Cleanroom Researcher

Minnesota Nano Center

The Minnesota Nano Center, or MNC, is a state-of-the-art facility for interdisciplinary research in nanoscience and applied nanotechnology.

The Center offers a comprehensive set of tools to help researchers develop new micro- and nanoscale devices, such as integrated circuits, advanced sensors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and microfluidic systems. The MNC is also equipped to support nanotechnology research that spans many science and engineering fields, allowing advances in areas as diverse as cell biology, high performance materials, and biomedical device engineering.

Have a Project?

The tools and labs of the Nano Center are open for use by all trained and qualified users. We also do custom projects in the areas of microdevices, nanoparticles, and biomedical applications of nanotechnology.

Contact us and find out how we can help you realize your research goals or turn your ideas into new products.

Nano Center News

Nanotechnology Image Contest

In honor of National Nanotechnology Day, October 9th, the Minnesota Nano Center is again hosting the “Plenty of Beauty at the Bottom” image contest. Referencing Richard Feynman’s 1959 lecture, There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom, this image contest celebrates the beauty of the micro- and nanoscale. Past winners of the image contest can be found at https://bit.ly/2oaygP8.

The contest is open to any researcher who has used University of Minnesota labs and/or instruments since August 2021. For more information contact Jim Marti at jmarti@umn.edu. Winners will be announced on October 16, 2023.

Image Contest Winner 2022
2022 image contest winner

Nano Center Newsletters

New Tool and Lab Additions

Acknowledgment of NSF and NNCI

Published papers must acknowledge all sources of financial support. Since MNC receives funds from the National Science Foundation through the NNCI network, MNC users must acknowledge that support on all publications and presentations. Our funding is jeopardized unless everyone complies, so please add the following to your acknowledgement sections:

“Portions of this work were conducted in the Minnesota Nano Center, which is supported by the National Science Foundation through the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) under Award Number ECCS-2025124."

In circumstances where there is insufficient space for this entire acknowledgement, please be sure to mention "Award Number ECCS-2025124" at a minimum.