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Area IV Laboratories and Facilities
The research in Area IV Engineering Physics is carried out in a number of locations around MIT and includes central facilities that are open to the entire campus, as well as individually-supervised laboratories. Research facilities within an individual research group are typically available, on an arranged basis, to all students of MIT. In the central facilities, students are trained in the proper use of equipment and safe practice when in the lab. Additionally, a number of technician-operated facilities are available for students to access. Below is a brief description of a number of laboratories and facilities supervised by Area IV faculty and research staff.
- Core Facilities of Center for Biomedical Engineering (A.J. Grodzinsky, director): a description of the microscope imaging facility is found at http://web.mit.edu/cbe/www/facilities.html.
- Central facilities of
Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) (J.D. Joannopoulos, Director): the central facilities of the ISN, located at bldg. NE47 500 Technology Square, contain a multitude of equipment needed for nano-processing complete with characterization and extensive modeling as well. The following link offers an insight into the equipment that is available in the ISN central facility: http://web.mit.edu/isn/newsandevents/isnnews/isnnews903.pdf - Within the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC), the largest university laboratory of its kind in the US, a key facility is the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak. The Alcator Tokamak produces plasma conditions approximating those required for fusion and operates at the highest magnetic field of any magnetically-confined fusion experiment in the world. The facilities are available to all departments at MIT and to a number of plasma research groups. Additionally, within the Plasma Electrodynamics Group, significant computational facilities are available and are located in room 38-268. [See the website: http://rleweb.mit.edu/rlestaff/p-bers.htm]. For those who are interested, brochures are available from the PSFC, located in NW16 and NW17 and outside room 38-266.
- Within the Research Laboratory of Electronics, the Nanoprecision Deposition Laboratoryis a state-of-the-art facility established for the layer-by-layer deposition of materials, especially compound semiconductors and dielectrics. Two deposition techniques are available including molecular beam epitaxy, for III-V compound semiconductors containing arsenic, phosphorus and antimony, and ion beam deposition for dielectrics of silicon dioxide or tantalum pentoxide. In the photo, left, the molecular beam epitaxy system has two ultrahigh vacuum reactors that are interconnected to a central cluster tool for wafer loading and processing. The molecular beam epitaxy system is capable of handling more than one wafer and is also capable of depositing material onto wafers having up to 8 inch diameters. See http://web.mit.edu/cbegroup/www/laboratory.html.
- Facilities in the Nanostructures Laboratory (NSL) support the development of advanced processing tools and techniques for fabricating surface structures with feature sizes down to a few nanometers. Facilities are available for photo-, interferometric, and nanoimprint lithography. In addition, the NSL houses materials and processing facilities for etching (chemical, plasma, and reactive-ion), lift-off, electroplating, sputter deposition, and electron-beam evaporation. See http://nanoweb.mit.edu/.
- Scanning-Electron-Beam Lithography Facility (SEBL): The scanning-electron-beam lithography facility enables writing of arbitrary pattern geometries over large area substrates (up to 150 mm). Features as small as 5 nm on pitches as narrow as 10 nm have been fabricated. The facility includes two SEBL systems, a VS26 and a Raith 150. The former was developed at IBM Research Center specifically for electron-beam lithography and operates at 50keV. The Raith 150 is a Zeiss scanning electron microscope modified for electron-beam lithography by the addition of a laser interferometrically-controlled stage, blanking electronics and software. For more information see: http://www.rle.mit.edu/sebl/.
- The Optics and Quantum Electronics Group of the Research Laboratory of Electronics has world leading facilities for ultrafast optics and integrated photonics, including femtosecond lasers with a variety of capabilities, advanced instrumentation for ultrafast and ultra-broadband measurement, optical fiber devices and optical probes for nanoscale diagnostics. These facilities are used for research on optical clocks and frequency standards, optical networks, and densely integrated photonic circuits, as well as studies of ultrafast phenomena in materials and devices and the development of new femtosecond capabilities. More information about the people and activities of this group can be found at http://www.rle.mit.edu/oqe/people.htm.
- MIT is engaged in a comprehensive program of research into various aspects of microelectronics that encompasses fabrication, design and architecture. The research in Area IV relevant to microelectronics includes work on: semiconductor materials and materials processing, the development of novel devices and device structures, microelectromechanical and microfluidic devices, structures, and systems. The physical resources to support microsystems and nanotechnology research are located in Bldg. 38 and 39; the Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) complex also provides for computer-aided design (CAD), testing and masking facilities. A brief description of the various laboratories is below; however, more extensive detail is found on the MTL Web page: http://mtlweb.mit.edu/services/index.html.
- The Integrated Circuits Research Laboratories (ICL) is a complete state-of-the-art integrated circuits and fabrication laboratory containing 2800 sq. ft. of class 10 space, and equipped with a full complement of facilities for the fabrication of microelectronic circuits with features at or below the 1µm level. The ICL, as well as the Technology Research Laboratory (see below), is staffed and operated by professional personnel, and qualified students can make arrangements for direct access.
- The Technology Research Laboratory (TRL) provides nearly 4000 sq. ft. of space, with 2200 sq. ft. being class 100, where graduate students and staff carry out novel process development. A wide variety of common-use and research-group specific equipment is housed in the TRL.
- Of course, research in Area IV includes fundamental studies of materials and devices and necessarily therefore requires characterization capability; such capability is found in the Center for Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE) with a link at http://web.mit.edu/cmse/facilities/mit.html. The Shared Experimental Facilities (SEFs) found in CMSE offer researchers state-of-the-art electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, crystal growth and extensive material analysis including surface, thermal, and optical material analysis. These facilities are available to any member of the MIT community and are maintained by a team of qualified research personnel. Following the proper training for the use of various pieces of equipment, qualified graduate students are welcome to use the equipment individually.