Nicholas Strandwitz, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, has been appointed as director of Lehigh’s Integrated Nanofabrication and Cleanroom Facility (INCF), effective July 1, 2021.
The INCF supports research and development in microfabrication techniques and device fabrication. It consolidates III-V and silicon-based nanofabrication cleanrooms into a single facility. The INCF’s equipment and capabilities include photolithography, intermixing/contact annealing, III-V and dielectric etchers, silicon oxide and nitride deposition systems, metallization and anti-reflection/high-reflection coating, a holography system, wet etching, and more.
Strandwitz’s research group conducts research on atomic-scale processing of advanced materials. His team investigates interdisciplinary problems associated with the conversion of energy from light into electricity and chemical fuels and seeks to advance science and technology for thin film growth and processing.
“Capable and reliable shared user facilities for nano- and micro-fabrication are essential to many cutting-edge research efforts in electronics, photonics, microfluidics, and biomaterials,” says Strandwitz, who is also affiliated with Lehigh’s Institute for Functional Materials and Devices (I-FMD) and leads the institute's Materials Synthesis and Growth under Extreme Conditions research thrust. “Lehigh has deep experience in these areas, stemming from prior ‘booms’ in the semiconductor industry. We are looking to advance our facility to better serve Lehigh researchers and external users—and to create an even more vibrant atmosphere for exploration and discovery.”
Strandwitz joined the Rossin College faculty in 2013 and received the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award in 2018. He holds a PhD in materials from UC Santa Barbara and a BS in engineering science from Penn State. He was a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology from 2009 to 2012.
