NSERC - NanoIP and the Canadian Perspective

P. GrutterPhysics, McGill University

CIAR Nanoelectronics ProgramScientific Director, NSERC NanoIP

grutter@physics.mcgill.ca

Science Fiction:

7of 9 on Star Trek

Field Ion Microscopy of tungsten tip

Imaging at 5.0 kV

A. Schirmeisen,

G. Cross,

A. Stalder,

U. Durig

P. Grutter

Field Ion Microscopy of tungsten tip

Imaging at 5.0 kV Manipulating at 6.0 kV

Field Ion Microscopy of tungsten tip

Imaging at 5.0 kV Manipulating at 6.0 kV

Field Ion Microscopy of tungsten tip

Imaging at 5.0 kV Manipulating at 6.0 kV

Single atom on tungsten tip

Imaged at 2.1 KV

“If I were asked for an area of science and engineering that will most likely produce the breakthroughs of tomorrow, I would point to nanoscale science and engineering.” (…)

Neal Lane, Assistant to former US President Clinton for science and technology

The Impact of Nano

“The total societal impact of nanotechnology is expected to be much greater than that of the silicon integrated circuit because it is applicable in many more fields than just electronics.”

How big is a nanometer?

nm

Definition of Nanoscience

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology investigates and applies phenomena, systems and structures where:

1. At least one dimension lc is a few nm 2. The properties are qualitatively different because l < lc

Condition 2 distinguishes ‘nano’ from ‘micro’, macro-molecular chemistry’ or ‘biology’

Sub-micron is not nano!

‘Nanotechnology on siliconproducts: Intel leads in production and research’(Wall Street Journal)

Beware of PowerPoint Science

or Cartoon Engineering !!!

Where will nano make an impact?• Electronics and photonics

– molecular electronics, spintronics– photonics– sensors

• Materials– ultra-fine powders, composites– harder, more corrosion resistant, dirt/bacteria repellent– green manufacturing, cost effective

• Bio-medical– emerging applications (materials, diagnostics, drug delivery...)– biomedical research tools (labeling, nanotools applied to biomed )– biotechnology applied to nanoscience & technology

New materials: non-permeable, self-cleaning, anti-septic,...

Lotus leafLotus leaf (artificial):nm sized hydrophobic wax size: water rolls (not slides) -> cleans sol-gel based technique -> on market

Self-cleaning plastic, textiles:Self-cleaning plastic, textiles: CNT stabilized enzymes in polymer Textiles with ‘Stain Defender’

Air-D-FenseAir-D-Fense (InMat, New Jersey):

nanoclay/butyl thin film 3000 fold decreased permeability

Ceramic Coatings: Ceramic Coatings: (Inframat) No barnacles on ship hulls: reduced drag

Nano materials in labeling

• High throughput multiplexed assays (‘nano bar code’)

• Optical tracking on a cellular level with tagged CdSe quantum dots: which gene is active?

Basis: size dependent emissioncolor of ZnS capped CdSe nano particles

Nano in Canada

• No national strategy (yet)• National Institute of Nanotechnology (Edmonton): 120 M$• $ 3.15 B Canadian Foundation of Innovation (10 years)• $ 900 M Canadian Research Chairs• NanoQuebec $ 10M operating (since 2001)• CIAR Nanoelectronics program (since 1999)• Many universities on a hiring spree (baby boomers retiring)• Cost structure relevant! 1 C$ = 2-3 US$

National Science and Engineering Research Council

People: support for more than 9,000 graduate students

Discovery: funding of more than 8,700 researchers p.a.

Innovation: encouraging more than 1,000 Canadian companies to invest in university

research.

In 2002-2003, NSERC will invest $678 million in university-based research and training in all the natural sciences and engineering.

