Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The proposed equipment supports multidisciplinary research programs of a number of researchers of Microsystems and Nanotechnology (MiNa) group of UBC, related to clean and sustainable energy generation, nanotechnology, biosensors and electrodes and drug-delivery. More specifically, a thermal evaporation system enclosed in a glove box requested in this proposal will allow: safe and uncontaminated handling of nanomaterials (e.g., nanowires, nanotubes, nanoparticles) and organic compounds, fabrication of test electrodes and novel device structures on developed nanocomposite materials without exposure to air, use of low work-function metals (e.g, Ca, Li, Mg) and multi-layer electrodes, and development of complex surface modification processes. These capabilities are critical to a number of research programs carried out by the applicants including: NSERC Strategic Project on transparent nanomesh electrodes for low cost photovoltaic (PV) devices, NSERC Discovery Grant for catalytic growth of nanostructures, collaborative research with US universities for development of stretchable and flexible intelligent skin with distributed sensors and actuators, development of novel catalyst support layers for low cost fuel cells, development of flexible microelectrode arrays for research on neuroprosthesis and microfluidic systems for drug-delivery. The proposed equipment is urgently needed due to the present demand and will contribute to training of a large number of students in a multidisciplinary environment.