Clark T.-C. Nguyen (Advisor)

Research Advised by Professor Clark T.-C. Nguyen

Nguyen Group:  List of Projects | List of Researchers

BPN541: High-Voltage MEMS Resonators

Brian Pepin
2010

The use of high voltages (>100 volts) in MEMS-based resonators presents a pathway towards achieving low motional resistances while maintaining excellent linearity, as would be required, for example, in a MEMS-based power amplifier. This research demonstrates the feasibility of creating MEMS resonators which can withstand such voltages without succumbing to electrical pull-in, focusing on careful device design informed by FEM simulation.

Project end date: 02/01/11

BPN358: Micromechanical Transmit Filter

Li-Wen Hung
2011

The ever-increasing appetite for wireless interconnectivity is beginning to drive new functions, like frequency gating spectrum analysis, that in turn drive a need for GHz resonators with si-multaneous high Q (>30,000) and low impedance (<200 Ohm). No single on-chip resonator device can deliver such performance in this frequency range to date. To achieve simultaneous high Q and low impedance, either the impedance of capacitive resonators must be lowered, or the Q's of piezoelectric resonators must be raised. This project investigates methods for increasing quality factor of...

BPN607: Long-Term Stability in MEMS-Based Oscillators

Brian Pepin
2011

The objective of this project is to accurately determine long-term frequency stability (i.e. frequency aging) of small-gap capacitive micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS)-based oscillators. This will be accomplished by creating a measurement setup where the oscillator is in a completely stabilized environment, the resonator is hermetically sealed into a clean enclosure, a “burn-in” is completed step to pre-age the device, and other precautions are taken as necessary for a detailed study of the aging process.

Project end date: 02/05/12

BPN613: High-Order UHF Micromechanical Filters

Turker Beyazoglu
Henry Barrow
2011

The use of MEMS-based resonators for frequency filtering has been promising for achieving single- chip superheterodyne transceivers. For use in communications, filters having large out-of-band rejections and sharp rolloffs are required which necessitates their high-order implementation, yet filters having more than 3 resonators have not been achieved due to their high susceptibility of passband distorting effects. This project aims to realize higher order micromechanical filters to achieve better selectivity and stopband rejection at UHF range.

Project end date: ...

BPN542: New Materials for MEMS Resonators

Robert Schneider
2012

New resonator structural materials will be explored to achieve GHz-frequency MEMS resonators having ultra-high quality factors (Q's) and antenna-amenable motional impedances. Materials having acoustic velocities greater than that of polysilicon, such as diamond and silicon carbide (SiC), will be used to fabricate devices having higher resonance frequencies and higher Q's than their polysilicon counterparts. Low-loss metals, including metal alloys, will be investigated to achieve low deposition temperatures and high electrical conductivities while nonetheless maintaining high Q's....

BPN369: HEaTS: AlN Narrowband RF Filters

Ernest Ting-Ta Yen
2012

The long-term objective of this project is to realize self-temperature compensating narrow band filter bank for wireless communication systems. In this work, post-CMOS compatible aluminum nitride (AlN) RF Lamb wave resonators (LWR) are used as building blocks. LWR have the advantages of permitting multi-frequency devices with high Q (~3000) and low motional resistance (~100ohm). Different approaches including overhang adjustment are used to finely select the resonance frequency of LWR. Successful testing in high temperature up to 600C opens the potential applications of AlN resonator...

BPN630: Capacitive-Gap Micromechanical Local Oscillator At GHz Frequencies

Tristan O. Rocheleau
Thura Lin Naing
2013

This project aims to build a MEMS-based on-chip reference oscillator at GHz frequencies. By constructing an array of capacitive transduced micromechanical resonators with extremely small capacitive gaps and high mechanical Q, in conjunction with a low-power CMOS ASIC amplifier, it becomes possible to achieve self-sustained oscillation in a die-level system. The high mechanical Q of these devices, which can reach an extraordinary >40,000 at frequencies up to 3GHz, allows the possibility for unprecedented phase noise performance. Many applications for such high-frequency, low phase-...

BPN434: A Micromechanical RF Channelizer

Mehmet Akgul
2014

Vibrating mechanical tank components, such as crystal and SAW resonators, are widely used for frequency selection in communication systems because of their high Q and exceptional stability. However, being off-chip components, these devices pose an important bottleneck against the ultimate miniaturization and performance of wireless transceivers. This project aims to explore the use of capacitively transduced micromechanical circuits to realize micromechanical mixer-filters with reconfigurable attributes. With their substantial size, cost and performance advantages, these devices can...

BPN651: Low Power, Low Noise Cavity Optomechanical Oscillators

Alejandro J. Grine
Turker Beyazoglu
Tristan Rocheleau
2014

Cavity optomechanics is a new and rapidly advancing field in which light is used to alter the properties of a mechanical element. Our project specifically aims to enhance mechanical motion by means of optical radiation pressure in a cavity of both high optical and mechanical quality factors. When enough light is built up in such a cavity, the mechanical self-oscillation results in precisely modulated light at the cavity output. Though there may be numerous applications for cavity optomechanics, we seek to use optomechanical oscillators as a replacement for power-hungry microwave...

BPN766: Active Q-Control for Improved Insertion Loss Micromechanical Filters

Thura Lin Naing
Tristan Rocheleau
2014

This project aims to develop channel-selecting Micromechanical filters with controllable bandwidth using resonators wired in closed-loop feedback with ASIC amplifiers.

Project end date: 02/03/15