South SFV Today

The Stanford community and the public have an opportunity to delve into the world of nanotechnology at the nano@stanford open house on October 9. The event will include tours showcasing high-resolution microscope demonstrations and hands-on experiences with silicon wafers used in semiconductors. Additionally, Stanford's shared resource platforms, C-ShaRP, will present a series of brief research talks.

Nanotechnology involves manipulating matter at the atomic and molecular levels. It plays a role in everyday items from electronics to medicine. Debbie Senesky, site director and principal investigator of nano@stanford, elaborates on how nanotechnology is influencing various fields and its potential for future advancements.

Senesky explains that a nanometer is one billionth of a meter, highlighting the scale by comparing it to familiar objects like human hair and DNA strands. She notes that materials behave differently at this scale due to quantum effects: "At such a minute scale...we start to see quantum, or subatomic, effects."

Discussing everyday encounters with nanotechnology, Senesky states: "It’s a part of our cellphones...If you zoom in onto a chip...you might see layers of metal or patterned features on that chip that are at the nanometer scale."

Looking ahead, Senesky predicts significant impacts in semiconductor technology: "I think that nanotechnology will have a great impact in the field of semiconductors." She also envisions advances in biology and medicine through nanoscale examination.

A concept like the space elevator could become feasible with strong enough materials such as carbon nanotubes or graphene composites: "People hypothesize we would use materials like carbon nanotubes or graphene composites that are stronger than steel," she adds.

Stanford's interdisciplinary approach to nanotechnology research spans several fields including materials science and electrical engineering. The upcoming open house will feature innovative projects such as making skin temporarily transparent for non-invasive diagnostics.

Senesky emphasizes the importance of community involvement: "What’s unique about nano@stanford is that it’s an open, shared facility...We want to bring awareness because communities may not think they have access to nano@stanford."

Debbie Senesky holds multiple roles within Stanford University including associate professor positions in aeronautics and astronautics as well as electrical engineering.