• Lin et al. Artificial hibernation reveals synaptic engram architecture associated with memory retention. Science (2026). View record
• Hassan et al. Dihydrobenzofuro[3,2-b]benzofuran: a light-driven molecular switch with fluorescence switching, bistability, and intrinsic chirality. Chem. Sci. (2026). View record

What it does: Box-style magnetron sputtering system with four 2-inch targets (Al, Ti, Cr, ITO, Si₃N₄, SiO₂ and Nb; others on request). DC and RF power, reactive sputtering for oxides and nitrides, substrate heating to 350 °C and rotation, base pressure around 8 × 10⁻⁸ torr, and substrates up to 6 inches through a load lock.

Typical applications: Metallization, transparent electrodes (ITO), optical and passivation coatings, and multilayer thin-film R&D.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N062)

What it does: Industrial femtosecond/picosecond laser workstation (1030 nm, 8 W or more) for selective laser etching (SLE) of fused silica, Borofloat and sapphire, and for direct laser writing and ablation of graphite, ceramics, metals, plastics and optical-fiber facets. A 3-axis stage with 3 nm XY resolution supports wafer-level and curved 3D writing.

Typical applications: Microfluidics, integrated optics, MEMS, glass welding, fiber-facet processing, and rapid prototyping of 3D glass and multi-material parts.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N063)

What it does: Non-destructive measurement of thin-film thickness (1 nm to 25 µm, accuracy around 1 nm) and optical constants (n, k) across 240–1050 nm. A spectrum takes about 300 ms, samples up to 6 inches, with recipe-based software and material libraries.

Typical applications: Characterizing semiconductor and dielectric films, optical coatings and photovoltaic materials, for example checking film thickness after sputtering, CVD or ALD.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N066)

What it does: Stylus profiler for surface topography, roughness and step height, with 0.1 nm vertical resolution, scans up to 55 mm (stitchable to 200 mm) and a low-force sensor (0.03–15 mg) for delicate surfaces. Vision64 software provides 2D/3D analysis.

Typical applications: Thin-film and etch-depth metrology, lithography process control, surface roughness, and film stress or wafer bow.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N069)

What it does: Vertical machining center with a 4th axis, 1,016 × 508 × 508 mm travels, a 12,000 rpm spindle and a 24-tool automatic changer, run by Mechanical Engineering staff.

Typical applications: Complex custom parts and prototypes in metals and plastics, including multi-face and rotary features that would otherwise need several setups.

Access: Staff operated. External use by consultation.

Full equipment record (ENG-M046)

What it does: Toolroom lathe with spindle accuracy within 50 millionths of an inch TIR, variable speed from 50 to 4,000 rpm and 36 inch/metric thread changes. Built for small parts that need threading, with fast turnaround.

Typical applications: Small precision shafts, pins, fittings and threaded components for experimental setups.

Access: Staff operated. External use by consultation.

Full equipment record (ENG-M049)

What it does: Three-axis CNC knee mill with a 10 × 50 in table, 32 in of table travel, a 3 HP spindle and a head that tilts 45° forward/back and 90° left/right.

Typical applications: Fast-turnaround brackets, fixtures, mounts and one-off parts for laboratory setups.

Access: Staff operated. External use by consultation.

Full equipment record (ENG-M048)

• Singh et al. Topology made visible through standing waves in a spinning fluid. Commun. Phys. (2026). View record
• Janssens et al. Direct laser writing of high aspect ratio nanochannels for nanofluidics. arXiv:2602.06316 (2026), preprint. View record
  See also: Janssens et al. Direct femtosecond laser writing of nanochannels by carbon allotrope transformation. Carbon 215, 118455 (2023). View record
• Karimata et al. Mechanoluminescence from amorphous solids of heteroleptic copper complexes and common luminophores induced by non-destructive mechanical stimuli and fabrication of flexible mechanoluminescent films. Chem. Sci. 16, 22376–22386 (2025). View record

What it does: Direct-write electron beam lithography for nanoscale patterning. A thermal field-emitter source at a fixed 100 kV gives a beam down to 1.8 nm, minimum line widths of 6 nm and ±10 nm field-stitching and overlay accuracy, on samples from 5 × 5 mm pieces to 6-inch wafers. Layouts are prepared in BEAMER/TRACER and accepted as GDSII or DXF.

Typical applications: Nanophotonics, quantum devices, nanoelectronics and advanced-materials research; any work that needs mask-free, high-fidelity patterning with precise alignment.

Access: User operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N054)

What it does: Maskless photolithography using 405 nm or 375 nm diode lasers and a digital micromirror array, so no photomask is needed. Minimum feature size is 600 nm, with front- and back-side alignment and write speeds up to 285 mm²/min on substrates from 5 × 5 mm to 6-inch wafers.

Typical applications: Rapid prototyping, MEMS, micro-optics and sensor fabrication, and small-batch multi-layer device patterning.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N055)

What it does: Thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of oxides (Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂) and nitrides (AlN, Si₃N₄, TiN). An inductively coupled plasma source (up to 300 W) allows film growth at lower temperatures than thermal ALD, on samples from 5 × 5 mm to 6-inch wafers, loaded through a load lock.

Typical applications: Conformal, atomically controlled thin films on temperature-sensitive substrates, such as dielectric, barrier and passivation layers.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N053)

What it does: Capacitively coupled reactive ion etching of silicon-based materials such as SiO₂ and SiN, other oxides and nitrides, and some metals. RF power up to 600 W, a chiller-controlled electrode and a built-in HORIBA laser-interferometric endpoint monitor that detects etch completion in real time. Samples from 5 × 5 mm to 4-inch wafers.

Typical applications: Pattern transfer after lithography, and etching of thin films and multilayer stacks with reliable endpoint control.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N059)

What it does: Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride and amorphous silicon. Capacitively coupled RF plasma (up to 300 W), substrate temperatures up to 400 °C, deposition rates above 100 nm/min and up to 4 µm per run, on samples up to 4-inch wafers.

Typical applications: Dielectric and passivation layers, hard masks, and films for microelectronics and photonics devices.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N057)

What it does: Low-pressure RF plasma cleaner (10–300 W, oxygen and/or argon) that removes organic contamination, activates surfaces to improve adhesion, and modifies surface wettability and chemistry.

Typical applications: Cleaning and activating samples before lithography, deposition, bonding or coating.

Access: User / staff operated. Open to external use.

Full equipment record (ENG-N058)

• Gridneva et al. Deep-red photoluminescent mechanoresponsive polymers with dynamic Cu^I-arylamide mechanophores. Chem. Commun. 60, 212–215 (2024). View record