Announcing: New ANFF-Victoria Strategic Plan
We are delighted to present ANFF-VIC’s new Strategic Plan for 2023-2028, outlining the goals we have identified as necessary in realising our node’s potential and our mission to drive development and translation of Australian innovation in the micro- and nanotechnology sectors.
This plan sets a trajectory for the next five years that builds upon the success of ANFF-VIC and the MCN whilst leveraging significant developments within local precincts such as the Southeast Melbourne Innovation Precinct (SEMIP) and aligning with the Victorian Government’s vision for next generation research ecosystems as well as with the three Strategic Pillars of ANFF.
Download the full plan here.
Upcoming Nanofabulous Seminar dates/speakers
Happy new year! The MCN’s Nanofabulous Seminar series is kicking off 2023 with a number of exciting talks. Check out the flyer link below and keep an eye on the events page for seminar details. Many more to come…
Nanofabulous Seminar: Micro-nanofabrication and Microscopy with light noble ion beams
The Materials Characterisation and Fabrication Platform (MCFP) at the University of Melbourne operates a Zeiss ORION NanoFab helium ion microscope (HIM), one of only four in Australia. HIM is a scanned ion probe instrument that is similar in many respects to that of the well-established scanning electron microscope (SEM). The fundamental difference is clear in the name, with our source being one of (typically) helium ions generated from the gas field ion source, rather than electrons as in SEM. This affords benefits to the microscopist: we can image insulating materials without coating while maintaining high vacuum and high beam energy, we have outstanding surface sensitivity normally reserved for very low-kV SEM, and being an ion beam we can perform high spatial resolution fabrication switching between helium and neon as our source.
After an overview and introduction to the technique and its benefits, I will overview some of the key areas of research HIM has excelled at supporting in recent years at the MCFP and in Australia, with an aim to demonstrate cross-disciplinary applications. We will look at graphene and 2D nanomaterials, thin polymer coatings on carbon fibres, carbon nanospheres, cellular biology including bacteria and biofilms, through to micro-nanofabricated structures such as ultra-nanocrystalline diamond coatings, 2-photon-polymerisation printed structures, and plasmonic devices and nanostructured molecular gratings fabricated using the instrument.
Dr Anders Barlow
Platform Technologies Specialist
MCFP, the University of Melbourne
11:00am, 17/01/2023
At the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Boardroom
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: here
Meeting ID: 823 4174 1876 & Passcode: 638277
Click here for more information
MCN Private Industry Laboratory — now accepting EOIs
Attention startups and SMEs, MCN is now offering an option for the leasing of a small (approx. 30sqm) private laboratory, an initiative aimed at hosting translational activities leveraging a broad spectrum of MCN capability.
The laboratory has secure electronic access with a dedicated fume cupboard, essential services (e.g. power, CDA/N2, water and vacuum), bench space for 3–6 staff and ample wet/dry storage.
Link to EOI instructions here. Submissions open through 6th January 2023.
Nanofabulous Seminar: Reversible interfaces for stretchable and recyclable electronics
Soft electronic composites retain their electrical conductivity under strain. Hard, conductive filler particles are embedded in a soft, insulating matrix. Strain deforms the filler network and alters the conductive connections between the particles. Tobias will discuss the hierarchical network structure of carbon and metal fillers in printable conductive composites and discuss the role of network geometry and contact resistances. Reversibility at the particle-particle interfaces emerges as a key requirement: only if the particles can re-form electrical contacts over many cycles does the material retain its conductivity. An application from the field of smart automotive parts will illustrate typical requirements on soft conductive materials.
Reversible interfaces aid the recovery of the materials in a product’s lifecycle, too. Electronics and batteries invariably combine different materials, and their reuse or recycling generally involves separating them. Discussion how reversible, functional interfaces can make this economically and ecologically feasible and bring us a step closer to sustainability in electronics.
Prof Dr Tobias Kraus
INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials
Saarbrücken, Germany
11:00am, 18/11/2022
At the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Boardroom
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Zoom link: here
Meeting ID: 839 3750 1277
Passcode: 145263
Click here for more information
MCN Seminar: Two-photon polymerization 3D printing for micro-/nanostructures
UpNano GmbH is a high-tech 3D printing company headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The company manufactures and sells high resolution 3D printers under the NanoOne platform which are capable of printing parts with a wide-range of resolutions and volumes, from 160nm lines to 40x40x40mm and 4” wafer batch production.
Typical user applications are microfluidic chips, bioprinting, microneedles, micro optics and medical devices. The combination of a very strong 1000mW femtosecond laser and the unique vat-design enables novel material development with polymers normally not associated with 2-photon printing.
Henrik Akesson is the Chief Business Officer and Head of Global Sales at UpNano GmbH. Trained as an engineer in Sweden, he spent 15 years in the Asian semiconductor and display manufacturing industry solving key issues for Samsung, SONY, LG, TSMC, Intel, SHARP and others. He was an integral part of the flat screen revolution and the continuous production achievements that were made at the time. During this work, he discovered the potential in 2-photon polymerization as a better means to create structures in 3D than the classic laser lithography. After 10 years in Germany and Austria, working in commercial, sales, and business development roles in software and 3D printing, he is now a frequent speaker and a champion for the micro-factories concept where whole production and assembly lines can be made in millimeter size for micron parts.
