Sydney Nano core research facilities
The purpose-built Sydney Nanoscience Hub hosts three of the University of Sydney’s core research facilities in its ultra high precision laboratories.
Research and Prototype Foundry
The Research and Prototype Foundry provides Sydney Nano researchers with instruments for making nano and microstructures in a variety of materials. These include deposition methods for photoresists, metals, insulators and other materials; equipment to expose or write nanostructures; highly controlled methods of etching and removing material; and characterisation tools.
Our broad range of instruments includes an ASML i-Line stepper, an Oxford ICP reactive ion etcher, as well as a number of light/electron/atomic force microscopes, all housed within in a precisely controlled cleanroom environment. These openly accessible facilities enable the development of optical chips, electronic devices and new quantum technologies. Visit the Research and Prototype Foundry website.
Sydney Analytical
Advanced analytical techniques are a crucial supporting component for nanoscience research. Sydney Analytical is one of the University’s newest core research facilities, and provides Sydney Nano researchers with the instrumentation and support services to carry out chemical, biochemical and material characterisations.
Sydney Analytical is made up of specialist branches dedicated to vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray analysis, and magnetic resonance, and provides an impressive suite of state-of-the-art characterisation capabilities that cater to the needs of scientists working at the nanoscale. Raman/IR instruments can achieve complementary molecular information down to 10nm, while XPS/UPS instrumentation provides nanoscale elemental mapping and depth profiling at low-nm precision and spatial resolution. XRD/SAXS/AFM instruments can also provide structural and morphological information from the atomic to the micron size range. Visit the Sydney Analytical website.
Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis
As one of the largest and most comprehensive facilities of its kind, Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis supports nanoscience research through a comprehensive array of world-class preparation, imaging and analysis instruments. The highly specialised staff also offers services and training opportunities for optical, electron and X-ray imaging, enabling research into physical and biological structures at micro, nano and atomic scales.
Our facilities also include a new microscopy suite located at Sydney Nano, featuring an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope. This enables researchers to see the atomic construction of materials and devices, opening up possibilities for understanding how the behaviour, properties and performance of materials relates to their fundamental structure. For more information please visit the Sydney Microscopy and Microanalysis website.
