New metasurface design can control optical fields in three dimensions

A team led by Arka Majumdar, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and physics at UW, has designed and tested a 3D-printed metamaterial that can manipulate light with nanoscale precision. The device described in their October 4 article in the journal Science Advances was fabricated using our Nanoscribe GT two-photon lithography system. Says Majumdar, “No one has really made a device like this before with this set of capabilities.”

Semiconductor and Solar Industry Veteran named UW Washington Nanofabrication Facility Director

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Maria Huffman is the new WNF director! Huffman joins WNF from Lund University in southern Sweden, where she was the director of the Lund Nano Lab (LNL), an open-access nanofabrication facility serving researchers at the university, in the region, and beyond. Previously, Huffman spent over 30 years working in the semiconductor and solar industries in a variety of research and development as well as manufacturing roles.

Encouraging the next generation of quantum pioneers: students receive grants to fabricate nanoscale quantum devices

Students standing in front of Fluke Hall

An undergraduate student constructing a probe to measure properties of quantum materials and a masters student developing an acousto-optic deflector to change the direction of an optical beam using sound waves are among the diverse group of five University of Washington students to receive $4,000 grants from the UW initiative QuantumX to fabricate nanoscale structures and devices in the Washington Nanofabrication Facility (WNF) this summer.

Staff Spotlight: Dr. Fred Newman, Pioneering new processes at WNF

In our newest Q&A we talk to WNF engineer Dr. Fred Newman. Fred develops processes for a number of different tools in the lab including atomic layer deposition, pulsed chemical vapor deposition, and electroplating systems. In addition to tool training and maintenance, these days Fred is focused on integrating processes with the aim of expanding the breadth of services offered by WNF.

Student Spotlight: Julia Worden, Lead undergrad research assistant

We support the development of a strong pipeline of highly skilled researchers, engineers and technicians in part by hosting undergraduate research assistants in the lab. These exceptional undergrads ensure the lab runs smoothly while also working on real-world projects alongside staff scientists. To learn more, read our Q&A with Julia Worden, UW Class of 2019, who for the past year has served as the lead undergrad research assistant. We have had the pleasure of seeing her grow as a nanofabrication professional and wish her well on her next steps!

Staff Spotlight: Shane Patrick, E-beam Guru

We are lucky to have a talented team of staff scientists and engineers, without which the WNF would not run. We’re introducing a new spotlight series to highlight the awesome people here at WNF. Read our Q&A with Shane Patrick who currently serves as our interim lab director in addition to overseeing electron beam lithography at WNF.

UW, Microsoft, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory establish new Northwest Quantum Nexus for a quantum revolution in science, technology

Senator Maria Cantwell and Microsoft President Brad Smith

Via UW News: The University of Washington, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Microsoft Quantum announced this week that they have joined forces in a new coalition to bring about a revolution in quantum research and technology. The Northwest Quantum Nexus was unveiled during a two-day summit at the UW, an event that included scientists and engineers from the three keystone institutions, as well as potential partners in academia and industry from across the Pacific Northwest.

New method to assess platelet health could help ER doctors | UW News

A research team at the University of Washington has created a novel system that can measure platelet function within two minutes and can help doctors determine which trauma patients might need a blood transfusion upon being admitted to a hospital. The team published its results March 13 in Nature Communications. The microfluidics cards used in this study were made at WNF.

UW Hiring WNF Director

We currently have an opening for the position of WNF director. Come join a dedicated team at the largest publicly accessible cleanroom in the Pacific Northwest and a key facility in the NNCI network. Our recently renovated facility houses over 100 instruments covering a wide range of nanofabrication capabilities, including direct-write, contact, i-line, and e-beam lithography, extensive thin film processing, and back-end capabilities. The WNF director will oversee all aspects of cleanroom operation and supervise a staff of more than 10 technical and administrative members.

Layer by Layer: Nanofabrication Engineer Andy Lingley Reflects on WNF’s Role in his Career Development

“One of the really wonderful things about WNF is how it feels like a community,” says Andy Lingley, a nanofabrication engineer at Modern Electron, a cleantech startup located in Bellevue, Washington. Lingley joined the WNF community in 2007 when he was a new graduate student at UW, and he continued to work with WNF as his career progressed. He offers a unique perspective of WNF as someone who has utilized its nanofabrication capabilities as an academic user, staff scientist, and industrial user.