The newly established NanoBio Lab (renovation complete October 2009) consists of more than 1,200 ft2 of laboratory space, in addition to office space for the PI and his group, all located in the Seaver Science Center at the University of Southern California’s University Park Campus. This includes a comprehensive facility for biological and biochemical work, imaging equipment, electronic measurements/data acquisition capabilities, and electrochemical analysis devices.
Imaging Equipment
- Fully integrated, motorized, inverted Nikon Eclipse Ti-E fluorescence microscope with a wide range of fluorescence filter sets, objectives up to 100X, phase contrast, and Perfect Focus System for maintaining focus during time-lapse imaging. The set-up also includes a low-noise high-sensitivity cooled camera.
- Veeco Innova Atomic Force Microscope, equipped with scanning tunneling, conductive, electrostatic force, electrochemical analysis (interfaced to potentiostat), and liquid modes, as well as a nanolithography and nanomanipulation package for manipulating nanoscale objects.
- Signatone S1160 Probe Station with a stereomicroscope, four micropositioners, variable-temperature control, and triaxial connectors for measuring electrical properties down to the femtoamp range.
- Agilent 4156C Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer equipped with 4 source-monitor units, 2 voltage-monitor units, and 2 voltage-source units, for electrical characterization of nanomaterials.
- Gamry Reference 600 Potentiostat for electrochemical characterization of biocatalysis and biofuel cells.
- This includes a water purifier, autoclaves, incubators, biological reactors, spectrophotometer, centrifuges, ultra-low temperature freezer, horizontal laminar flow bench, ovens, and other resources for biological and biochemical work.
- For micro/nano structure fabrication, we use the USC Center for Photonic Technology (Keck Photonics Cleanroom) equipped with mask aligners, e-beam evaporators, an RIE/PECVD system, oxidation furnaces, an LPCVD furnace, and a state-of-the-art e-beam lithography instrument. We also routinely take advantage of the UCLA Nanoelectronics Research Facility (NRF). In addition, the PI also has access (2008-2010) to the nanofabrication and biological nanostructures facilities at the Molecular Foundry of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.