The Nano/Micro Mechanics and Motion (NM3) lab conducts fundamental and applied research in the areas of MEMS/NEMS including both linear and nonlinear aspects. Research involves fabrication, designing, modeling, simulating, characterizing, and testing a vast variety of MEMS and NEMS devices and applications.
Applied research is conducted aiming to solve industry-related problems, such as investigating the failure and collapse of microstructures due to mechanical shock, capillary forces, and electrostatic forces. Fundamental research is also performed, aiming to understand basic phenomena and concepts related to the dynamics of structures at the Micro and Nano scale, such as investigating the nonlinear vibration response of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Other research activities include novel MEMS/NEMS sensors and actuators, logic and communication devices, force sensors, energy harvesters, inertia sensors, micromirrors, and RF switches.
Fabrication activities range from surface micromachining for thin-film out-of-plane structures, bulk-micromachining for in-plane high-aspect ratio structures, beside other Nano-fabrication techniques, such as e-beam lithography for Nano scales structures. Characterization techniques include optical and electrical and span wide range of frequencies. Modeling and simulation activities rely on sophisticated nonlinear analytical and finite element models of micro- and nano-devices and structures under coupled multi-physics (ex. mechanical, electrostatic, squeeze-film, and thermoelastic) forces.