Centers of Excellence
One Vision, Seven Forces
Where Excellence Takes Shape
Seven Centers of Excellence. One shared mission to engineer what’s next.
Explore the pillars that drive innovation, set standards, and lead transformation across our technology landscape.
About Department
Center of Applied Research and Nanotechnology (CARN) was started in Siddaganga Institute of Technology as an institute-wide integrated R&D and academic facility. This 1600 m2 area facility is located on the fourth floor of Sree Sivakumara Swamiji Centenary Building (TEQIP building). Center is established to carryout research to solve critical national problems in the field of Energy, Defence, Infrastructure, health and hygiene, and Engineering Education. The facility consists of clean rooms (Class 100 and Class 10000) and “non-clean room” area. The facility integrates three laboratories (Lab 1 for Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials research; Lab 2 for Nanomaterials and Nanobiotechnology research; Modelling lab for simulation, modeling, and design activities), faculty offices, classrooms, research scholar’s room, a cafeteria and kitchen, and a reception area. The facility houses some of the indigenously designed laboratory tools, nanomaterials synthesis and characterization equipment, and a vast collection of software and books. SIT was one of the four self-supporting institutions to receive Rs. 5 crore to develop a Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology by TEQIP during its Phase-II funding (2013-2017).
Department of Nanotechnology initiated by the Center has designed an interdisciplinary two year M. Tech. program in Nanotechnology for BE/B. Tech. students from various engineering background. This program is been offered from the academic year 2014-15. To date about 22 students have graduated and are working at various industries/academic institutions.
Center's Vison
The vision of the Center is a national center of excellence in nanotechnology and advanced engineering research engaged in state-of-art applied research and engineering education of international standing.
Center's Mission
To solve critical national problems in energy generation and distribution, defence, infrastructure, health, and hygiene through nano- and bio-engineering under five sub-themes:
- Nano-electronics and nano-photonics.
- Nano-systems, MEMS and NEMS.
- Nano-bio sensors and nanobiotechnology.
- Advanced nano-materials.
- Nano-technology education and marketing platforms.
Training
The Center also develops and undertakes
- Short-term training and certification programs for undergraduate science or engineering students and faculty
- Continuing education programs for science and engineering faculty and industry professionals
- Topical workshops in the thematic areas of nano-technology.
Internships
Engineering students and industry personnel are offered summer internship opportunity to learn the operation of the Center’s facility, get hands-on training in the various fabrication processes, undertake equipment maintenance, and contribute to the smooth functioning of the Center. This is also a path to contribute to the Center’s R&D programs. Each internship carries a stipend and time-bound work assignments. Interested students should contact the Head of the Center.
Visiting Scholars
The Center hosts visiting scholars from collaborating organizations on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the area of research interest, a scholar may be awarded this privilege for three months to two years. Certain rules and guidelines apply. Interested scholars should contact the Head of the Center.
Workshops and Continuing Education (CE) Programs
Periodically, the Center hosts week-long workshops and continuing education programs for the S and E faculty and industry professionals. Participants live on campus for the duration and participate in the daily learning and laboratory activities. Topics pertain to the R&D themes of the Center: nano-electronics, nano-materials, or nano-medicine. Anyone interested in organizing a workshop or CE program should contact the Head of the Center.
Center's Visitor Tours
Visitors are welcome to our facility. Visitors in a hurry may take the short window tours to obtain an overview of the facility. In-depth tours with clean room gowning, entry into the clean rooms, and participation in lab demonstrations are offered to high school and PUC student groups. Each group is limited to 15 members. Since the Center is an academic and research facility, all tour requests must be forwarded to Center’s office so that they are scheduled without disturbing the ongoing activities. The entire facility is secured with biometric doors and no visitor can enter it without prior approval and arrangement.
Laboratories
Center of Applied Research and Nanotechnology is an institute-wide engineering research and development center in 1600-m2 area, consisting of Class 100 and Class 10,000 clean-rooms, a modeling lab with software tools for modeling and designing nano- through bulk materials and devices, and integrated office and smart classroom spaces for PG students and research staff. SIT is one among the four self-financing institutions (out of total 30) in the country that was awarded Rs. five crores in 2013 by MHRD/TEQIP towards developing a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Nanotechnology within the Center with specific thrusts in building up the learning resources, faculty and student competence in advanced technologies, and nanotechnology centric collaborative engineering research and development infrastructure.
Cleanrooms:
- Class 100 (for photo-lithography)
- Class 10000 (Lab 1 for nano-electronics and nano-materials research)
- Class 10000 (Lab 2 for nano-materials and nanomedicine research)
- Class 100000 (service chase for utilities on both Lab 1 and Lab 2 side)
Modeling lab:
Centralized air-conditioned facility for engineering/nanotechnology modelling and simulation
Facilities
Thermal evaporation system
Thermal evaporation system uses physical vapor deposition method to deposit thin films of materials (in the range of a few nanometers to about a micrometer). Metals such as aluminum, silver, chromium, nickel, etc. may be evaporated using this system.
