The mechanical characterization activities at MTMC are lead by Professor T. W. Kenny, whose group develops and studies a variety of novel microsensors and actuators. SNF includes a 10,500 square foot, ultra-clean laboratory that is specifically engineered to support research on semiconductor devices and compact sensors and actuators. The experimental data are compared with predictions obtained using computers donated in 1997 by IBM Corporation. The workstations are used for three types of heat transport simulations, whose regimes of validity and applications are summarized in Figure 2. The computational resources also support a growing effort in atomistic simulations for nanoscale devices and processes.
More information is provided in the project summaries.
There is a growing demand for heat-transfer expertise to aid with the design of microfabricated transistors, sensors, and actuators for the IC and MEMS industries. However, the mechanical engineering curriculum provides students with little exposure to the thermal phenomena and thermal diagnostics tools relevant for microdevices. The primary goal is to teach classical conduction and convection through experiments on high-technology microdevices of relevance for silicon valley companies. The MTTL provides a unique environment for undergraduate students to study microscale heat transfer as part of the core curriculum. Equipment includes the two high-resolution electrical probe stations shown in Figure 3, each of which offers a microscope, camera, and a video monitor.