MEMS for biochemical sensing and communication
Dr.
Center for Wireless
Integrated Microsystems
Department of
Electrical Engineering and
MEMS (Microelectromechanical
Systems) technology has been proved an enabling technology for many
applications in different disciplines. Recently, its research comes to an even
more challenging level: wireless integrated microsystems
(WIMS) level, which basically promises to integrate sensing, actuation elements
and wireless interface circuits on a single chip, thereby forming a compact
smart system with super performance. In this talk, I will talk about my
research work in the two key areas for the futuristic WIMS (1) MEMS for
biochemical sensing and imaging: A MEMS
device, the first demonstration of this kind, for indirect and direct
biochemical (DNA and protein) fluorescence imaging and detection utilizing a
self-contained battery-operated on-chip, wavelength-tunable microfluidic
optical source will be presented. Basic science and engineering issues,
technical challenges and experimental results will be presented and discussed
in detail. (2) MEMS for
communication: Firstly, the first fully integrated bi-stable, zero
standby power and milliNewton contact force RF switch
for wireless communication will be presented. At current stage, at 3.5GHz it
offers 1dB insertion loss and 30dB isolation with sub 1ms switching speed. RF
power up to 1 W can be handled without any degradation. Secondly, a latching
optical MEMS-based optical variable attenuator (VOA) for optical communication
systems will be presented. The VOA is the first ever MEMS-based product with
digital or analog latching mechanisms in the research community and industry.
It has wide dynamic range up to -50dB and fine attenuation resolution down to
sub 0.1dB as well as a fast speed of 0.8-1.5ms.