgers nano-interns, as well as the prestigious 1st prize at the 41st annual Monmouth Junior Science Symposium hosted by Monmouth University. He received a four-year tuition scholarship to attend Monmouth University and a $4,000 cash award. Leo was also invited to present the winning paper at the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Professor Gershenson is responsible for the laboratory and has assisted in the Introduction to Nanomaterials course, contributing a three-lecture unit on nanoelectronics.