A. PROJECT INFORMATION

 New Project: If the purpose of the project is substantially different from a prior project, please start a new project.

OR

 Follow-on to Project Number: If it is a direct continuation of work begun under a prior project, enter the prior 

NanoFab Project Number.

New or Updated Project Title: Enter a short, descriptive title, sufficient for someone to understand the main purpose of the project. 

If this is a follow-on project application, update the title if the purpose has changed; if it has changed substantially, start a new project.

Estimated Budget: $ This estimate will generally be arrived at in coordination with the NanoFab Manager and the User Office. 

You can leave this blank if the estimate is not yet available.

 This project will be proprietary: To be proprietary, no federal employees, including NanoFab staff members, may assist in the work. 

By Department of Commerce policy, full rates will be charged.

OR

 This project will be non-proprietary: Non-proprietary projects are expected to freely share any processes developed and the outcome 

of the work, and may be conducted with the assistance of NanoFab staff members.

I request that this non-proprietary project be considered for reduced rates: The decision to award reduced rates will be 

based on the extent to which the proposed project will develop innovative nanoscale measurement and fabrication capabilities to support 

nanoscale technology from discovery to production, including the likelihood of publications, patents, new processes, commercial products, 

and other outputs that benefit the public. 

I learned about the NanoFab from: Please help us understand the most effective outreach mechanisms by identifying how you learned 

about the NanoFab. 

B. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR INFORMATION

Last Name:

Employer: List the Institution where you are employed (i.e., who pays you). If you are a NIST federal employee, simply list “NIST”. If you are 

a NIST Associate, and not a NIST federal employee, do NOT list NIST, list your primary affiliation. 

 I am a NIST Associate in Division: If you are already on-site as a NIST Associate 

(i.e. you have a NIST badge and are in the NIST Name Lookup), list the Division number that is hosting you.

If your primary office is not located at NIST, provide your complete mailing address: If your institution is only in one location, 

you may simply provide the department and institution (we will look-up the address). If your institution has multiple locations—for example, your 

company has office locations around the country—please provide your complete address.

Address Line 1: 

Address Line 2: 

City State Zip Country 

WWW.NIST.GOV/CNST

Employer Name: Employer Type:

CNST NANOFAB PROJECT APPLICATION PAGE 1 OF 5

Principal Investigator First Name: 

Primary Work Phone: 

Primary Work Email Address: 
PAGE 2 OF 5

C. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Describe the overall goal of your research and how this NanoFab project will contribute to that goal: Provide a concise 

description (2 to 4 sentences) of the goal of the overall research program to which this NanoFab project will contribute and how this project will 

contribute to that goal. This description should be written for the scientific generalist and enable one to quickly ascertain the purpose of your 

research and how using the NanoFab will help achieve it.

If applicable, describe any materials and chemicals that you plan to bring into the NanoFab, along with their purpose:

After consulting with the NanoFab Manager, please list any materials and chemicals you require that are not currently available in the NanoFab. 

Describe the composition of any non-commercial items and any associated safety or contamination concerns. Please provide MSDS information 

for any unusual items.

Please select the appropriate research area:

Electronics 

Optics/Photonics/Plasmonics

MEMS

Bio

Imaging and Characterization

Test Samples

Other:

CNST NANOFAB PROJECT APPLICATION
PAGE 3 OF 5

C. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION (CONT'D)

Describe in detail as appropriate to the scope of the NanoFab project the work you propose to perform in the NanoFab, 

including the tools and processes required and how you plan to use them. For complex projects, you may summarize 

some steps and reference publications that describe the detailed methods: Sufficient information must be supplied for the 

CNST to determine specifically how the NanoFab will be used; whether the tools and processes required to carry out the project are available 

in the NanoFab or can be reasonably made available; whether the tool and process requirements are within our current capacity; the 

technical/innovative quality of the project; and the feasibility that the proposed work will succeed in achieving the project’s goals. If appropriate, 

provide a step-by-step process flow. Indicate if any of the steps will be performed (at cost) by NanoFab staff members (non-proprietary projects 

only). Attach additional pages or supplemental material as necessary.

