Leading-Edge Research and Development > Research Profiles > Profiles Archive > CNSE bridges the gap from nanoscale innovation to technology implementation CNSE bridges the gap from nanoscale innovation to technology implementation

With leading-edge research and development (R&D), a dynamic collaborative environment, and unparalleled world-class resources, the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) offers a one-of-a-kind paradigm that is breaking the mold in integrating groundbreaking academic research with advanced manufacturing technologies that are critical to sustaining and building the 21st century innovation economy.

In a conventional university environment, new ideas are developed, but it can take years before those ideas are brought to market through a traditional manufacturing process, which is typically focused on volume, yield and throughput. CNSE is not a typical university in the sense that it has unique partnerships with industry - including leading global high-tech companies such as IBM, SEMATECH, and GlobalFoundries co-located on site - and state-of-the-art 300mm wafer processing capabilities for the development of Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies. The result is a pioneering blend of innovative research combined with the development of advanced manufacturing capabilities that create a true "lab to fab" environment.

"CNSE has tool sets installed on site that are dedicated to supporting the industry's wafer processing needs for the next several device generations, including 65nm, 45nm, 32nm, 22nm and beyond, through the full transition to nanotechnology," says CNSE Associate Vice President for Business, Alliances and Consortia Dr. Michael Liehr. "R&D on industry-standard CMOS technologies allows for seamless transfer of the product into manufacturing."

CNSE's NanoFab North cleanroom, home to the Center for Semiconductor Research (CSR), houses a tool set capable of developing CMOS technologies with features sizes of 15 nm and beyond, along with advanced production-grade equipment. In addition, an expansion is underway to establish a Packaging Center at CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex that will initially focus on the development of 300mm wafer-scale 3D integration.

CNSE Associate Vice President for Business, Alliances and Consortia Dr. Michael Liehr

"One interesting aspect of the R&D atmosphere at CNSE is that it lends itself to opportunities that do not exist in a more traditional manufacturing environment," says Liehr. "The facilities at CNSE follow industry standards for contamination control, but the unique R&D environment allows for the exploration and integration of unique process elements involving materials not proven to be compatible with standard CMOS."

These R&D techniques are of importance to a variety of industries. From electronics to information technology, and health care to clean energy, innovative nanoscale technologies are driving new and exciting applications. Other sectors are increasingly coming on board, including the defense industry, which is particularly interested in the development of certain elements at the 65nm technology node. Current R&D is focused on installing RF-enabled technology that is aimed at low-power portable applications and 3D sensor integration. These types of leading-edge innovations are ideal for next-generation national security devices.