Sixteen research projects were supported by the Centers for Advanced Technology (CAT) Program of New York State's Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR) in the 2001 - 2002 fiscal year. Project titles and principal investigators are listed below for each research area.

Particle Synthesis and Properties
Spinning Disk Reactor Technology for Nanoparticle Production
- S.V. Babu

Thin Films and Coatings
Processing of Low-k Dielectric Films
- S.V. Babu
Deposition of Polycrystalline Diamond Films Using a New Process
- L. L. Regel

Particle Transport, Deposition and Removal
Oscillating Cryogenic Argon and CO2 Jets for Particle Removal and Surface Cleaning
-G. Ahmadi
Nanoparticle Removal with a Pulsed-Laser-Experimental Phase
- C. Cetinkaya & R. Partch
A Novel Method for Dry-Stripping of Thin Films and Residue Removal
- C. Cetinkaya

Colloidal Dispersions and Processing
Flow Characteristics of Slurries as a Function of Particle Size and Charge
- G. Campbell

Chemical-Mechanical Planarization (CMP) Modeling of Chemical-Mechanical Polishing (CMP)
- G. Ahmadi
Laser Polishing (LP) of Wafers for IC
- D. Aidun
Diamond Slurries for Noble Metal CMP
- Y. Li
Reactive Liquid Systems for STI CMP
- Y. Li
Some Fundamental Issues in Chemical-Mechanical Planarization in an Orbital Tool
-R.S. Subramanian
Copper Electropolishing for Damascene Planarization
- I. Suni

Nanosystems
Transport Models for Nano-Scale MOS Devices with Applications to Computer-Aided Design for Next-Generation Integrated Circuits
-M. Cheng, G. Ahmadi, & V. Privman
Modeling of Synthesis of Well-Defined Nanosize Particles and Monodispersed Colloids
- V. Privman

Supporting Technologies
Development of the Prototype of a New Condensation Nuclei Counter
- P. Hopke

The following projects are being funded during 2002-2003.

Particle Synthesis and Properties
Cost-Sharing on a Ferro Project
- D. Goia
Modeling of Synthesis of Well-Defined Nanosize Particles and Monodispersed Colloids
- V. Privman
Novel, Well-Defined and Functional Polymer-Silicate Nano-Composites
- D. Shipp

Thin Films and Coatings
Diamond Film Deposition
- L. Regel

Particle Transport, Deposition, and Removal Transport, Deposition, and Removal of Nanoparticles
- G. Ahmadi
Non-Contact Characterization of Nanoparticle-Substrate Adhesion
-C. Cetinkaya

Colloidal Dispersions and Processing
Investigation of Decolorization of Carbon Black Dispersions
- R. Partch

Chemical-Mechanical Planarization (CMP)
Modeling of Chemical-Mechanical Polishing
- G. Ahmadi
Post-CMP Cleaning with Pulsed Lasers
- C. Cetinkaya
Self Assembled Bilayers for MEMS/NEMS Fabrication
- Y. Li
Some Fundamental Issues in CMP
- R.S. Subramanian
Electropolishing / Electroplating
- I. Suni

Supporting Technologies
Aerodynamic Lens for Nanoparticles
- G. Ahmadi
Thermal Modeling of SOI Devices
- M. Cheng

4

CAMP Professors Fendler and Roy Study Nanostructured Layered Materials for Potential Use in Biological and Chemical Sensors

In a collaborative project, CAMP Professors Janos Fendler (CAMP Distinguished Professor of the Chemistry Department) and Dipankar Roy are studying multilayered thin films that are composed of highly ordered nanomaterials. These films are fabricated by using the technique of self-assembly. Molecular self-assembly is now widely recognized as a cost-effective approach to nanofabrication of biomaterials. It often involves relatively simple and well-developed chemical techniques, and at the same time, can provide highly ordered molecular nanostructures that are precisely tailored with desired chemical properties and complex functionalities. Biosensors based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique utilize these unique features of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). These SPR sensors (also known as evanescent field sensors) use a densely packed organic SAM (typically 0.5-1.5 nm long, and longer for some proteins), supported by a 40-60 nm thick gold film on an optically transparent solid dielectric substrate as a template for immobilized bio-recognition molecules (sensing element). The CAMP groups are studying how such self-assembled structures can be modified in a precisely controlled manner to further improve the performance of currently existing SPR sensors, as well as to develop new classes of sensors.

Professors Fendler and Roy have demonstrated the potential for an SPR sensor that uses an ionizable acidic SAM in its detection element. Such a sensor would respond to the acidity (pH-level) of a liquid environment, and can be used to develop a novel (optical) titration technique for acidic SAMs. Recent measurements also indicate that under certain experimental conditions, the analyte-detection efficiency of a commonly used SPR biosensor can be substantially enhanced by the incorporation of gold or silver nanoparticles (~10-25 nm in diameter) in its sensing element. Refer to Lyon et al., Anal. Chem., 70, 5177 (1998). In order to control, utilize and tailor this remarkable feature of nanoparticle-based SPR imaging, it is first necessary to characterize in detail the underlying mechanism(s) of SPR enhancement in the presence of metal nanoparticles in the sensing device. During 2001-02, the CAMP groups led by Professors Fendler and Roy have made considerable progress toward a quantitative clarification of this problem. They have shown that the nanoparticle-induced enhancement of SPR detection results from certain interfering effects of localized surface plasmons in the nanoparticles and propagating plasmon polaritons in the gold substrate film of the sensor. These findings are reported in a series of recent publications coauthored by Professors Fendler and Roy with their research group members. The theoretical framework used to analyze the optical response of nanoparticle-based SPR sensors has been discussed in two of Professor Roy's papers.

Research in this area by the CAMP groups is continuing, and it is expected that the new results will considerably ease the difficult task of designing nanoparticle-based high performance SPR biosensors. Currently Professors Fendler and Roy are attempting to combine FFT-EIS with the SPR technique. Their goal is to eventually achieve new types of opto-electrochemical biosensors that would have much broader capabilities than the currently available sensors based on single detection methods. Complete lists of recently published research reports from Professors Fendler's and Roy's groups can be found at the following web sites: www.clarkson.edu/~janoslab www.clarkson.edu/~samoy/pub.htm For information about Professor Fendler and his research, you may call him at 315-268-7113 or send e-mail to fendler@clarkson.edu. For information about Professor Roy and his research, you may call him at 315-268-6676 or send e-mail to samoy@clarkson.edu.

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