Posted at the BLOG of SUNY-Albany (II)

Since the first moment that I saw the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, I thought that I was in another dimension. While the staff was showing us around the beautiful complex, I became even more excited of my acceptance as a summer intern to CNSE. In my life, I have never seen so much advanced technology in one place. CNSE is the ideal place to do any type of research on nanotechnology.
When I learned about my project, I had no idea what it was, then I met the people I would be working with and they explained the general idea of my project. I still needed to learn more details about my project, so I had to read about thirty papers to understand. That was my first task: just reading. When I finished reading, I did not understand much; however, every day I learn something new about my project.
The name of my project is "Modeling resist performance". The problem here is that when we want to measure the dimensions of the photoresist patterns with the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), there is a reaction between the resist and the electrons. Consequentially, the resist suffers a change called "shrinkage phenomenon". In other words, the photoresist shrinks and the dimensions change too. If we scan more with the SEM, the photoresist shrinks more. So, how do we get the true measurements? By using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) we can get the true measurements without damaging the resist. But this tool is not used to do that, because it is slower than a SEM. The best way to understand the phenomenon is just modeling it with math. So, I am working with MatLab program and comparing with the real data from AFM.

Daniel Bellido Aguilar, CNSE Intern

June 23, 2009

Posted at the BLOG of SUNY-Albany

Since the beginning of my internship at CNSE, I have learned many things: from simpler ideas such as the safety requirements to work in the lab, to more complex skills like preparing different kind of compounds. Being here made me realize that you need to be very careful in every action you do; everything is important and a little change can alter your product.
The project I'm working on for my internship is synthesizing acid amplifiers. These compounds are part of a photoresist. The resist is a polymer that covers the silicon wafer. The resist film can be imaged using EUV light. The goal of the project is to improve the resist resolution, LER (Line Edge Roughness), and sensitivity so that smaller computer chips can be made. The photoresist prepared with acid amplifiers works with EUV lithography. The EUV light has a wavelength of approximately 13.5nm. When it comes over the wafer, it interacts with another part of the photoresist called PAG (Photo Acid Generator), to generate an acid which interacts with the acid amplifier to generate more acid in an autocatalytic way.
My participation during my internship consists of preparing some acid amplifiers. I am also working with software to simulate the strength of the bonds in the compounds and learning a little bit about how to get NMR spectrums.

Sara Cruz, CNSE Intern

July 6, 2009

College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering Selects Students for Prestigious Internship Program

Fourteen New York State residents are among 17 undergraduates chosen to participate


Albany, NY – The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (“CNSE”) of the University at Albany is pleased to announce that 14 New York State residents are among 17 undergraduate students selected for participation in its prestigious Summer Internship Program.


Chosen from among a highly competitive pool of more than 120 applicants, the students have academic backgrounds in the physical, chemical, biological or computer sciences, mathematics or engineering. Collectively, they attend 11 colleges and universities, including the University at Albany, Binghamton University, Cornell University, Drexel University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Villanova University, Fordham University, University of Central Florida, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Universidad de las Americas Puebla.



CNSE’s Summer Internship Program provides hands-on research experience to qualified undergraduate students who wish to pursue careers in nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience and the nanotechnology industry. The program begins today and runs through August 7 at the UAlbany NanoCollege.



“We are again delighted to have selected some of the world’s finest young scientific minds for the UAlbany NanoCollege’s Summer Internship Program,” said Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of CNSE. “Through their participation in this world-class program, which combines pioneering education with cutting-edge research, these students will truly have a unique window into the exciting 21st century careers being enabled by nanotechnology.”



Each intern will work with one or more CNSE/industrial-partnered research programs, and interact closely with CNSE faculty, staff, post-doctoral researchers and graduate students. The program also offers exposure to industrial experts through weekly seminars and public presentation of research results. The capstone of the internship program is a public poster presentation showcasing each intern’s summer research project.



A list of participating students and their undergraduate colleges, along with faculty mentors and research topics, is available at www.cnse.albany.edu/academic_programs/internships.html.



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About CNSE. The UAlbany CNSE is the first college in the world dedicated to education, research, development, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex is the most advanced research enterprise of its kind at any university in the world. With over $4.5 billion in high-tech investments, the 800,000-square-foot complex attracts corporate partners from around the world and offers students a one-of-a-kind academic experience. The UAlbany NanoCollege houses the only fully-integrated, 300mm wafer, computer chip pilot prototyping and demonstration line within 80,000 square feet of Class 1 capable cleanrooms. More than 2,200 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty work on site at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech, from companies including IBM, AMD, GlobalFoundries, SEMATECH, Toshiba, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, ASML, Vistec Lithography and Atotech. For more information, visit www.cnse.albany.edu.

