[BNC-all] Weekly Memo: 06.09.08

Mon Jun 9 08:37:55 EDT 2008

WEEKLY MEMO, June 9, 2008

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1.  ANNOUNCEMENTS
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1.1:  On Monday and Tuesday, June 9 and 10, 2008, Physical Facilities will
be working on the high-pressure steam system for this portion of campus.  As
a result, the Birck Nanotechnology Center will lose temperature and humidity
control during that period.  It is likely that we will see a 2°-3°F drop in
temperature and a 5% increase in humidity in the offices, laboratories, and
cleanroom. Laboratories with fume hoods will feel more impact than those
without hoods.  Hot water will NOT be available in the bathrooms during this
period.  Please note that it will take 6-8 hours for the building to
stabilize after steam is turned off on Monday and about the same amount of
time for it to stabilize when the steam is turned back on late Tuesday
afternoon.  Please arrange your schedule to avoid temperature-critical and
humidity-critical (such as positive photolithography) during this period.
Additionally, the pump-down time for vacuum systems is likely to increase
due to the added humidity in the cleanroom and laboratories.  Our apologies
for any inconvenience that this may cause, but it is a campus shutdown that
is out of our control.  Thank you in advance for your patience and
understanding.

1.2:  Bloodborne Pathogen Training:  Friday, June 13 11:00AM-Noon, BRK 1099.
Class size is limited to 10 people.  Contact Lisa Reece (lreece at purdue.edu)
for additional information.

1.3:  Support Survey: still possible to respond; please assist the Center in
assessing the services provided by business office personnel, secretarial
staff, and facilities¹ staff members. Go to:
https://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/Nanotechnology/facilities/manuals/suppo
rtsurvey.php 
<file://localhost/discoverypark/Nanotechnology/facilities/manuals/supportsur
vey.php> ; Login with Purdue Career Account information; Estimated
completion time is 10-15 minutes.  Thanks for your help!

1.4:  ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE APPLICATION OF NANOTECHNOLOGY TO
ENERGY-RELATED CHALLENGES?  IF SO, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN AN INFORMAL
LITERATURE REVIEW MEETING GROUP. Every day this summer, a group will meet to
discuss literature related to the convergence of nanotechnology and energy.
Participants will give SHORT, 10-MINUTE presentations of relevant papers.
Materials related to this meeting will be posted at
http://groups.google.com/group/purdue-nano-energy-lit.  We also have set up
a Google Calendar that shows the meeting times and locations at
https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=nkik8svvem7mj8tva7ae057atg%40group
.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York&pvttk=83f2429cbd8cf5d1635cf2820f7f
eabb 
<https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=nkik8svvem7mj8tva7ae057atg%40grou
p.calendar.google.com&amp;ctz=America/New_York&amp;pvttk=83f2429cbd8cf5d1635
cf2820f7feabb> Those interested in joining the Google Group and gaining
editorial access to the calendar (to schedule presentations) should contact
Prof. Fisher (tsfisher AT purdue.edu <http://purdue.edu>).
Times/Dates/Location: 0900-0930 MWF, 1030-1100 TuTh, all in BRK 2001.

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2.  TOURS/VISITORS
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2.1:  Monday, 06.09.08, 1:00-3:00:  National Center for Learning and
Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering.
2.2:  Monday, 06.09.08, 6:15-6:45:  Big Ten Internal Auditor¹s Conference.

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3.  SEMINARS
*see abstracts/bios below
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3.1:  Wednesday, 06.18.08, 11:20AM, Morgan 121:  ³Some Important Aspects of
the Chemistry of Nanomaterials,² by C.N.R. Rao, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for
Advanced Scientific Research; seminar is part of the Launch Symposium for
the Centeer for Analytical Instrumentation Development (CAID); REGISTER TO
ATTEND AT http://www.purdue.edu/dp/caid/ <http://www.purdue.edu/dp/caid/>

3.2:  Wednesday, 06.18.08, 3:30PM, Lawson 1142:  ³The United States and
India: Two Giant Democracies. Science, Policy, and Funding Opportunities.²
Discovery Lecture Series.  Introductory Remarks: Victor Lechtenberg;
³Today¹s Scientific Scenario and Tomorrow¹s Challenges: The Case for India,²
Dr. C.N.R. Rao; ³Rising Above the Gathering Storm,² Dr. Gail Cassell;
³Funding Opportunities for Bilateral Activities between USA and India,² Dr.
Arabinda Mitra.  http://www.purdue.edu/dp/dls/US-India/

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4.  2008 NCN at PURDUE SUMMER SCHOOL
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"Electronics from the Bottom Up":  July 14-25, 2008; open to Purdue faculty
and students at no charge; you must register online no later than June 30,
at:  
https://www.ncn.purdue.edu/Workshops/2008summerschool/internalregistration
<file://localhost/Workshops/2008summerschool/internalregistration> .  For
questions or concerns, please contact Alicia Goodman (goodman at purdue.edu)

