1.USM SURF Application Cover Sheet
Last Name: BeatyFirst Name: Eric M.I.: T
Project Title: Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Resonator Research and Development
College Address: John Mitchell CenterPermanent Address:
34 College Ave 43 Hillview Rd
Gorham, ME 04038 Gorham, ME 04038
College Phone: (360) 981-0668Home Phone: (360) 981-0668
E-mail Address:
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 09 Major(s): Electrical Engineering
(Students graduating in May 2008 are NOT eligible for Summer Fellowships.)
Academic standing as of January 1, 2008: Junior
Faculty Supervisor: Professor Mustafa Guvench
Department: Electrical Engineering
Address: 123 John Mitchell Center
37 College Ave
Gorham, ME 04038
Phone: (207) 780-5581
E-mail Address:
Eric Beaty
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Resonator Research
Personal Statement:
My academic interests are primarily in the areas of mathematics and science. In pursuit of these interests, I elected to enroll as an electrical engineer. Engineering courses are primarily applications of a wide array of different sciences and math for the purpose of problem solving though design. I have enjoyed taking courses in calculus, physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science.
Upon graduation, I plan on becoming a professional engineer working in a design orientated environment. It is my hope to begin a career as a control systems engineer and continually make contributions to the engineering society.
For the summer of 2007, I participated in a 10 week NASA and Maine Space Grant Consortium research internship program. The purpose of this program was to provide research opportunities to undergraduate students in aerospace-related research which is broadly defined to include biological, physical, social, earth science, human exploration and development of space, space science, and other science, technology, computer or engineering related fields. I performed my internship at Lanco Assembly Systems in Westbrook, Maine. My research focused on the operation of vision guided robotics. As required by the program, I submitted weekly progress reports and a final report detailing all that I had learned.
Gaining real world engineering experience though development and research of a true dynamic engineering application is critical for developing crucial professional engineering skills and enrichment of the engineering society. The USM Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship would assist in creating this opportunity while still in an academic setting. This is the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills obtained in class. This is the chance to acquire knowledge and new skills that cannot be learned in the classroom.
Eric Beaty
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Resonator Research
Automated Measurement of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Resonators
Abstract:
This research will involve the development of a computer-controlled test system used to measure and characterize the response of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Resonators to various gas mixtures and concentrations. The initial phase of the research will involve the implementation of LabView, a software platform, for interfacing, communicating, data acquisition and control between a personal computer and the measurement setup via GPIB bus and serial ports. Once successfully tested using the automated system, the MEMS Resonators will provide an inexpensive, reliable and miniature means of testing and monitoring atmospheric conditions. Potential uses include many health and safety issues, as well as space exploration and defense applications.
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-ResonatorResearch and Development
The University of Southern Maine
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Resonators, “MEMRs”, are being developed by Prof. Guvench at the Microelectronics Research Labs of Electrical Engineering Dept. at The University of Southern Maine for frequency control and gas sensing applications in high temperature environments. These MEMRs oscillate at a unique frequency precisely determined by their mass and geometry, similar to musical tuning forks, except with dimensions measured on the micrometer scale. Due to the incredibly intricate nature and the minute size of these devices, measurement and characterization becomes an increasingly difficult and highly sensitive endeavor. With the use of computer automated measurement, delicate packaging techniques and specialized equipment, significant progress may be made in terms of data collection, quantification, and characterization of the devices. It is the goal of this research to further improve upon and implement these measurement techniques in order to gain further insight into the operation and potential advancement into wide-scale production and application in everyday life.
Like many state-of-the-art projects, initial application will most likely involve NASA or a government related project using the MEMR devices as gas sensors in high temperature environments including space flight; an application where reliability and durability is clearly of uttermost concern. As gas sensors, integrated in large numbers, these little devices effectively act as an electronic nose; when properly designed and coated with gas absorbing films. Additionally, a MEMR device can be used as an oscillator for a microprocessor, eliminating the need for a separately packaged and processed quartz crystal oscillator; this is due to the ability to process the MEMR device at the same time as the microprocessor itself.
Much of this project involves the further development and implementation of a computer controlled test system in order to measure and characterize response, of these MEMR based systems, to various gas mixtures and concentrations. MEMR resonance frequency is determined by the inverse of the product of its vibrating mass and spring constant. Thus, Similar to Quartz-Crystal-Microbalance sensors, a Silicon MEMR device coated with a thin film of a polymer with unique gas absorption properties, responds to the presence and concentration of the gas to be sensed with a decrease in its resonance frequency; this response is inspected through a resonance curve (peak) using a spectrum analyzer, see figure 2. The system being developed employs a software platform, LabView, for interfacing communication, data acquisition and control between a personal computer and the measurement setup via the GPIB bus and serial ports. Gas or the analyte vapor to be sensed is mixed with an inert carrier gas in order to effectively adjust its concentration. Flow rates and concentration levels are determined by computer controlled mass flow controllers. The LabView program, in addition to the gas mixture ratio, controls the injection time of the analyte and synchronizes cycling of sample temperature with purging and gas injection in the test chamber. Upon each injection, the MEMR response, temperature level, and gas concentrations are measured and quantified in order to generate plots of sensor response versus injected gas concentration and temperature, see figure 3. With this data, much insight may be gained into the intricacies of each unique polymer coated MEMR device and further development and improvement upon fabrication techniques and measurements techniques may be made.
The initial phase of research will involve the application of LabView in order to setup the computer controlled experiment described above to collect data automatically via GPIB and serial interface. Much time will be spent learning to implement LabView and how to properly control each device. Once this system is operating properly the latter phase of the research will involve measurement, quantization, and characterization and evaluation of gas sensing response through frequency response shifts due to absorbed mass. In the aforementioned phase of experimentation, much cooperation will be made with the USM Chemistry Department and Professor Henry Tracy in order to develop the gas absorbing polymers to be deposited on the MEMRs.
Proposed General Timeline
June-July’08: Development of automated controls using LabView
July-Aug.’08: Initial Characterization of MEMRs with the Automated Testing System
Fall’08 : Continued testing and characterization (enrolled in ELE 402Senior Design Projects I course)
Spring’09: Completion of the project; write final report (enrolled in ELE 403Senior Design Projects II) and present it at Electrical Engineering Senior Design Presentations in May’09
April 2009: Prepare and present a poster at Thinking Matters Conference 2009
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