Verano 2009 en CNSE-SUNY-Albany

Bienvenidos al verano 2009 de investigación!

Este año nos enorgullece la selección de dos de sus compañeros: Sara Cruz Olivia Mateos y Daniel Angel Bellido, como representantes de América Latina en el 2009 Summer Research Internship del College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering en the University at Albany del State University of New York (SUNY).

A través de las entradas que nos compartirán, podremos conocer un poco de su experiencia y motivarlos a continuar en su estancia, como si estuviesen cerca de nosotros.

Enhorabuena Daniel y Sara! Les deseamos éxito.

1st. day!!!

This day has been incredible!!

Por fin estuvimos dentro del CNSE y es realmente impresionante. Las facilidades que tiene son de primer nivel... cuartos limpios, microscopía, laboratorios de litografía, bibliotecas, procesado de MEMS, NEMS y mucho más!

Nuestros proyectos involucrarán trabajar en diversas lugares, tanto en CNSE y dentro del campus de SUNY.

Cabe resaltar que ha sido una gran experiencia todo esto.

El día de ayer se perdieron nuestras maletas del vuelo de NY a Albany y hasta este preciso momento no han llegado... así que después de varias llamadas al aeropuerto por fin llegarán en 1 hora.

Además no sólo perdimos unas maletas... estuvimos a punto de perder un compañerito. Puesto que Robert fue interrogado por immigration durante 1 hora, pero no nos habíamos enterado qué pasó... por fin apareció... sano y salvo.

El trabajo ya comenzó y será demasiado. Algunos ya tenemos que leer varios capítulos y artículos.

El cartel del Papy Chonito se despedide del IPICIYT y los 7 nanos, desándoles lo mejor y animándolos a hacer un gran papel.

À bientôt!

Angie, Chris, Robert y Esteban ;)

4 Solteros Mexicanos en Nueva York!!!!

Pues aquí vamos....

Ya había conseguido allá en mi amada tierra (Chihuahua), unos buenos coyotoes que nos pasaran, pero pues.... las visas las tuvimos rápido y sin problema (mmmm ya tenía comisión... jajaja).

Nuestra aventura continúa ahora esperando "pacientemente" nuestro primer vuelo rumbo a la ciudad que nunca duerme... NY!! De ahí tomaremos otro vuelo hacia Albany.

Los temas de investigación que llevaremos a cabo durante esta estancia ya fueron asignados de la siguiente forma:

Angie: Nanojunction design and simulation using HDL and spice language and device physics.

Chris: Crystal Size and Measurement of ultra-thin films.

Robert: Trabajará con el Dr. Robert Geer y su proyecto tratará probablemente con nanometrología.

Esteban: Development of metal – metal-oxide nanocomposites for harsh environment compatible chemical sensors.

Los temas nos han emocionado y expectamos un verano de mucho trabajo y estudio.

Por nuestra parte haremos un gran esfuerzo por corresponder esta gran oportunidad, gracias por su apoyo.

Éxito en todo y saludos.

Dios les bendiga,

Angie, Chris, Robert y Esteban.

...last news...

Bueno, no hay mucha actividad aquí porque Esteban, Angy, Robert y Christian han estado un poco apurados con la visa y demás detalles, pero espero que pronto nos den noticias de como va todo...
Esteban ya tiene avisado en que grupo trabajará, quién será su asesor y en qué proyecto estará participando. Ya tienen el programa del primer día de actividades, en donde conocerán a los estudiantes que participarán de varias universidades con ellos.

Keep tuned...

Bienvenido-Welcome...to the experience of UDLA at the CNSE at SUNY!

Angelica, Esteban, Roberto, Christian:

Este es el espacio-blog para que los compañeros que experimentarán un verano en SUNY-Albany, puedan compartir con el resto de nosotros sus fotos, experiencias, aprendizajes, temores, alegrías, conocimientos....ocúpenlo sabiamente y enriquézcanlo TODOS los días para que vivamos juntos esta experiencia.

Atte.

(sus compañeros y profe, que los van a extrañar y seguir paso a paso...)