Wireless, RF & Smart Dust

Research that includes:

  • Tuneable RF components: capacitors, inductors, transformers
  • RF microrelays
  • High frequency MEMS resonators: devices, structures, and processes

An RFID-inspired One-step Packaged Multi-mode Bio-analyzer with Vacuum Microfluidics for Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Yan-Ting Hsiao
Ya-Chen (Justine) Tsai
Wei Foo
Hung-Yu Hou
Yun-Chun Su
Yueting Lily Li
Jun-Chau Chien
2025

Current clinical practice for detecting low-concentration molecular biomarkers requires sending samples to centralized labs, leading to high costs and delays (Fig. 20.3.1). Recent developments in molecular diagnostics thus aim to enable point-of-care (POC) detection directly at or near the patient's location [1]–[2]. The most successful POC technology to date is the paper-based lateral-flow assay (LFA) [3]–[4]. Examples include pregnancy tests that sense progesterone and SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests. However, paper-based assays generally provide binary results or limited quantitative...

BPN976: Fully-Integrated MEMS-Based Wireless Receiver

Kevin H. Zheng
Xintian Liu
Qiutong Jin
2025

Recent MEMS process advancements from our group have enabled a class of low-temperature, thin-film ruthenium RF filters that can be processed directly on top of CMOS wafers. This work seeks to demonstrate the first low-IF receiver with fully-integrated MEMS-based RF channel-select filters, which permits low power applications in high-sensitivity, narrow-band software-defined communications and cognitive radio.

Project suspended: 08/21/2025

Qiutong Jin

Graduate Student Researcher
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Professor Clark T.-C. Nguyen (Advisor)
Ph.D. 2025

Qiutong Jin received B.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Iowa in 2019. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in MEMS in EECS at UC Berkeley under the supervision of Prof. Clark Nguyen and will graduate in May 2025.

Fall 2023 Research Review Presenter


Fully Balanced Differential Micromechanical Resonator Reference Oscillator

Kevin H. Zheng
Xintian Liu
Alper Ozgurluk
Clark T.-C. Nguyen
2025

A 61-MHz MEMS-based low-phase noise reference oscillator comprising a micromechanical capacitive-gap-transduced polysilicon wine-glass disk resonator and a custom fully balanced differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA) integrated circuit in 0.18-µm CMOS achieves a 5-dB phase noise figure of merit (FoM) improvement over a comparable single-ended reference oscillator [1]. Key to this improvement is fully balanced differential operation of both the resonator and the sustaining amplifier, which rejects not only common mode circuit and supply noise, but also resonator DC-bias (VP) noise. As...

Resoswitch Squegging Control by Compact Model-Assisted Impact Electrode Design

Kevin H. Zheng
Qiutong Jin
Clark T.-C. Nguyen
2024

This paper demonstrates, via a novel compact model and experiments, that squegging in micromechanical resonant electrical switches (resoswitches) [1] is controllable via impact electrode design. The model captures the nonlinear dynamics of impact contact and predicts squegging. Unlike other numeric and finite-element (FEM)-based models, this physical parameter-based model has no convergence difficulties when simulating impact, accurately captures squegging, and runs within any circuit simulator with up to 100× simulation time improvement compared to commercial software....

BPN926: A Wireless, Implantable, Multicolor Fluorescence Image Sensor for Monitoring Response to Cancer Therapy

Rozhan Rabbani
Micah Roschelle
Mekhail Anwar
2023

We present a mm-sized, ultrasonically powered, lensless CMOS image sensor for wireless fluorescence microscopy. Access to real-time cellular-level information within the tissue can provide new insights for diagnosis and personalized treatment guidance across numerous medical conditions including cancer therapy. In cancer immunotherapy, for instance, where a priori identification of responders is challenging, real-time intratumoral information can aid early assessment of treatment response, identifying activation of the immune system leading to durable responses or rapid...

BPNX1015: Ultra-Light Antennas via Charge Programmed Deposition Additive Manufacturing

Ju Young Park
2024

Multi-material printing employing charge-programmed material is utilized for phase array antenna fabrication, showcasing an ultra-lightweight RF phase array. Significant weight reduction is achieved through selective dielectric material printing. Our approach enables complex electronic device fabrication in one step, utilizing a mosaic of surface charge regions to deposit functional materials with precision. We demonstrate the inherently complex manufacturing process via homogeneous diffusion and fluid dynamics control.

Project is currently...

BPN859: High Frequency Oscillator Characterization

Qiutong Jin
Kevin H. Zheng
Xintian Liu
Kieran Peleaux
QianYi Xie
2024

This project aims to study and understand fundamental mechanisms that govern phase noise, aging, thermal stability, and acceleration stability in high frequency micromechanical resonator oscillators.

Project currently funded by: Member Fees

Project temporarily suspended as of 09/06/2024

Alex Moreno

Graduate Student Researcher
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
Professor Kristofer S.J. Pister (Advisor)
Ph.D. 2023
M.S. 2021

Alex Moreno received the B.S.E.E degree from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2017 and his M.S. in EECS from the University of California, Berkeley in 2021. He was awarded the NSF GRFP and UC Berkeley Chancellor's Graduate Fellowship in 2017. His research interests include low power wireless radios, mircorobotics and localization.

BPN867: Fully Integrated CMOS-Metal MEMS Systems

Kevin H. Zheng
Qiutong Jin
QianYi Xie
Kieran Peleaux
2022

As RF MEMS technology evolves to shift towards UHF frequencies, the parasitics inherent in hybrid fabrication approaches become the performance bottleneck. This project aims to integrate metal MEMS resonators directly over CMOS circuitry to achieve fully integrated MEMS systems. Pursuant to this goal, this project proposes several designs for UHF MEMS bandpass filters, exploring how different CMOS-compatible metals can yield performance metrics—such as quality-factor (Q), temperature stability and frequency drift—that are comparable to those of standard polysilicon MEMS resonators....