Center for Micro and Nano Technology (CMNT) - Facility Capabilities

Turning Ideas into Field-Ready Technologies

The CMNT is a user facility that any LLNL employee or collaborator can use. We provide an integrated suite of facilities that includes characterization and biosafety laboratories, a cleanroom dedicated to micro- and nanofabrication, world-leading capabilities in additive biomanufacturing, and a unique biomedical device foundry with a dedicated toolset for microfabricating human-use implantable medical devices. We also possess state-of-the-art metrology and processing capabilities, including plasma and wet etching, thin-film deposition, micro- and nanolithography, packaging, and metrology.

Take a virtual tour of our facility

Micro/Nano Fabrication Cleanroom

The CMNT’s cleanroom is central to our micro- and nanotechnology work. Our 600 ft² of class 10, 6000 ft² of class 100, and 10000 ft² of class 1000 cleanroom space provide a tightly controlled environment for building devices at the smallest scales. The facility integrates lithography (Ultraviolet and electron-beam), plasma and gas-phase etching, wet chemical processing, and thin-film deposition by both chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD). Advanced packaging and assembly tools enable seamless integration of components into complex systems. See full list of CMNT cleanroom equipment (PDF).

Biomedical Foundry

The CMNT’s cleanroom hosts LLNL’s Biomedical Foundry, a specialized toolset and ISO 13485 accredited quality management system for fabricating medical-grade implantable devices, including neural interfaces and other long-term use biomedical microsystems. This unique facility is one of the few in the country that allows for the development of chronic, long-term implantable prototypes. In addition to the cleanroom, the foundry includes characterization and testing capabilities including semi-automated test equipment developed in-house. Full list of cleanroom equipment (PDF).

More information about bioengineering at LLNL.

Supporting Lab Space

CMNT maintains specialized supporting laboratories to complement the cleanroom and extend core capabilities. Designed for flexibility and innovation, these labs house equipment for materials processing, system integration, testing and measurement, and device prototyping. Here, researchers can transition from device nanofabrication to system assembly and testing, with capabilities ranging from high-power semiconductor packaging and laser-based gas spectroscopy to electrochemical processing and characterization of biomedical implants. The supporting labs ensure projects can evolve fluidly from idea to application with the speed and adaptability LLNL missions demand.

Bioadditive Manufacturing

CMNT’s Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory supports the 3D printing of tissues, organoids, and other engineered biological constructs using LLNL-developed bioprinters, tissue culture, and analysis technologies. By merging biology with advanced engineering for bioprinting and tissue engineering, the lab enables innovations in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and medical countermeasures development. More information about bioengineering at LLNL.

Metrology

Precision metrology is at the foundation of micro- and nanotechnology. CMNT’s metrology resources allow researchers to measure, characterize, and validate devices and materials at the smallest scales with extreme accuracy. These tools include scanning electron microscopy, semiconductor and biological confocal microscopy, spectroscopic techniques, and analytical systems capable of probing structural, electrical, chemical, atomic, and optical properties down to the nanoscale. Metrology ensures quality and reliability, supports rapid design iteration, and provides the confidence needed to advance prototypes into field-ready technologies. In every project, it closes the loop between fabrication and application, accelerating discovery while reducing risk.