Ming C. Wu (Advisor)

The goal of this research is the creation of robust, flexible, polymer sensors and circuits fabricated partially from the low cost biopolymer, chitosan, the deacetylated form of chitin which is the second most abundant polyssacharide in nature. Chitin is found in crustaceans, insects, bacteria and fungi. The sensors will detect diatomic gases and DNA to more complex macro molecules (e.g. exotoxins) in a fluidic or dry environment. Polymer-nanoparticle (e.g. Ge) hybrid films allow for development of robust polymer thin-film transistors and, with optimization of the hybrid film,...

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) hold significant promise in applications such as data center networks, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, quantum computing, and LiDAR, thanks to their energy efficiency and large communication bandwidth. By leveraging the infrastructure and technologies of conventional CMOS foundries, the development and manufacturing costs of PIC chips are significantly reduced. However, the commercialization of PIC products faces a critical challenge in optical packaging, which currently accounts for three times the cost of the PIC itself. Among...

Integrated silicon photonic switches enable routing of optical signals and real-time reconfiguration of the optical networks in data centers and high performance computers. Reducing the operating voltage while preserving the required switching properties is vital to realize their full potential for real-time routing driven by CMOS electronics. Silicon photonic MEMS switches, based on electrostatic actuation, have employed high voltages because of constraints in mechanical designs aimed at eliminating parasitic effects. On the other hand, recent developments in piezoelectric thin...