At the nano level

The University of Pittsburgh's Institute of NanoScience and Engineering has become the first U.S. group to install a device that uses an electron beam to create nanometer-scale structures.

A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.

"In a sense, it's like having a machine shop, only a million times smaller," said Jeremy Levy, a physicist and the faculty member in charge of training new users of the Raith electron beam Lithography and Nano Engineering workstation. Eight Pitt researchers have recently completed training on the device; more students and faculty are scheduled for training.

The eLINE system is one of three major pieces of instrumentation being installed at the institute. The others, a focused ion beam system and a transmission electron microscope, are scheduled for delivery early next year.

Particle study center at CMU

Tiny, nearly invisible airborne particles have become a major pollution concern and Carnegie Mellon University researchers have established a new Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies to study them.

Headed by Neil Donahue, a professor of chemical engineering and chemistry, the multidisciplinary center will examine the health effects of these "PM2.5" particles released by power plants, industries and motor vehicles. It also will explore how these particles are transported by the wind throughout the region. A major objective of the center is to perform research that will guide public policy regarding particle pollution.

Previous air sampling research at CMU showed that power plants and industries upwind of Pittsburgh are major sources of the particles here. Researchers are developing computer models to predict the effects of reducing pollution from specific sources.