The US National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network and support of photonics research and development

A major challenge in science and engineering research and development at the nano-scale, and particularly for photonics, is the availability of infrastructure that allows easy and quick implementation of structures, devices, or more complex systems necessary for making rigorous measurements, other exploratory directions of interest, and building of assemblies that utilize techniques from multiple disciplines. The experiments connect across length scales - nanometers and up, employ a variety of materials and techniques of assembly and patterning, and require a complex mix of knowledge that are derived from other research areas and tools that are demanding in skills and are hard to access. The National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN; www.nnin.org) is funded by the United States National Science Foundation and is a partnership of open shared facilities across the country that enables the national and international community to pursue research and technology development that can benefit from nanotechnology. The NNIN provides easy hands-on access to external users, remote usage, staff support, low-cost usage, knowledge infrastructure, and brings together an extensive coordinated array of instruments for fabrication, synthesis, and characterization together with other infrastructure resources. Particularly relevant to photonics is the ability to combine optical quality materials and fabrication techniques with ultra-sensitive characterization and application to biology, fluidics, and problems of interest in optical and electronic communication. Integration to the smallest length scales through synthesis and electron-beam lithography, growth and deposition of a variety materials with controlled properties, patterning of complex shapes in the three-dimensions, connecting such structures, characterization, and the ability to achieve this quickly and at low cost is essential to successful university research and industrial innovation. NNIN tool resources that span focused-ion beam, electron microscopy, spectroscopic techniques, etc. for characterization; synthesis, growth, deposition, etc. for assembling; ultra-high resolution lithography, etching, etc. for patterning; all enable the researcher to focus on their own research interest by leveraging the NNIN infrastructure. Access of NNIN is designed for ease of use - quick access (typically, 2 weeks), strong support (direct staff and web-based interactions), and remote execution for simple projects.