In 1993, SNF become one of the founding members of NSF's National Nanofabrication Users' Network, a coalition of five university fabs committed to serving all researchers, from any academic, government, or industrial institution.  The notion of open, shared facilities was game-changing; the growth in number and diversity of users provided not only the critical mass needed to sustain operations of these complex enterprises, but also created a vibrant, dynamic, research ecosystem spanning the Network.  A winning formula, the NNUN was supplanted in 2004 by the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) [1], expanding the Network to 14 universities and encompassing a broader technology scope with the addition of nano-  characterization and simulation resources. 

Today, SNF is part of nano@stanford [2], comprised of four shared labs on the Stanford campus, and serving as part of NSF's National Nanotechnology Coordinating Infrastructure. [3] The NNCI is a consortium of 16 university, shared-use facilities which continue the legacy of the users' network by providing micro- and nano- R&D resources to all researchers, regardless of affiliation.