Henrik Akesson,Chief Business Officer and Head of Global Sales at UpNano GmbH., Germany, will be visiting MCN and giving a presentation on “Two-photon polymerization-3D printing for micro-/nanostructures”.
1:00pm, 16/09/2022
At the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Boardroom
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Click here for more information
MCN Seminar: Multidisciplinary (mission directed) research in nanotechnology at the University of Sydney
Sydney Nano is a multidisciplinary initiative at the University of Sydney headquartered in the state-of-the-art Sydney Nanoscience Hub. Professor Eggleton will introduce the Sydney Nano research framework, which emphasise collaborative mission directed projects that address major societal grand challenges with examples from the life sciences, and sustainability. In the second part of the presentation Professor Eggleton will review research from his research group on the topic of photonic sensor fusion, with emphasis on recent development of novel photonic radar sensors for vital sign detection.
Professor Eggleton is a Professor of Physics at the University of Sydney. He is the Director of the University of Sydney Nano Institute and co-Director of the NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN). Eggleton was founding Director of CUDOS, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems and served as Director from 2003-2017 and of Sydney’s Institute of Photonics and Optical Science (IPOS), serving as Director from 2009-2018. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Engineering and Technology, the Optical Society of America (OSA), IEEE and SPIE. Eggleton received the 2020 W.H. (Beattie) Steel Medal which is the most prestigious award of the Australian and New Zealand Optical Society, for outstanding career contribution to the field of optics in Australia or New Zealand. His team won the 2020 Defence Science and Technology Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia. Eggleton was President of the Australian Optical Society (2008-2010), Editor-in-Chief for Optics Communications (2007-2015), served on the Board for IEEE Photonics Society (2015-2017) and is Editor-in-Chief for APL Photonics. Eggleton secured more than $65M in competitive research funding. Eggleton published 500 journal publications (24,000 citations, h-index of 81- Webofscience and 44,000 citations, h-number of 112 – google scholar).
11:00am, 27/09/2022
At the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication Boardroom
151 Wellington Road, Clayton, 3168
Or to attend via Zoom link: here
Meeting ID: 827 9337 9565 and passcode: 557617
Click here for more information
ANFF-SA Microengineering School
We’re very excited to announce that ANFF-SA’s Microengineering School program is now open for registration.
Ideal for people interested in engineering microscopic devices used in new world technologies, ANFF-SA’s FREE four-day program provides students, researchers, academics and industry with a fascinating introduction to the design and fabrication of microfluidic/electronic, MEMS, optical and sensing chips.
Delivered onsite at UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, in Mawson Lakes, (and online) ANFF-SA’s Microengineering School includes 8 x lectures, 8 x practicals and 7 x Insight sessions delivered by technical experts and industry leaders.
There are no pre-requisites for participating in the program which covers photolithography, design for photolithography, etching, PDMS devices, microelectrodes, characterisation techniques, simulation, electrical integration, and 3D printing.
– Learn about photolithography, design, etching, PDMS devices, microelectrodes, characterisation techniques, simulation, electrical integration & 3D printing
– Engage directly with industry leaders/technical experts
– Hands-on practicals in world-class cleanroom facilities
Register your onsite attendance * Note seats are limited – be quick!
Register your online participation
Download a copy of the program
For more information, please email Belinda.Turner@unisa.edu.au
ANFF-VIC/MCN Director receives 2022 Laureate Fellowship
Congratulations to Professor Nicolas Voelcker who has recently been awarded one of the 2022 Australian Laureate Fellowships.
The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme reflects the Australian Government’s commitment to excellence in research by supporting world-class researchers to conduct research in Australia.
Click here for official announcement
New capabilities commissioned and ready for use
“The Australian Research Council (ARC) and a Monash University-led consortium have funded new infrastructure with advanced multi-functional 3D imaging capabilities, which will provide unprecedented capabilities to investigate the complex processes in electrical, photonic, optoelectronic, and energy devices in Australia.” -link to official press release here.
The investment was used to fund a pair of capabilities that are currently available for access and training. The capabilities are:
Witec Alpha300R Confocal Raman
- Confocal Raman Imaging at high speeds with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity
- Hyperspectral image generation, i.e., spectroscopic info in every pixel
- Large DOF allows 3D imaging and depth profiling
- Spectrum acquisition in one millisecond
- Non-destructive analysis with no staining or fixation of the sample required
- more info on this technique here
- neaSNOM microscope upgraded to allow for imaging and spectroscopy by addition of broadband IR laser and detector
- Allows the study of chemical, structural and electronic properties of a sample at a spatial resolution up to 10nm; 1000x improvement over conventional micro FT-IR
- Non-destructive measurement method is equally suited for organic and inorganic samples
- more info on this technique here
For training and/or more information on these new MCN capabilities, please contact our engineers by emailing mcn-enquiries@nanomelbourne.com
