Putting our stamp on the nanosphere

Chemistry professor Tong Leung sent in the above photo of the university's seal etched in silicon using Canada's first and only Helium Ion Microscope.

This is no small feat, though its dimensions are tiny. How tiny? The logo itself measures one micrometre across, and the smallest line width in the drawing (the inner perimeter circle) is around 5 to 6 nanometres. When you figure that a nanometre is one billionth of a metre, that's a pretty thin set of lines!

"I think this could be the record," writes Leung.

The Zeiss ORION Plus Helium Orion Microscope was funded as part of the Canada Foundation for Innovation's Smart Materials Ontario: Advancing New Functional Materials Technology project. The microscope, the first and to date the only one of its kind in Canada, was installed in WATlab in 2011.

The nanomachining was done by WATlab science technical support staff member Lei Zhang. Nanomachining is achieved, Leung explains, by using the NanoPatterning and Visualization Engine (NPVE) developed by Fibics, WATLab's industrial partner. 

The university logo and this one (at right) for the Chemistry Department are a way of test-driving the Fibics engine and the Orion tool itself, says Leung.

"Lei is getting very good with using the Fibics engine now and we will begin building some nano circuits soon," he writes.

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And we're back for 2013

The students may not be back yet, but the campus is up and running for 2013.

Food Services outlets that are open this week include the SLC Subway, open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Pastry Plus in Needles Hall, open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.,the Davis Centre Tim Hortons from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and South Campus Hall's Tim Hortons open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. These hours are in effect from January 2 to January 4. If anyone needs me, I'll be rattling the shutters at the SLC Tim Hortons, which doesn't open until Monday, January 7.

The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries are open for reduced intersession hours between January 2 and January 6 - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, and they will both be open noon to 5:00 p.m. this weekend.

The Physical Activities Complex and Columbia Icefield opened at 7:30 a.m. today.

Retail Services locations that are open include the Book Store, Waterloo Store, and Write Stuff, open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. today, tomorrow, and Friday, and open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. this weekend.

The Feds Used Books store opened today at 8:30 a.m. and will be open until 5:30 p.m., a trend that will continue for the rest of the week, including Saturday.

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Wednesday's notes

The call for proposals has gone out for the fifth annual Opportunities and New Directions (OND) 2013 conference, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 25. This year's conference theme is “Barriers and Breakthroughs: Accounts of Change in Teaching and Learning.”

"We welcome research-based or practice-based submissions related to the theme," reads a message sent in late December from Geoff McBoyle, Associate Vice President, Academic Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Donna Ellis, the director of the Centre for Teaching Excellence, and Julie Timmermans, Instructional Developer - Consulting and Research, and OND 2013 conference chair.

Proposals are due on Friday, January 25. The full call for proposals and the proposal submission form can be found on the conference website. Registration information will be posted later in January.

"We are excited that “Decoding the Disciplines” experts Dr. Leah Shopkow and Dr. David Pace from Indiana University Bloomington will be the Keynote Speakers," the message continues. "Even if you do not submit a proposal, please plan to join us for what we hope will be an enriching and exciting day!"

Conference-related questions can be directed to Julie Timmermans.

Human Resources has reported that Manuel Ribeiro, who began working at the university in April 2004 as a Custodian in Plant Operations, died November 7, 2012. He is survived by his spouse, Maria Monteiro, who is also an employee in Plant Operations.

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