September 2004
New nano lab makes giant leap in "small" science
The University of Western Ontario, making a large leap ahead in terms of “small” science, has officially opened its $23-million nanofabrication laboratory, expected to advance research in areas that can be measured on the nanoscale – as small as a billionth of a metre.
The ceremony was held on Sept. 23, in conjunction with the visit of new President and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Dr. Eliot Phillipson.
“We want to go where none of us – not the researchers, not the Faculty of Science, not the University – have gone before,” says Ian Mitchell, principal investigator at the laboratory.
The new facility will focus on photonics, where sophisticated new lithographic tools, including a focused ion beam, allow for pattern and feature definition of materials at dimensions below the wavelength of light.
Several sectors will benefit from this work, including the telecommunications and information technology sectors, where nanofabrication may result in smaller photonic components, lower power usage and greater bandwidth. In engineering, nanofabrication may lead to the construction of ever-smaller electronic circuitry.
This technology may also alter the pharmaceutical industry by providing new ways to administer drugs.
CFI provided more than $3 million toward the construction of the laboratory, in conjunction with substantial grants from the Province of Ontario and gifts of equipment from Nortel Networks.
“Continued support from the CFI – including an investment in this leading facility – demonstrates the level of research excellence at Western and helps to solidify our position on the world stage,” says University President Paul Davenport.
“I congratulate Professor Ian Mitchell and his team of researchers, whose work has been instrumental to the inspiration for, and creation of, this laboratory.”
“Today’s opening of the nanofabrication laboratory is a powerful example of what can be achieved when various stakeholders come together as partners,” says Phillipson. “The research investment we are celebrating today will further enhance Canada’s capacity to effectively compete in the global technology arena.”
To maximize use of this facility, researchers at Western, McMaster and the University of Waterloo have joined forces to form the Ontario Photonics Consortium, and will bring their diverse strengths to this cutting-edge research while strengthening collaborative ties between the universities.
Learn more at http://www.uwo.ca.
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