NSF Network for Computational Nanotechnology
The NSF Network for Computational Nanotechnology (nCn), announced in September 2002 and centered at Purdue University, has a three-fold mission:
- To catalyze the formation of teams of theorists, computational scientists, and experimentalists in research that addresses key challenges in realizing integrated nanosystems,
- To support that research and the broader National Nanotechnology Initiative with an infrastructure that provides ready access to high-performance computing and visualization, facilitates collaboration, delivers simulation services, and enables solutions to large, multiscale problems by assembling standard, open-source components that are available to the entire community,
- To develop educational packages that can be incorporated into the curricula to train students, scientists, and engineers.
The center's research focuses on multiscale problems that begin with atoms and proceed to systems. Three themes are emphasized. The nanoelectronics theme begins with a project on nanowire transistors that will develop computational tools and multiscale methods that will be important contributions to the national knowledge base. The NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems) theme will focus on understanding material properties at the nanoscale and on capturing atomic-scale information in continuum-scale models that can be used for efficient design. The initial focus will also be on carbon nanotube structures, where the experimental knowledge base is rapidly expanding. The nanobioelectronics theme is motivated by natural systems based on proteins that are embedded in a wet environment, as opposed to current chip technology that is based on silicon and dry environments.
A Web-based infrastructure, the Nanotechnology Simulation Hub (nanoHUB), will facilitate collaborative research and deliver simulation services to a worldwide user base, supported by Purdue's Office for Information Technology. The university's e-Enterprise Center will develop and operate a Web-based project-collaboration infrastructure, and Purdue's interdisciplinary Computing Research Institute will provide expertise in developing components of information technology that enable the use of computing and digital communication to enhance computational research.
Education and outreach activities include the creation of new learning tools, resources, and student-research experiences. Short courses offered live and through the World-Wide Web will introduce students and professionals to new ways of solving problems with advanced computational tools.
Director: Mark Lundstrom
Participants: Purdue: James Bottum, Nancy Bulger, Supriyo Datta, David Ebert, Ananth Grama, David Moffett, Jayathi Murthy, Joseph Pekny, Ahmed Sameh; Morgan State: Craig Scott; Northwestern: Renato Figueiredo, Mark Ratner, George Schatz, Stanford University: K. J. Cho, Robert Dutton, Gene Golub; University of Florida: Jose Fortes, Susan Sinnott; University of Illinois: Narayan Aluru, Karl Hess, J. P. Leburton, U. Ravaiolo, University of Texas at El Paso: Greg Lush.