Synchronous imaging for rapid visualization of complex vibration profiles in electromechanical microresonators

Synchronous imaging is used in dynamic space-domain vibration profile studies of capacitively driven, thin n+ doped poly-silicon microbridges oscillating at rf frequencies. Fast and high-resolution actuation profile measurements of micromachined resonators are useful when significant device nonlinearities are present. For example, bridges under compressive stress near the critical Euler value often reveal complex dynamics stemming from a state close to the onset of buckling. This leads to enhanced sensitivity of the vibration modes to external conditions, such as pressure, temperatures, and chemical composition, the global behavior of which is conveniently evaluated using synchronous imaging combined with spectral measurements. We performed an experimental study of the effects of high drive amplitude and ambient pressure on the resonant vibration profiles in electrically-driven microbridges near critical buckling. Numerical analysis of electrostatically driven post-buckled microbridges supports the richness of complex vibration dynamics that are possible in such micro-electromechanical devices.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure, submitted to Physical Review

The Nanolithography Toolbox

This article introduces in archival form the Nanolithography Toolbox, a platform-independent software package for scripted lithography pattern layout generation. The Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Nanolithography Toolbox to help users of the CNST NanoFab design devices with complex curves and aggressive critical dimensions. Using parameterized shapes as building blocks, the Nanolithography Toolbox allows users to rapidly design and layout nanoscale devices of arbitrary complexity through scripting and programming. The Toolbox offers many parameterized shapes, including structure libraries for micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) and nanophotonic devices. Furthermore, the Toolbox allows users to precisely define the number of vertices for each shape or create vectorized shapes using Bezier curves. Parameterized control allows users to design smooth curves with complex shapes. The Toolbox is applicable to a broad range of design tasks in the fabrication of microscale and nanoscale devices

Photonic crystal light sources and microsensors.

While electronic device miniaturization is close to reaching its potential, photonic devices have unique properties that are yet to be exploited. The manipulation of light in integrated systems similar to that achieved for electrons in semiconductor integrated circuits on nanometer scales is the main topic of this dissertation. Photonic crystals have emerged as the best potential candidate that can achieve the goal of compact miniaturized photonic chips. The photonic crystal devices exploit defects, in an otherwise periodic lattice designed to exhibit a wide photonic bandgap, to form microcavities or optical waveguides. This dissertation explores the applications of photonic crystal structures in electrically-injected microcavity light sources. The demonstrated single-cell microcavities with superior mechanical and thermal stability exhibit extremely low thresholds 2+ and anion ClO4- detection with sensitivites comparable to the existing state-of-the-art ion-selective sensors (∼10-4M) are demonstrated.Ph.D.Applied SciencesElectrical engineeringUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/125239/2/3186774.pd

Photoinduced transformations in bacteriorhodopsin membrane monitored with optical microcavities

ABSTRACT Photoinduced molecular transformations in a self-assembled Bacteriorhodpsin (bR) monolayer are monitored by observing shifts in the near-IR resonant wavelengths of linearly polarized modes circulating in a microsphere cavity. We quantify the molecular polarizability change upon all-trans to 13-cis isomerization and deprotonation of the chromophore retinal (~-57Å3) and determine its orientation relative to the bR membrane (~61°). Our observations establish optical microcavities as a sensitive off-resonant spectroscopic tool for probing conformations and orientations of molecular self-assemblies and for measuring changes of molecular polarizability at optical frequencies. We provide a general estimate of the sensitivity of the technique and discuss possible applications

Fabrication and practical applications of molybdenum disulfide nanopores

Among the different developed solid-state nanopores, nanopores constructed in a monolayer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) stand out as powerful devices for single-molecule analysis or osmotic power generation. Because the ionic current through a nanopore is inversely proportional to the thickness of the pore, ultrathin membranes have the advantage of providing relatively high ionic currents at very small pore sizes. This increases the signal generated during translocation of biomolecules and improves the nanopores’ efficiency when used for desalination or reverse electrodialysis applications. The atomic thickness of MoS2 nanopores approaches the inter-base distance of DNA, creating a potential candidate for DNA sequencing. In terms of geometry, MoS2 nanopores have a well-defined vertical profile due to their atomic thickness, which eliminates any unwanted effects associated with uneven pore profiles observed in other materials. This protocol details all the necessary procedures for the fabrication of solid-state devices. We discuss different methods for transfer of monolayer MoS2, different approaches for the creation of nanopores, their applicability in detecting DNA translocations and the analysis of translocation data through open-source programming packages. We present anticipated results through the application of our nanopores in DNA translocations and osmotic power generation. The procedure comprises four parts: fabrication of devices (2–3 d), transfer of MoS2 and cleaning procedure (24 h), the creation of nanopores within MoS2 (30 min) and performing DNA translocations (2–3 h). We anticipate that our protocol will enable large-scale manufacturing of single-molecule-analysis devices as well as next-generation DNA sequencing