Best. Freshmen. Evar.
By Thoreau
I decided to give my freshmen a taste of real physics. I offered extra credit to anybody who could give me a useful critique of my grant proposal. Amazingly enough, two of my students actually rose to the occasion. Although they couldn’t really dissect the science, they could tell that I wasn’t really explaining why this would be significant for the field, and they told me what I’d need to say to convince them of the significance. (I guess some people just can’t appreciate the inherent AWESOMENESS of simulating a new technique for optical nanolithography and identifying the necessary molecular parameters.) They earned themselves some extra credit points for the upcoming midterm. Prior to this these students flew under my radar, but if this grant gets funded, they’ll be the first ones that I consider for research assistantships.
Comment by von Laue —
May 10, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
That’s a really good idea – the extra credit for a critique idea, that is. (Not to say that the nanolithography work isn’t…) I’m going to pass that along to a couple of new professors.
Comment by Derek Copold —
May 10, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
…a new technique for optical nanolithography…
So, are you going to write people’s names on molecules?
Seriously, how small are the pieces you think you can print?
Comment by Thoreau —
May 10, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Initial goal is 50 nm, or lambda/10, just to show the concept.
There’s reason to think we can go below 10 nm.
I’m just doing the simulations to identify plausible scenarios. I’ll show this to potential collaborators once we have the simulation results, and see who has the interest and expertise to do the experiments. Some of this is a bit speculative, so we need simulations to see if the assumptions add up.
Comment by Derek Copold —
May 10, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
That’s pretty incredible. How are the strengths and heat resistance?
Comment by Thoreau —
May 10, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
Derek-
We’re just doing computer simulations of a proposed technique for depositing organics on a surface, and I think the simulations will show promise for resolutions down to 50 nm or better. Then we’ll have to see if chemists can do it, and THEN we’ll see about using those organics as templates for something more useful.
Comment by Jennifer —
May 10, 2008 @ 10:59 pm
But you’re forgetting what’s really important: can you engrave the Bible on a grain of rice?
Comment by von Laue —
May 11, 2008 @ 8:54 am
Oh, so is this like optical tweezing the photoresist where it needs to be? weird!
Comment by Dave W. —
May 11, 2008 @ 10:14 am
That’s a really good idea – the extra credit for a critique idea, that is.
I have to agree with this.
Comment by Timothy —
May 12, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Thoreau – DAMN, that is pretty frikkin’ cool. Both the critique and the spectroscopy idea. But, seriously, when are you theorists going to stop dickering around with chalk and start doing some real work?