The field of semiconductor microelectronics is undergoing a transformation
to nanoelectronics. This transformation has been largely driven by a
³top-down² approach that extends concepts and techniques originally
developed for bulk semiconductors and large device to the new field of
nanoscale device technology.  But to exploit the opportunities that
nanoscience presents, engineers will need to learn how to think about
materials, devices, circuits, and systems in a new way to complement
traditional, top-down understanding with new, ³bottom-up² perspectives.
Electronics from the Bottom Up is designed to promote the bottom-up
perspective by beginning at the nanoscale, and working up to the micro and
macroscale of devices and systems. For electronic devices, this means first
understanding the smallest electronic device  a single molecule with two
contacts.  For carrier transport, it means beginning at the nanoscale where
ballistic transport, atomistic effects, and stochastic effects dominate. For
MOSFETs, it means beginning with the ³ultimate² MOSFET.  Electronics from
the Bottom Up does not mean ab initio numerical simulations  it means
beginning with concepts and approaches that are both simple and sound at the
nanoscale rather than extrapolated from the microscale.

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5.  OPPORTUNITIES
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5.1: The Device Sciences area of the Semiconductor Research Corporation
Global Research Collaboration is soliciting white papers in Modeling &
Simulation of Nanoelectronic Materials, Processes, and Devices.  Two page
white papers addressing needs in a new research needs document are due
Monday, JUNE 16, 2008 at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT.  A limited number of full
proposals will be accepted based on the white paper submissions and a subset
of these proposals will be selected for anticipated three-year contracts
beginning January 1, 2009.  Interested researchers should note the proposal
and review schedule, needs document, and instructions for web-based white
paper submissions on the SRC GRC Web site at:
http://grc.src.org/fr/S200803_Call.asp

5.2:  ****NNI INFO*****  In May, the House Science and Technology Committee
approved legislation to reauthorize the National Nanotechnology Initiative
(NNI), which was established in 2003.  H.R. 5940, the National
Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act, would establish nanotechnology
education partnerships to recruit and prepare students to pursue
postsecondary education in nanotechnology.  Included here are a couple of
elements that are of particular interest to Purdue: 1) the bill would create
a new NNI advisory panel.  Currently, the President's Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology (PCAST) serves as the advisory panel, but the
Committee believes an advisory panel focused exclusively on nanotechnology
would be more effective.  This appears to be a prime opportunity for Purdue;
2) the Committee struck a proposal to dedicate 10% of the nanotechnology
funding for research on potential environmental, health and safety problems
of the new technology and charged the White House's Office of Science and
Technology Policy with responsibility for championing research on
environmental, health and safety. It was expected that the House would pass
the bill before the Memorial Day recess.  The Senate has not yet acted on
the legislation, but we understand from Senate committee staff that this
bill is a 2008 priority for them as well.  We will let you know when we know
anything.

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6.  CAMPUS NEWS
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6.1:  Joe Pekny will assume the role of Interim Head of Industrial
Engineering from July 1, 2008 to January 4, 2009, while the search for a
permanent head continues.  He will continue in his role as Director of the
e-Enterprise Center in Discovery Park.  The Interim Head role is natural for
Joe given his efforts in the Regenstrief Center, Cancer Care Engineering,
Homeland Security, other Discovery Park systems-oriented projects, and his
own research. https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/People/ptProfile?id=12436

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7. *ABSTRACTS/BIOS for seminars
*****************************

7.1:  Wednesday, 06.18.08, 11:20AM, Morgan 121:  ³Some Important Aspects of
the Chemistry of Nanomaterials,² by C.N.R. Rao, Jawaharlal Nehru Center for
Advanced Scientific Research; seminar is part of the Launch Symposium for
the Centeer for Analytical Instrumentation Development (CAID); REGISTER TO
ATTEND AT http://www.purdue.edu/dp/caid/ <http://www.purdue.edu/dp/caid/>
Nanocrystals, nanowires, nanotubes and nanofilms are some of the important
classes of nanomaterials. Chemistry has played a major role in the synthesis
and modification of these nanomaterials.  In particular, the synthesis of a
large variety of nanocrystals and nanowires would have been impossible
without using chemical techniques such as solvothermal synthesis.  The use
of templates and ionic liquids have been found useful for the synthesis of
inorganic nanomaterials.  The liquid-liquid interface enables the generation
of ultra-thin films of materials, often in single crystalline form.  After a
brief survey of some of the important synthetic strategies, solubulization,
functionalization and assembly of nanostructures, as well as a few of the
novel chemical approaches employed by us in the last few months will be
presented.  These will include the use of fluorous chemistry wherein
nanocrystals, carbon nanotubes and other nanostructures are extracted or
solubulized in the most nonpolar medium possible, and the use of click
reaction and other methods employed for assembling nanostructures.  Results
obtained recently on chemical investigations of graphene will be discussed.