Molecular Foundry

1 The Molecular Foundry
2 Imaging and Manipulation of Nanostructures
3 Nanofabrication
4 Inorganic Nanostructures
5 Organic and Macromolecular Synthesis
6 Biological Nanostructures
7 Theory of Nanostructured Materials
8 External links

The Molecular Foundry

The Molecular Foundry is a nanoscience user facility located at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, and is one of five nanoscale science research centers sponsored by the United States Department of Energy. The Molecular Foundry provides support to nanoscience researchers in university, industrial and government laboratories around the world. The Foundry is led by director Carolyn R. Bertozzi and deputy directors Jim DeYoreo, Jeff Bokor and Mark Alper.

The Foundry allows free access to instruments, techniques and collaborators for nanoscience research that is in the public domain and intended for open publication. Proposals for user projects are solicited to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists studying nanoscale phenomena in materials science, physics, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, biology and chemistry in six interdependent facilities:

Imaging and Manipulation of Nanostructures

Led by Facility Director Frank Ogletree and Scientific Director Miquel Salmeron

State-of-the-art characterization and manipulation of nanostructures—from “hard” to very “soft” matter—combining electron microscopy, optical microscopy and scanning probe microscopy.

Nanofabrication

Led by Facility Director Stefano Cabrini and Scientific Director Jeff Bokor

Advanced lithography and thin-film processing emphasizing integration with chemical and biological nanosystems and the development of nanoscale electronic, magnetic and photonic devices.

Inorganic Nanostructures

Led by Facility Director Delia Milliron and Scientific Director A. Paul Alivisatos

The science of semiconductor, carbon and hybrid nanostructures—including design and synthesis of nanocrystals, nanowires and nanotubes—and study of their electronic applications.

Organic and Macromolecular Synthesis

Led by Facility Director Frantisek Svec and Scientific Director Jean Fréchet

Studies of “soft" materials—including synthesis of organic molecules, macromolecules, polymers and their assemblies, with access to functional systems, photoactive, organic-inorganic hybrid and porous materials.

Biological Nanostructures

Led by Facility Director Ron Zuckermann and Scientific Director Carolyn R. Bertozzi

New materials based on the self-assembly of biopolymers and bio-inspired polymers, new probes for bio-imaging and synthetic biology techniques to re-engineer organisms and create hybrid biomolecules to interface with devices.

Theory of Nanostructured Materials

Led by Facility Director Jeff Neaton and Scientific Director Steven Louie

Theoretical support to guide understanding of new principles, behavior and experiments—including electrical transport in nanoscale molecular junctions, self-assembly of biological nanostructures and computation of spectroscopy at hybrid nanoscale interfaces.

The Foundry was dedicated on March 24, 2006 and received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold recognition from the US Green Building Council in 2007 for its optimization of energy usage.