A patterned gold layer excited by an oscillating electric potential is used to manipulate single living cells in microchips. The gold patterns are designed to produce an appropriate electric field, capable of organizing single cells and cell pairs in microfluidic storage chambers of an array. Once assembled, it is possible to study cell-cell interactions, and single cell protein secretion patterns (photo credit: Yellen Lab. Second place award, 6th Mahato image contest)
Scanning electron microscope image of dandelion pollen. As part of SMIF’s outreach program, we took this image with visiting middle school girls to show them how cool things can look under the SEM and get them excited about STEM.
3D print of 40 million year old primate jaw (Notharctus tenebrosus) scanned in the SMIF MircoCT scanner. Many MicroCT scans like this are freely available for use at morphosource.org.
Photolithography in the SMIF Cleanroom
SEM image of a DRIE silicon etch
The Shared Materials Instrumentation Facility (SMIF) at Duke University is an interdisciplinary-based shared resource that is open to Duke University researchers from all schools and departments, as well as to users from other universities, government laboratories or industry.
SMIF is a member of the Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN), an NSF funded site in the National Nanotechnolgy Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) network
