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Two views of the Innovative Nano-Bio Lab from the outer gallery.

Overview

The Innovative Nano/Bio-Device and System Lab (INB) was designed for the development of nanoscale biosensing devices and plays a key role in the fabrication of nanostructure on various substrates. The facility is comprised of Class 10 and Class 100 cleanrooms providing for the fabrication and characterization of biomedical devices, which include implantable neural probes, glucose sensors, ion sensors, and dopamine sensors.

Capabilities and Primary Equipment

Class 10 Cleanroom

• Contact aligner (MA 150, Suss Microtech): Generates μm level feature size, useful for the fabrication of microelectrodes and electrical connection to nanostructured sensing platform.
• CO2 Critical Point Dryer (Tousimis 915B, Tousimis): Used for the drying of 3-dimensional nanostructure and bio cells after wet cleaning process
• Langmuir Blodgett Trough (KSV20001, KSV Instruments): Used for self assembly monolayer transfer and control.
• Electrochemical Control and Measurement System (IM6eX, Zahner Electronics): Used for analysis and control of electrochemical reaction using cyclic voltametry, amperometry, electrical impedance analysis, and pulsed and sweeping potential control.
• Wet Chemical Bench: Used during handling of various types of chemicals and assays.
• Spin Coaters: Applies various materials via a spin coating process.

Class 100 Cleanroom

• E-beam Evaporator (Pascal Technology): Used primarily for the deposition of metallic thin films including platinum, gold, silver, chromium, and titanium.
• Parylene coater (PDS-2010, Specialty Coating Systems): Used in the deposition of Parylene-C thin film for biomedical device passivation and electrical insulation.
• Ion Beam Deposition and Etching System (Veeco 302 MicroEtch, Veeco): Used for depositing various materials, including ITO, SnO2, SiO2, Ag, and Ta2O5, as well as the anisotropic etching of thin films.
• Rapid thermal processor (AG610, AG associates): Allows precise and rapid thermal process control.
• Wet Chemical Bench: Used during handling of various types of chemicals and assays.

Projects

Current Projects

SEM images of vertically aligned nanowires

• Developing Nanotechnology Processes for Vertically Aligned Nanostructure Fabrication: Electrochemical growing methods are currently investigated for nanowire fabrication of nanowires, because of its simplicity and cost effectiveness. We are developing a unique nanowire growth method using the process, Lithography-Assisted Bonding of Template (LABT) which can selectively grow multilayer nanowires on various substrates including polymers and metallic foil.

Diagram and SEM image of hemi-cylindrical dual dopamine-sensing electrodes

• Research and Development of Nano-Bio-Sensors: The fundamental objective of research on implantable electrochemical biosensors is to establish an interface to transduce signals between the electric and biological systems. Even with successful implementation of microelectrode technology in implantable biosensing devices, the drive toward higher spatial resolutions and the detrimental effects of long term use keep pushing researchers to shrink electrode sizes and obtain long term reliability and biocompatibility. To solve this issue, the use of 3-dimensional hetero-structured nanoelectrodes is investigated for stable and long-lasting implantable biosensors with high sensitivity in our lab.

• Developing Nanowire GMR (Giant Migneto Resistance) Magnetic Field Sensors for Real-Time Control of Electric Machines: By proper integration of structures material properties, we can realize novel functions, obtaining entirely different effects from those in single material structures, in addition to the advantages from nanoscale dimensions. Giant Magneto Resistance (GMR) effects can be realized on nanowires by growing nanometer thick layers of Co/Cu in a cyclic way and be applied for magnetic field sensors and terra-bit hard disk storage devices.

Past Projects

• Nanotechnology Sensors for Real Time Solvent Vapor Monitoring: We have demonstrated high surface nanostructure with vertically aligned nanowires grown on silicon substrates and its bio hazards sensing operation. It has shown that SnO2 thin film based on nanostructured platform can be used for the detection of few ppm level of isopropyl alcohol vapor with remarkable sensitivity using the advantage of high surface area density of vertically aligned nanowires.

• Reactive Ion Beam Sputtering Deposition of Indium Tin Oxide Thin Film for Electro-Magnetic-Interference (EMI) Shielding: Objective of the project was to develop EMI shielding materials in 2 – 18 GHz frequency region. To achieve this, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coating was done on glass and polycarbonate substrates by using ion beam sputtering technique. Glass sample fabricated under experimentally optimized process conditions showed 19 dB shielding performance with 82% optical transparency.

Collaborations

1. Prof. Roy McCann, Electrical Engineering Dept., University of Arkansas: Developing GMR Nanowires for Real-Time Control of Electric Machine. Link
2. Prof. Malathi Srivatsan, Biological Science Dept., Arkansas State University: Developing Nanoelectrode for Neural Prosthetic Devices. Link
3. Prof. Eun-Kee Jeong, Radiology Dept, University of Utah: Bio-safety Evaluation of Neural Prosthetic Devices with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Link

Recent Publications

• H. Yoon, D. C. Deshpande, V. Ramachandran, and V. K. Varadan, “Aligned nanowire growth using lithography-assisted bonding of polycarbonate template for neural probe electrodes,” Nanotechnology, 19, 025304, 2007.
• H. Yoon, P. Hankins, V.K. Varadan, and R. E. Harbaugh, “Fabrication and evaluation of dual electrode ensembles with capped nanowires for dopamine sensing applications,” Electroanalysis, A04148, 2008, in print.
• D.C. Deshpande, H. Yoon, A. M. Khaing, and V.K. Varadan, “Development of a Nanoscale Heterostructured Glucose Sensor using Modified Microfabrication Processes,” J. Micro/Nanolitho. MEMS. MOEMS, JM3 07072R, 2008, in print.
• H. Yoon, D. C. Deshpande, V. K. Varadan, T. Kim, E. Jeong, and R. E. Harbaugh, “Titanium Needle Probes for Neural Recording and Stimulation. Part 1: Fabrication and Evaluation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Artifacts,” IEEE. Trans. on Biomedical Engineering, TBME-00186-2008, 2008, submitted.
• R. Dubey, T.C. Shami, K.U. Bhasker Rao, H. Yoon, and V.K. Varadan, “Polyamide microcapsules effect of critical point drying on physical aspect,” Smart Mater. Struct, SMS/272231/PAP/137124, 2007, submitted.

Contact Information

• Director: Vijay K. Varadan
• Manager: Hargsoon Yoon