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Physics and biology unite
POLICY NEWS
XMaS for new materials UK FUNDING
Operation of the X-ray Beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, is set to continue thanks to $5.4 million from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The EPSRC has already spent over $12 million constructing and running the X-ray Magnetic Scattering (XMaS) system over the last five years. "The award of this further five years of funding reflects the high quality research carried out by UK researchers using the beamline and the broad range of future scientific opportunities that XMaS will allow researchers to explore," explains physics program manager Lucy Brady. Malcolm Cooper of the University of Warwick and Chris Lucas of the University of Liverpool will lead the XMaS research. "The combination of instrumentation that we have developed on
State-of-the-art chips MICROELECTRONICS
An aerial photo of the Grenoble site. [Courtesy of ESPRC.]
XMaS makes the facility second-to-none worldwide for atomic scale studies ranging from the structure of novel computer storage media to the surface reactions of catalysts and battery materials," says Cooper.
IBM unveiled its new $2.5 billion stateof-the-art semiconductor facility in East Fishkill, New York. Despite not being the first 300 mm wafer facility, IBM officials claim it is the most advanced of its kind and will be the first to mass produce chips on this new silicon wafer size. The 13 000 m2 facility is expected to reach full production in February next year. It combines IBM's chip-making technologies such as copper wiring, silicon-on-insulator, and low-k dielectrics and will allow both development and manufacture on site. Despite the massive downturn in the semiconductor industry, IBM president and CEO Sam Palmisano is confident that the move will "reinvigorate our microelectronics business."
Physics and biology unite US FUNDING Scientists from Florida State University's biology, physics and materials departments are teaming up to develop biological nano-scale machines. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding a project to develop a hybrid biological/mechanical actuator. The device would be 'powered' by proteins – following the example of how muscles are fueled. If successful, the initial $800 000 funding will be followed by $1.2 million in 18 months' time. The potential of nanotechnology to
enable new biological sensors is being investigated with a four-year, $1 million project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The work aims to develop a biological sensor able to detect single molecules of various substances in the blood. "There has been a lot of speculation about how nano-scale devices will improve our lives," says Bryant Chase who is coordinating one project. "If even only 1% of the speculation turns out to be correct, our lives will be greatly improved."
Research – the final frontier US FUNDING
NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, is establishing seven University Research, Engineering and Technology Institutes (URETIs). Georgia Institute of Technology, the Universities of Florida, Maryland, California Los Angeles, Texas A&M, Princeton, and Purdue have been selected as collaborative partners and negotiations are underway. The primary role of the institutes will be to
12
October 2002
perform fundamental research and development in areas ranging from aeropropulsion to nanoelectronics to bionanotechnology materials and structures for aerospace vehicles. Each URETI will also support students and other learning and training opportunities for the aerospace workforce. The agreements will be for an initial five-year period, up to a maximum of ten years, at a rate of $3 million per year.
Critical lithography MICROELECTRONICS An alliance between International SEMATECH (ISMT) and the University at Albany-SUNY will enable "critical work on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography infrastructure faster and better," says CEO Bob Helms. Plans for the five-year $320 million program to develop next-generation lithography have been agreed and contracts are due to be signed later this year. International SEMATECH North will be managed by ISMT and housed in Albany's two 300 mm wafer cleanrooms, currently under construction. The two will share the management of the program. "By jointly funding this major R&D initiative, ISMT can expand its infrastructure of programs and more efficiently address the critical challenges identified in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors," explains Helms.
XMaS for new materials UK FUNDING
Operation of the X-ray Beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, is set to continue thanks to $5.4 million from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The EPSRC has already spent over $12 million constructing and running the X-ray Magnetic Scattering (XMaS) system over the last five years. "The award of this further five years of funding reflects the high quality research carried out by UK researchers using the beamline and the broad range of future scientific opportunities that XMaS will allow researchers to explore," explains physics program manager Lucy Brady. Malcolm Cooper of the University of Warwick and Chris Lucas of the University of Liverpool will lead the XMaS research. "The combination of instrumentation that we have developed on
State-of-the-art chips MICROELECTRONICS
An aerial photo of the Grenoble site. [Courtesy of ESPRC.]
XMaS makes the facility second-to-none worldwide for atomic scale studies ranging from the structure of novel computer storage media to the surface reactions of catalysts and battery materials," says Cooper.
IBM unveiled its new $2.5 billion stateof-the-art semiconductor facility in East Fishkill, New York. Despite not being the first 300 mm wafer facility, IBM officials claim it is the most advanced of its kind and will be the first to mass produce chips on this new silicon wafer size. The 13 000 m2 facility is expected to reach full production in February next year. It combines IBM's chip-making technologies such as copper wiring, silicon-on-insulator, and low-k dielectrics and will allow both development and manufacture on site. Despite the massive downturn in the semiconductor industry, IBM president and CEO Sam Palmisano is confident that the move will "reinvigorate our microelectronics business."
Physics and biology unite US FUNDING Scientists from Florida State University's biology, physics and materials departments are teaming up to develop biological nano-scale machines. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding a project to develop a hybrid biological/mechanical actuator. The device would be 'powered' by proteins – following the example of how muscles are fueled. If successful, the initial $800 000 funding will be followed by $1.2 million in 18 months' time. The potential of nanotechnology to
enable new biological sensors is being investigated with a four-year, $1 million project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The work aims to develop a biological sensor able to detect single molecules of various substances in the blood. "There has been a lot of speculation about how nano-scale devices will improve our lives," says Bryant Chase who is coordinating one project. "If even only 1% of the speculation turns out to be correct, our lives will be greatly improved."
Research – the final frontier US FUNDING
NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, is establishing seven University Research, Engineering and Technology Institutes (URETIs). Georgia Institute of Technology, the Universities of Florida, Maryland, California Los Angeles, Texas A&M, Princeton, and Purdue have been selected as collaborative partners and negotiations are underway. The primary role of the institutes will be to
12
October 2002
perform fundamental research and development in areas ranging from aeropropulsion to nanoelectronics to bionanotechnology materials and structures for aerospace vehicles. Each URETI will also support students and other learning and training opportunities for the aerospace workforce. The agreements will be for an initial five-year period, up to a maximum of ten years, at a rate of $3 million per year.
Critical lithography MICROELECTRONICS An alliance between International SEMATECH (ISMT) and the University at Albany-SUNY will enable "critical work on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography infrastructure faster and better," says CEO Bob Helms. Plans for the five-year $320 million program to develop next-generation lithography have been agreed and contracts are due to be signed later this year. International SEMATECH North will be managed by ISMT and housed in Albany's two 300 mm wafer cleanrooms, currently under construction. The two will share the management of the program. "By jointly funding this major R&D initiative, ISMT can expand its infrastructure of programs and more efficiently address the critical challenges identified in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors," explains Helms.