Physical Sensors & Devices

The goal of this project is to realize a micro rate-integrating gyroscope that produces an output signal proportional to rotation angle rather than rotation rate. This device would eliminate the need of integrating the gyroscope's rate output to obtain the angle. Gyroscope resonators have at least two resonant modes that can be coupled by Coriolis force. Difference in damping coefficients and stiffness of the resonant modes of the MEMS resonator known as anisodamping and anisoelasticity are main sources of error in RIG. So realizing a micro rate-integrating gyroscope can be achieved...

Chronic cutaneous wounds affect millions of people each year and take billions of dollars to treat. Formation of pressure ulcers is considered a "never event" - an inexcusable, adverse event that occurs in a healthcare setting. Current monitoring solutions (pressure-distributing beds, repositioning patients every few hours, etc) are very expensive and labor intensive. In response to this challenge, we are developing a novel, flexible monitoring device that utilizes impedance spectroscopy to measure and characterize tissue health, thus allowing physicians to objectively monitor...

State-of-the-art (SOA) physical sensors used to monitor changes in the environment require active electronics that continuously consume power (in the order of mW) limiting the sensor lifetime to months or less. This project targets the integration of low frequency sensors with wake-up electronics that operates below 10nW (50dB lower than the SOA) and achieve high probability of detection (POD) (>95%) and low false alarm rate (FAR) (<1h^-1). To improve the sensor performance at low frequencies we design piezoelectric AlN MEMS microphones and accelerometers with high voltage...

There is tremendous interest in reducing losses caused by the metal contacts in silicon photovoltaics, particularly the optical and resistive losses of the front metal grid. One commonly sought after goal is the creation of high aspect-ratio metal fingers which provide an optically narrow and low resistance pathway to the external circuit. Currently, the most widely used metal contact deposition techniques are limited to widths and aspect-ratios of ~40 μm and ~0.5, respectively. In this study, we introduce the use of a micropatterned polydimethylsiloxane encapsulation layer to form...