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S
ome Electronics Engineering
Technology students engaged
in some highly-advanced, hands-on
learning at the Applied Research Center
Consortium in Newport News, Virginia,
one of the nation’s leading research
facilities involved in a variety of fields,
including free-electron lasers.
Dr. Ibrahim El-Kholy’s Material Science
class visited laboratories used for
Surface Engineering and Nanomaterial
Research and participated in several
sample experiments. They also observed
the testing of different materials,
including semiconductor samples and
a human hair. Imagine seeing a single
strand that looks like a six inch pipe!
The class also witnessed transmission
electron microcopy; a machine that
exceeds the ability of optical microscopy
and can image features as small as 1
Å (a unit equal to one ten-billionth of a
meter) with magnification up to 2,000,000
times. One researcher was scanning
Quantum dots (nanomaterial) for a new
type of solar cell. Then, it was on to the
tunneling microscope, and atomic force
microscope.
From there, the class toured the Thin
Film manufacturing labs that feature
different types of coating machines like
electron beam, and sputtering. One
of the labs was used to develop oxide
semiconductors, a method involved in
microprocessor manufacturing.
They ended that day at the femtosecond
laser lab where they observed three
different experiments:
Pulsed laser deposition, a new
technique used to fabricate different
types of thin films
Time-resolved reflection high energy
electron diffractions, an experiment
used to probe the surface morphol-
ogy for different materials
Electron stimulated desorption ion
angular distributions, used to detect
the oxide bonds on surface of semi-
conductor materials
“These are hot topics in manufacturing
technology,” says Dr. El-Kholy. “And
its these kind of experiences that help
prepare students for the technology
they will encounter upon graduation and
beyond.”
EET Students Conduct Experiments at
Highly-Regarded Research Facility
P
harmaceutical company Boehringer
Ingelheim recently announced it was
shutting down one of its manufacturing
lines in Petersburg, Virginia, leaving 70
people out of work. To assist the workers
with the transition, the company turned to
ECPI University. Business Development
Specialist Paul Dockery put together
a comprehensive job fair that included
skills assessments,
and training, as well
as a resume and
interviewing workshop.
Fourteen companies
attended the event.
Pharmaceutical Company Calls on ECPI University
to Assist Workers