Proposal Submission & Review Process | Proposal Form Guidelines | FAQs

Call for User Proposals
DOE Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies

The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) is a Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences Nanoscale Science Research Center (NSRC) jointly operated by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories.  As part of the National Nanoscience Initiative infrastructure, CINT provides user access to technical staff and state of the art equipment for nanoscale science research at no fee to users, except for proprietary research.  CINT’s objective is to foster scientific discovery enabling the integration of nanoscience concepts and structures into the micro and macro worlds.

User Proposals – The scientific community is invited to submit proposals to conduct research at CINT.  Individual and team proposals from industry, academia, and other laboratories are welcome.  Approved CINT users can access scientific expertise and associated capabilities for research projects aligned with CINT’s overall focus on nanoscience integration.
(http://cint.lanl.gov/user_call/scientist_summaries.shtml)
(http://cint.lanl.gov/user_call/user_capabilities.shtml)

Renewal Proposals – For those who have just completed a U2006 project and would like to submit a renewal proposal, please refer to the Guidance for CINT User Renewal Proposals.

Proposal Content – Specific instructions for applicants and a description of capabilities are available on the CINT web site.  In order for CINT to evaluate project feasibility, the User Proposal should clearly state:

(1) the CINT expertise and capabilities requested

(2) the specific tasks to be accomplished or work plan

(3) the estimated duration (one year maximum, subsequent renewal is possible)

(4) the users that would be conducting the research at CINT.

Collaborations with CINT scientists are encouraged.  Through a separate process, proposals for propriety use of CINT resources (with full-cost recovery as required by the DOE) will be considered.  Foreign National users can work at CINT if their visit is planned with sufficient lead-time (see CINT web site).  CINT cannot provide financial support to users. (http://cint.lanl.gov/user_info.shtml)

Proposal Focus – Preference will be given to proposals related to nanoscience integration and one or more of CINT Science Thrusts: (http://cint.lanl.gov/user_call/thrust_descriptions.shtml)

• Nanoscale Electronics, Mechanics & Systems
  This thrust focuses on the electronic and mechanical properties of nanosystems and issues related to integration of a wide variety of nanoscale materials, including structural and electronic properties of nanowires, elastic and fracture properties on the nanoscale, quantum computing in silicon or GaAs based semiconductors, interactions of low dimensional systems, coupled mechanical systems, coupling of mechanical and electronic properties, and investigation of materials interface properties.  This research is supported by an effort in nanofabrication.
  

• Nanophotonics and Optical Nanomaterials
  This thrust addresses the overall scientific challenge of understanding and controlling fundamental photonic, electronic and magnetic interactions in nanostructured optical materials fabricated using both chemical and physical syntheses. Research topics include metamaterials, (nano) plasmonics, photonic bandgap materials, colloidal synthesis of semiconductor, noble metal and magnetic-metal nanostructures having controlled shape (anisotropy) and surface chemistry (reactivity), as well as hybrid, multifunctional (e.g., magneto-optical, electro-optical, and multi-ferroic) nanomaterials comprising semiconductors and metals. Bottom-up assembly approaches, polymer-assisted thin-film growth techniques, pulsed laser deposition, and lithographic methods are commonly employed tools.

• Soft, Biological and Composite Nanomaterials
  This thrust focuses on solution-based, "bottom-up" approaches for development of integrated nanomaterials. Synthesis, assembly, and characterization of soft or biological components and the integration of these components across multiple length scales to form functional architectures are of interest. High-level topics include the intersection of materials science with biology, the interfacial science of soft and composite materials, active- and self-assembly methods, soft/hard/bio composite materials, systems integration, and advanced characterization techniques.

• Theory and Simulation of Nanoscale Phenomena
  This thrust focuses on understanding of the fundamental nanoscale phenomena that underlie integrated nanomaterials. Classical and quantum methods are applied to determine the properties and structure of nanoscale materials and systems as a basis of assembly of nanomaterials. Topic areas of specific interest for this call include interfacial interactions on the nanoscale, molecular electronics, electronic inhomogeneity, local and ultrafast spectroscopy, self-assembly of charged macromolecular complexes, self-assembly of nanoparticles, and mechanical properties of biopolymer networks.

CINT’s Grand Challenges in Nanoscience Integration span multiple scientific thrusts.  They identify nanoscience integration research that will have significant impact by creating new nanotechnologies with multiple applications. (http://cint.lanl.gov/user_call/science_challenges.shtml).

1. Energy Transfer:  What are the fundamental limits and enabling principles for the use and integration of nanoscale heterostructures into systems that detect, transfer, and transducer energy with extreme sensitivity and efficiency?  Understanding and controlling such energy transfer processes at the nanoscale will have great benefit, e.g. in the sensitive detection of radiation and the high efficiency conversion of solar energy into electrical or chemical energy.
2. Emergent Behavior:  One of the great challenges of nanoscale science is the understanding of collective properties of composite nanoscale systems that cannot be predicted in terms of the individual constituents. We wish to exploit such behavior in the integration of nanoscale structures to design systems with desired performance.

Discovery Platforms:  Unique to CINT is the opportunity for prospective users to exploit a CINT Discovery PlatformTM in their proposed research. CINT Discovery PlatformsTM are novel modular microlaboratories-on-a-chip for nanoscience exploration.  The Cantilever Array platform and the Electrical Transport and Optical Spectroscopy platform are currently available. (http://cint.lanl.gov/user_call/science_challenges.shtml)

Leveraged Capabilities – In addition to the capabilities available in CINT, user proposals may also request access to neutron diffraction, small-angle scattering and reflectivity at LANSCE, short-pulse and high-magnetic field studies at NHMFL, and optical diagnostics at CRF. User proposals involving CINT and these other user facilities will receive special handling to ensure a coordinated review.
(http://lansce.lanl.gov/)
(http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/mpa/nhmfl/)
(http://www.ca.sandia.gov/crf/index.php).

Contacts:

Dr. Neal Shinn,
CINT User Program Manager
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 5800 MS-1315
Albuquerque, NM 87185-1315
Phone:  505-844-5457
FAX:  505-284-7778
ndshinn@sandia.gov

Antonya Sanders
CINT User Administrator
Los Alamos National Laboratory
MPA-CINT, MS K771
Los Alamos, NM  87545
Phone:  (505) 606-0150
FAX:  (505) 665-9030
antonya@lanl.gov

Heather Brown
CINT User Administrator
Sandia National Laboratories
P.O. Box 5800, MS-1315
Albuquerque, NM 87185-1315
Phone:  (505) 845-1232
Fax:  (505) 284-7778
hdbrown@sandia.gov

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