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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division

The Division advances nanofabrication technologies and uses them to develop innovative integrated measurement microsystems.

Welcome to the Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division

Historical advances in precision control of materials, devices, and information have led to multiple revolutions in science, technology, and industry. New measurement science has preceded each step forward – if we can measure it, then we can make it. Nanoscale measurements underly the ability to fabricate diverse nanotechnologies, create devices that manipulate photons, phonons, and plasmons at the quantum limit, and probe the structures and functions of atoms, (bio)molecules, and particles. Achieving control and understanding at the smallest scales requires new approaches. The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division develops measurement science and technology to advance the state of the art of nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing and applies these novel capabilities to make innovative, integrated microsystems to advance and disseminate the SI, address the measurement needs of industry, academia, and government, and to support programs in quantum science, semiconductor manufacturing, and AI.

The division works on three synergistic research thrusts: nanostructure fabrication and measurement; biophysical and biomedical measurement and technology; and photonics and optomechanics. Each of these is led by the corresponding group. Our major programs are listed below.

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

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Accurate Mapping of Thermal Properties at the Nanoscale

Ongoing
Continuous advances in the performance and functionality of semiconductor devices have been driven by scale reduction, incorporation of new and nanomaterials, and by heterogeneous integration (HI). However, such scaling and integrated architecture has rendered existing thermal metrology inadequate
Diagram of In-Situ AFM During Resist Development

Advanced Metrology to Enable Next Generation EUV Photoresists

Ongoing
EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography, the technology that “saved Moore’s Law,” is widely regarded as the future of cutting-edge nanofabrication. It was developed in the United States and U.S. companies in many parts of the EUV ecosystem have established dominance in the field that must be defended
atomic-force microscopy illustration

Atomic-force microscopy

Ongoing
Atomic-force microscopy enables subnanometer imaging resolution, to extract geometric parameters of reference structures that advance measurement science, and to quantify the accuracy of device design and fabrication for stakeholders. We are advancing two primary atomic-force microscopy systems

Software

Cover page for Nanolithography Toolbox manual

CNST Nanolithography Toolbox

The Nanolithography Toolbox is a platform-independent software package for scripted lithography pattern layout generation. The Center for Nanoscale Science and
MOSAIC Icon

MOSAIC

MOSAIC is a modular single-molecule analysis toolbox to decode multi-state single-molecule and nanopore time-series data. Read the documentation for additional

Awards

Press Coverage

green laser

Miniature Lasers Fill The "Green Gap"

Optics & Photonics News
Researchers in the United States have demonstrated a chip-based platform that is capable of creating and tuning laser light at all wavelengths across the so

Patents

Nucleic Acid Nanostructures

NIST Inventors
Jacob Majikes and Veronika Szalai
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and composition of a nucleic acid tile with addressable locations for placement of molecular species that can function as sensors, reporters, or enhancers of measurement systems. Embodiments of the present invention may also include a nucleic

Thin Film Magnetic Magnitude Sensor

NIST Inventors
David Gundlach , Emily Bittle and Sebastian Engmann
A novel magnetic field sensor (MFS) may be created with an organic light emitting diode (OLED) made from an organic semiconductor material and an organic photodetector (OPD) built directly on top (or below) of the OLED, wherein one layer is made from a magnetically isotropic material, and which

Optomechanical Ultrasound Detector And Performing Ultrasound Imaging

NIST Inventors
David Long , Thomas W. LeBrun and Jason J. Gorman
An optomechanical ultrasound detector includes: a micromirror substrate; a mechanical resonator that receives ultrasound waves, oscillates at resonator frequency f.sub.r, changes cavity length L.sub.c, and produces intra-cavity light; and an optical microcavity between the micromirror substrate and

Contacts

Division Chief and Deputy Division Chief

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