CNST NANOFAB PROJECT APPLICATION
PAGE 4 OF 5

D. NANOFAB JUSTIFICATION

Briefly explain how you expect this project will support NIST’s mission to advance measurement science, standards, or 

technology: Although direct support of the NIST mission is not a prerequisite for using the NanoFab, potential contributions to this mission are 

one factor used in evaluating the relative merit of each project application. If your project is not expected to contribute in this way, enter “N/A”.

Briefly explain how you expect this project will support the CNST’s mission to advance fundamental nanoscale science 

and technology, and/or accelerate commercial production of nanotechnology that will benefit the public: Although direct 

support of the CNST mission is not a prerequisite for using the NanoFab, potential contributions to this mission are one factor used in evaluating 

the relative merit of each project application, and a major factor used to decide whether the CNST will provide financial support through reduced 

rates, if requested. If you have requested to be considered for reduced rates, this section must be filled in. If your project is not expected to 

contribute in this way, enter “N/A”.

CNST NANOFAB PROJECT APPLICATION
PAGE 5 OF 5

E. REPORTING AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

These requirements must be read and understood by all participants in this project. The reporting requirements for all prior projects 

led by the PI must be completed before any additional projects may be approved. This page must be signed by the PI (not the 

applicant if he or she is not the PI).

In submitting this application, the Principal Investigator agrees to the following:

• To	provide	a	comprehensive list	of	collaborators associated	with	this	project,	including	those	collaborators who	may	not	personally	work

in	the	NanoFab.

• To	provide	annually	a	list	of	all	outputs	and	accomplishments associated	with	this	project,	including	all publications, presentations, patent

applications,	media	citations,	honors,	and	awards.

• To	include	the	acknowledgement “Research performed in part at the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology NanoFab” in	all

research publications	and	published	documents	reporting	results	associated	with	or	made	possible	by	this	project.

• To	acknowledge	the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology NanoFab in	presentations	reporting	results	associated	with	or

made possible	by	this	project.

For Principal Investigators who have led prior NanoFab projects: 

• I have been provided with a report of other NanoFab projects that I have led during the past three years:

The list of outputs (publications, patent, presentations) and collaborators was complete.

 OR

I have provided a complete list of outputs and collaborators to the User Office.

• The CNST has been acknowledged in all publications associated with prior NanoFab projects that I have led:

Yes

No

Explain:

version 2023-0531

Principal Investigator’s Signature____________________________________________ Date ____/____/_______

Authority: The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 271 et seq. (which includes Title 15 U.S.C. 272) and 

section 12 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 3710a. 5 U.S.C. App.—Inspector General Act of 

1978, § 2; 5 U.S.C. App.—Reorganization Plan of 1970, § 2; 13 U.S.C. § 2; 13 U.S.C. § 131; 15 U.S.C. § 272; 15 U.S.C. § 1151; 15 U.S.C. § 1501; 

15 U.S.C. § 1512; 15 U.S.C. § 1516; 15 U.S.C. § 3704b; 16 U.S.C. § 1431; 35 U.S.C. § 2; 42 U.S.C. § 3121 et seq.; 47 U.S.C. § 902; 50 U.S.C. App. 

§ 2401 et seq.; E.O. 11625; 77 FR 49699 (Aug. 16, 1012).

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is collecting this information for the registration of CNST NanoFab project 

applications.

Routine Uses: NIST will use this information to conduct necessary government business for the processing of CNST NanoFab project applications. 

Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 522a) to be shared among NIST staff for work-related 

purposes. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice 

DEPT-23, Information Collected Electronically in Connection with Department of Commerce Activities, Events, and Programs. 

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the 

information you submit for the purpose stated.

CNST NANOFAB PROJECT APPLICATION