Research

The cost and technical challenges of mask making are becoming increasingly difficult issues as the lithographic feature size is reduced. This provides strong motivation for developing maskless techniques for future lithography systems. We are developing spatial light modulators, based on phase shifting MEMS mirrors, for Deep-Ultra-Violet wavelengths. The modulator is designed specifically for easy integration of electronics and MEMS, and the simplicity of the structure simplifies scaling to the small pixel sizes required for maskless lithography.

People involved : Il Woong Jung

The chemical, electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of surfaces and interfaces must be understood to design and fabricated functional, reliable, and robust optical micro- and nano-devices. We are developing fabrication processes, including surface passivation and modification techniques, to create Photonic Crystals with tailored optical characteristics to fit our needs for optical device performance, and we are applying this technology to a range miniaturized, robust devices for optical communication specifically aimed at operation in challenging environments and aeronautic applications.

People involved : Il Woong, Sora, Sanja, Shrestha

Photonic crystal devices can be engineered to have modes with very high sensitivity to structural changes, without requiring the large size, sensitive coupling, and critical stabilization that characterize traditional high quality-factor optical interferometers. We utilize these attributes of Photonic Crystals to create fiber-coupled sensors for mechanical measurands like pressure, acceleration, and displacement

People involved : Onur Kilic, Onur Can Akkaya

Confocal microscopy is a promising technique for subsurface in vivo imaging and early detection of anomalies associated with cancer and other diseases. In collaboration with the research groups of Professors Christopher Contag and Gordon Kino, we are developing MEMS scanners and micro-optics for endoscopic implementations of dual-axes confocal microscopes, specifically designed for detection of neoplasia in the esophagus.

People involved : Hyejun, Wibool, Jae-Woong

The interaction forces between the tip and sample in Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs) operated in tapping mode contain information about the topography as well as the chemical and mechanical properties of the sample. Up to now, it has proven difficult to measure these forces with sufficient accuracy to obtain information other than the topography of the sample. We have designed, fabricated, and demonstrated AFM cantilevers with superior high-frequency response to overcome this measurement problem, and we have shown that high-resolution images based on chemical and mechanical contrast mechanisms can be generated. We are now developing this tool, which we call Time-Resolved Tapping Force Near-field Microscopy (TTFN) for the study of biomolecular interactions.

People involved : Fatih, Karthik

Optical MEMS technology supports direct device fabrication, integration, and packaging. We are demonstrating this concept by creating integrated, external-cavity, tunable, semiconductor lasers that can be integrated on a single chip with most of the packaging performed on the wafer scale to reduce overall system cost. The tunable wavelength filters used in these lasers are microgratings in which each grating element can be actuated to perform the required amplitude and phase tuning of the filter. The tuning of the microgratings require only sub-wavelength motion, so wav3lenght switching times as short as 10 us can be achieved.

People involved : Christophe