Make and Model: The system was designed at Center and machined at Bangalore Vacuum Technology, Bengaluru.
Specification/Features:
Roughing pump:
Oil pump (660 lpm) for DP based system
Diaphragm pump (200 lpm) for TMP based system
High vacuum pump:
Diffusion Pump
Turbomolecular pump (510 lps)
Ultimate vacuum:
10-5 Torr for DP based system
10-6 Torr for TMP based system
No. of metal layers:
Up to two metal layers may be evaporated without breaking the vacuum.
Thickness monitor:
Quartz crystal microbalance based in situ thickness monitoring.
Applications:
Evaporation of aluminum, gold, and silver, and certain eutectic alloys (other metals whose pressure is above 0.01 Torr at 1500 K can also be evaporated).
Optical Microscope Microscopic examination are conducted to study the structure of the material under magnification.
Make and Model: Materials analysis microscope, Leica DM1750 M
Specification/Features:
10x eyepiece with 5x, 10x, 20x, 50x objective lenses; digital camera with software.
Applications:
Inclusions, grain boundary, and phase analysis This equipment is partly supported by Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation, GoK.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/EDX Analysis
Electron microscopy is performed at high magnifications, generates high-resolution images and precisely measures very small features and objects.
Make and Model: JEOL JCM 6000Plus
Specification/Features: Magnification: From 5x to 60kx
Resolution 10 nm,
Sample size upto 70 mm dia.;
Imaging time within 3 minutes;
EDX elemental analysis from Boron to Uranium
Applications: Microanalysis and failure analysis of solid inorganic materials including metals and polymers; Qualitative determination of chemical compositions, crystalline structure and crystal orientations.
The EDS detector separates the characteristic X-rays of different elements into an energy spectrum and EDS system software is used to analyse the energy spectrum in order to determine the abundance of specific elements.
This equipment is partly supported by Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation, GoK
Micro-hardness tester
Microhardness Testing is a method of determining a material’s hardness or resistance to penetration when test samples are very small or thin, or when small regions in a composite sample or plating are to be measured.
Make and Model: Conation technologies, MMV-D
Specification/Features: Vickers Hardness Test – micro and macro hardness with load weights up to 1 kilograms
Knoop Hardness Test – load weights up to 1000 grams
Computerized imaging
Applications: Micro analysis examinations, such as surface contamination, carburization and decarburization, case depth and profiles, provide valuable information about the hardness of small samples and small areas of evaluation.
This equipment is partly supported by Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation, GoK
Tensile strength testing
Tensile Testing of Metals is a destructive test process that provides information about the tensile strength, yield strength and ductility of the material.
Make and Model: Tinius Olsen, Model 50ST
Specification/Features:
Types of Tensile Testing – full-size tubing, rebar, fasteners; wedge & axial; yield strength; weld and casting
Tensile Profile – tensile strength test, yield strength, ductility and elongation
Equipment Capacity – upto 50kN
Materials Tested – metals, metal alloys, ceramics, composites, polymers
Applications:
Tension, compression, flexure, shear tests for specimens in all sizes and shapes to a maximum force of 50 kN
This equipment is partly supported by Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation, GoK.
Thin film thickness measurement system
Non-destructive, non-contact, fast and accurate method of measuring film thickness by an optical technique.
Make and Model:Semiconsoft MProbeVis
Specification/Features:
Measurement mode: Reflection and transmission
Wavelength range: 400 – 1000 nm
Thickness resolution: < 1.0 nm
Thickness range: 15 nm – 20 microns
Precision: 0.01%
Sample size: from 1 mm
Applications:
Measurements: Thickness, optical constants, surface roughness Majority of translucent or lightly absorbing films/coatings can be measured quickly and reliably: Oxides, Nitrides, hard coatings (SiC, DLC), polymer coatings (Parlene, PMMA, polyamides), thin metal films and many more. Thin solar cells application: aSi, TCO, CIGS, CdS, CdTe LCD, FPD application: ITO, Polyamides
Optical coating:
dielectric filters, hardness coating, anti-reflection coating
This equipment is partly supported by Karnataka Council for Technological Upgradation, GoK.
UV-visible spectrometer
UV-visible spectrometer is a nanomaterial characterization tool based on optical absorption/ transmission. The optical properties of nanoparticles dispersed in liquid are obatined through absorption spectra.
Make and Model:Shimadzu UV-1800
Wavelength range: 190 – 1100 nm
Spectral bandwidth: 1 nm (190-1100nm)
Samples: Nanoparticles suspended in liquid, thin samples-films, filters
Measurement modes: Spectrum, Kinetics, Photometrics
Applications:
Size and concentration of nanoparticles; surface plasmon resonance; band gap of semiconductor nanoparticles; optical characterization of thin samples-films, filters.
