Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

UND Nanofoundry: MBE Growth and TEM Characterization

The UND Nanofoundry supports a complete pipeline from atomically precise thin-film growth to device fabrication and testing. Our flagship Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) system enables ultra-high-vacuum growth of epitaxial semiconductors, nitrides, and 2D heterostructures with multi-source effusion control, in-situ RHEED, and substrate-temperature metrology for layer-by-layer engineering. Downstream, a 200 kV TEM/STEM provides atomic-resolution imaging, diffraction, and quantitative EDS mapping to resolve interfaces, defects, and composition in as-grown and processed structures. Integrated micro/nanofabrication tools (lithography, etch, and thin-film deposition) translate materials into prototype devices, which are evaluated by electrical and thermoelectric test stations spanning cryogenic to elevated temperatures and magnetic field environments. Established through the State of North Dakota’s Space Education and Research Initiative, the Nanofoundry expands campus capacity to pursue, secure, and deliver federally and privately funded projects while training students in best practices for reproducible materials and device research. The Nanofoundry welcomes collaborations across colleges and with industry partners seeking rapid, data-driven development of next-generation materials and space-relevant devices.