Nanoengineering: Giant Steps with Tiny Technologies
Working at nanoscale requires not only specialized knowledge but also specialized tools. Consider: a nanometer is roughly the length that one’s fingernails grow in one second; therefore, the typical tools and instruments one uses to work with materials on a macro scale are impractical in nanoengineering. Having the most advanced tools and facilities, therefore, is critical to successful research.
While nanoengineering is still a relatively new area of exploration, the labs at MIT that have been dedicated to the pursuit were quite old. But thanks to (the latest) generous gift from Jane and Neil (EE ’64) Pappalardo, the new Pappalardo Micro and Nanoengineering Labs (known as Pappalardo II) opened in May 2006, providing a big step forward in research into tiny technologies.
New facilities for research and education
Pappalardo II offers nearly 5,500 square feet of space for nano-scale mechanical engineering research, including four research laboratories, a teaching laboratory, a conference room, a student lounge, and a test and measurement laboratory. The overall areas of research emphasis are bio-fluidics, thermal energy and micropower, and micro and nanomanufacturing phenomena. “With the new facilities, we are better able to integrate research with education,” says Gang Chen, director of Pappalardo II.
One example of this is in the area of microelectromechanical devices (MEMS). Introductory courses in the design and fabrication of MEMS devices are enhanced by the onsite research, construction, and testing carried on in the labs. At the same time, new insights gleaned in class or in the lab can quickly be presented in the other context, allowing, forging a dynamic relationship between teaching and lab work. Recently, Professor Carol Livermore from MechE and Professor Jeffrey Lang from Electrical Engineering and Computer Science collaborated on the development of a MEMS electro-quasistatic (EQS) generator that self-excites to produce enough electric power to light an LED. Comprising five layers at a total height of only 2.5mm, this was the first successful test of EQS at any scale.
Another example points out the special challenges in working with nano-scale materials. In semiconductors and insulators, heat is carried primarily by vibrations in the crystal lattice known as phonons. At small length scales, the classical diffusion-based model for heat conduction begins to fail. This makes modeling the energy transport challenging. Directed by Prof. Chen, the Nanoengineering group has been heavily involved in the development of simulation tools for multidimensional phonon transport. Based on the theoretical studies, the group has been designing nanostructured materials with strong size effects so that they can convert thermal energy into electricity more efficiently than their bulk counterparts.
Nano is big at MIT
MechE has more than 20 faculty members working in different aspects of micro/nanoengineering, such as nanomechanics, nano-optics, and nano-bioengineering. In addition to Pappalardo II, students have access to the capabilities of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) at MIT. MTL is an interdepartmental laboratory supporting research and education in micro- and nano- systems that was established in the mid-1980s within the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science departments. The MTL facilities contain more than $60,000,000 worth of capital equipment, and are maintained by a full-time professional staff of 25 engineers and technicians. Last year, more than 400 students and staff utilized the MTL shared facilities, representing 29 different institute departments, labs, and centers.
This demonstrates the level of emphasis and scope of opportunity that exist for students who wish to work at nanoscale. In fact, the School of Engineering adopted “Tiny Technologies” as a key theme in 2004, a rallying point around which a range of departments could collaborate to advance this rapidly growing field of inquiry. According to Professor Thomas L. Magnanti, dean of the School of Engineering, “With our tremendous strength in the building blocks of the nanotechnology revolution and fresh ideas generated by exciting new faculty and outstanding graduate students, it is clear that MIT is extremely well positioned to lead in the conception and development of these innovations.”