Surce Measure Unit
This equipment is used to source/sink current and voltage for electrical measurements on two terminal devices.
Make and Model:Kiethley 2450 (Interactive digital source meter)
Specification/Features:
Voltage range: 20 mV – 200 V
Current range: 10 nA – 1 A
Power:20 W
Source and sink (four quadrant) operation
Applications:
DC Current voltage characterization of two terminal devices. Breakdown voltage measurement (up to 200 V)
Four point probe measurement
This equipment is measures the sheet resistance of a thin film eliminating series resistance effects associated with the probes.
Make and Model:FP-01, SES Instruments Pvt. Ltd.
Specification/Features:
Measurement temperature – up to 200 ºC
Current source down to 0 – 2 μA range (200 mA max.)
Microvolt meter with 1 μV resolution
Source and sink (four quadrant) operation
Applications:
Sheet resistance of thin conducting/semiconducting films.
Thickness/resistivity measurements of conducting/semiconducting films.
High purity de-ionized water plant
High purity water that is free of all ionized minerals and salts, both organic and inorganic. The technical standard on the water quality is Type I as per ASTM international.
Specification/Features:
Resistivity (conductivity): up to 200 ºC
Capacity: 200 litters per hour
Storage tank: 1000 litters (stainless steel)
Resistivity at storage tank: > 14 MΩ-cm
Applications:
Semiconductor wafer cleaning; laboratory chemistry; nanomaterials processing; any special cleaning.
Polypropylene chemical hoods
Chemical hoods are work benches with build-in exhaust to carry out experiments dealing with hazardous chemicals. Centre of ART has four chemical hoods, two located in Lab 1 and two in Lab 2 cleanrooms.
Make and Model: Fiber Abrasives Machines Pvt. Ltd. Bengaluru
Specification/Features:
Dimensions 1830 x 915 x 800 mm3 (in Lab 1) 1326 x 915 x 580 mm3 (in Lab 2)
Exhaust: 1200 CFM (in Lab 1) 1000 CFM (in Lab2)
Utilities and tools: DI water, nitrogen, vacuum, hot plate with magnetic stirrer
Applications:
Wafer cleaning; wet chemical processing; chemical synthesis
Vacuum ovens
Vacuum ovens are used for heat treatment of materials during processing. Center of ART houses two vacuum ovens located at the service chase of Lab 1.
Make and Model: Hindustan Apparatus Mfg. Co., Mumbai
Specification/Features:
Maximum Temperature: 250 ⁰C
Pressure: 0.6 bar
Ambient: Vacuum, air, or controlled gas (nitrogen, oxygen)
Inner dimensions: 300 x 300 x 300 mm3
Applications:
Heat treatment of materials in 0.6 bar to atmosphere in controlled or air ambient
Simulation and modeling tools
Cost intensive experiments limit the scope of various design verifications through actual implementation. Technology computer aided design and simulation helps in minimizing the cost incurred in design iteration. Center of ART houses a Modeling lab that contains 23 PCs and software worth Rs. 70 lakhs.
Software list and application
MedeA: Atomistic-scale simulation of materials using DFT (VASP) and molecular dynamics (LAMMPS), meso and micro scales using UNiversal CLuster Expansion for calculating thermal, mechanical, electronic and optical properties.
COMSOL: Multiphysics simulation using Heat transfer, CFD, MEMS, Molecular flow, RF, and Optimization modules with Livelink to Solidworks.
pSpice: Circuit simulation and PCB design
Tanner L-Edit: IC Layout design tool
Origin: Data analysis and visualization. Besides these, software with institute wide license such as, MATLAB, NI AWR Microwave Office, and Solid Works are also available at Center of ART.
Besides these, software with institute wide licenses are also installed to strengthen the modeling work.
Research in Diagnostics
Center of ART has streamlined its R&D activities along nanomaterials, nanoelectronics, and nanomedicine towards solving the problems associated with energy, defense, infrastructure, health and hygiene and engineering education. The current research interests/activities of the Center of ART are as follows.
- Advanced nano-materials for flexible electronics, solar cells, solar collectors, solid-state displays, RF and millimetre wave communications, etc.
- Shape memory alloys and smart structural materials.
- Nano-composite material for liquid armor.
- Materials and devices for solar renewable energy technology.
- Inorganic and organic semiconductors.
- GaN based devices for high power and high frequency applications.
- Passive RF devices and circuits.
- Thin-film sensors.
- MEMS and NEMS.
- Affordable diagnostic devices and screening development for clinical samples.
- Detection method development for pesticide safety in food and agricultural commodities.
- Standardization of Ayurvedic herbal-bhasma for viral and bacterial infections.
- Development of monocrystalline high-purity alumina and silicon for electronic chip fabrication.