NSERC 2002 Total: $ 10,433k

Materials Development

Nanoelectronics/Photonics

Life Sciences

Tools Development

Equipment Purchases

$ 535k

$ 43k

$ 148k

$ 19k

$ 67k

$ 607k$ 425k

$ 34k

$ 45k$ 72k

$ 37k

$3138k

$ 887k

$ 206k$ 66k

$ 205k

Alberta: $ 812k $ 485k

$ 319k

$ 300k

$ 151k

$1957k

$ 128k

$ 22k

$ 15k

$ 25k

$ 159k

$ 23k

$ 62k

$ 193k

$ 47k

$ 16k

BC: $ 1,066kSask.: $ 150k

Manitoba: $ 154k

Ontario: $ 4,501k

Quebec: $ 3,211k

PEI: $ 63k

NovaScotia: $ 244k

New Brunswick: $ 40k

Newfoundland: $ 193k

NSERC 2002 Total: $ 10,433k

Materials Development

Nanoelectronics/Photonics

Life Sciences

Tools Development

Equipment Purchases

$ 535k

$ 43k

$ 148k

$ 19k

$ 67k

$ 607k$ 425k

$ 34k$

3138k

$ 887k

$ 206k$ 66k

$ 205k

Alberta: $ 812k $ 485k

$ 319k

$ 300k

$ 151k

$1957k

BC: $ 1,066k

Ontario: $ 4,501k

Quebec: $ 3,211k

NSERC 2002 Total: $ 10,433k

Materials Development

Nanoelectronics/Photonics

Life Sciences

Tools Development

Equipment Purchases

Materials

Life Sciences

Electronics/Photonics

Tools

34

17

20

17

Nano Innovation PlatformSubmissions by Topic

89

3 238 24

2

2

NSERC funding in 2002

$7M

$6M$5M

$4M

$3M

$2M$1M

2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

EquipmentPurchases

ToolsDevelopment

LifeSciences

Nanoelectronics/Photonics

MaterialsDevelopment

NSERC funding in 2002

$5M

$4M

$3M

$2M

$1M

2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996

Other

Electrical &Computer Engineering

Materials/Engineering

Life Sciences

Chemistry

Physics

CFI Infrastructure funding

Year # of Projects CFI Total

1998 5 0.7 M$ 1.8 M$

1999 4 7.8 M$ 19.5 M$

2000 14 17.4 M$ 43.5 M$

2001 18 4.7 M$ 11.8 M$

2002 20 27.4 M$ 68.5 M$

Total: 61 58.0 M$ 145.0 M$

Nanotools Facility: 9.4 M$, part of

NanoQuebec Network

CFI Infrastructure and NSERC operating

Year # of projects Accumulated Total NSERC

1998 5 1.8 M$ 5.4 M$

1999 4 21.3 M$ 7.2 M$

2000 14 64.8 M$ 8.5 M$

2001 18 76.6 M$ 8.8 M$

2002 20 145.1 M$ 10.4 M$

A few observations

• Some world class nano research in Canada• Spread out over 6000 km• Current funding structure does not

encourage risk taking• Researchers have grant writing fatigue • No strategic coordination or science policy• Commercialization a problem in Canada

Canada is World Class in NanosciencePatents as strength indicators:

Canada is World Class in NanosciencePatents as strength indicators: Marinova and McAleer, Nanotechnology 14, R1-R7 (2002)

TS…Technological Specialization Index

PS…Patent Share

RAP…Rate of Assignment (=market share)

CR…citation rate (=knowledge creation)

Canada is World Class in NanosciencePatents as strength indicators: Marinova and McAleer, Nanotechnology 14, R1-R7 (2002)

TS…Technological Specialization Index

PS…Patent Share

RAP…Rate of Assignment (=market share)

CR…citation rate (=knowledge creation)

Canada is World Class in NanosciencePatents as strength indicators: Marinova and McAleer, Nanotechnology 14, R1-R7 (2002)

TS…Technological Specialization Index

PS…Patent Share

RAP…Rate of Assignment (=market share)

CR…citation rate (=knowledge creation)

NSERC Nano Innovation Platform:

““The NSERC Nano Innovation Platform is The NSERC Nano Innovation Platform is a multidisciplinary national network of a multidisciplinary national network of

university researchers from many fields university researchers from many fields of science and engineering created to of science and engineering created to accelerate and intensify research and accelerate and intensify research and education of HQP in nanoscience and education of HQP in nanoscience and

nanotechnology in Canada.”nanotechnology in Canada.”

Organization of Nano IP

• Scientific Director (P. Grutter)• Assoc. Scientific Director (M. Roseman)• Advisory Committee (9 members)• Admin. and other support staff• International Panel (6 members) • NSERC Steering Committee

Aim of NSERC Nano IP

• Develop and implement a national strategy together with all stake holders

• Support a few high risk projects at a high funding level

• Facilitate and build local nano communities• Increase NSERC budget with and for nano

The Canadian Nano Vision: answers to the following questions

• What is Canada’s position and strength in this field?

• By the end of 2003 as a community of stakeholders we will have made some strategic choices both in terms of topics as well as where these efforts should geographically be concentrated.

• We will also have a clearer understanding of what the required funding is and what it will be used for.

Summary NanoIP

• Nine high risk = high visibility projects: NSERC is doing something innovative and

visionary in Nano • Workshops help build a community with

students, researchers across all disciplines and sectors

• Strategic coordination of Nano in Canada with all stake holders

Nano: Renaissance Scientists

nm

size

time

solid state physics &

engineering biology

chemistry

now!

nm

Nano Technology

• Science!• Scaling Laws? • Statistics?• Better function?• Throughput?

Nanotechnology is at its infancy, still rather quite primitive!

•Cost?•Systems integration?•Environmental impact?•Social acceptance?•Ethics?

some of the issues:

NanoIP Awards: Philosophy

• Excellence, quality, innovation and need for funds. • 'The risk taker is the best decision-maker.’• Being first is important. • Is it ‘nano’ or a tool for nanoscience? • Minimize overhead/workload on applicant(s).• International refereeing committee.• For first round no selection based on strategic themes.

NanoIP Awards: evaluation criteria

• Is it 'Nano'? Or is it a new tool for nano research?• Excellence of proposal.• Originality.• Track record/potential of applicant(s).• Justification of why $100,000 will make an impact.• Reasonable to expect significant progress and

impact with overall funding?

CFI Infrastructure and NSERC operating

Year # of Projects CFI Total NSERC

1998 5 0.7 M$ 1.8 M$ 5.4 M$

1999 4 7.8 M$ 19.5 M$ 7.2 M$

2000 14 17.4 M$ 43.5 M$ 8.5 M$

2001 18 4.7 M$ 11.8 M$ 8.8 M$

2002 20 27.4 M$ 68.5 M$ 10.4 M$

Total: 61 58.0 M$ 145.0 M$