MAE-0682: Electrostatic modulation of surface roughness The roughness of surfaces is an important parameter, affecting many issues. For example, smooth planar surfaces may be used to reflect and redirect a beam of light. In contrast, rough surfaces may be used to disperse a light beam. This innovative technology uses electrostatic forces to change the roughness properties of a surface creating a mechanism for on and off switching of surface roughness creating a desirable enabling technology that can be used in many fields for optical applications, drag reduction applications and many more. This technology can be used to make a micro-mechanical switch with nanosecond response times and no moving parts. Read more...
MAE-0918: Low-friction molecular rotary motors Nanomotors are becoming increasingly important as nano-mechanical systems are continuing to develop. Molecular rotors can be attached to a solid support and used in a variety of applications such as energy converters (motors) biochips and biosensors. The most important traits for a molecular rotary motor are unidirectional motion and high speed rotation with low friction. This nanomotor is able to achieve high-speed motion with minimal friction minimizing dissipation of energy by creating rotation with a very low energy barrier using a rotator-stator couple with repulsive interactions between them. A device of this type is unprecedented in the micro level but has already been applied in the macro scale in maglev suspension systems. Read more...
MAE-0565: Voltage and light induced strains in porous crystalline materials Despite large efforts made in the last few decades, progress in the development of deformable mirrors has been slow, and there are only a few available types. The high price of these mirrors is an indicator of difficulties in their manufacture, such as complex construction, non-repeatability and non-uniformity. However, a simple silicon wafer, on the back of which porous silicon is etched, can serve as an agile mirror. Because porous silicon can induce stress or strain using electrical or optical signals it could be used in many technologies like communication devices, scanning microscopes, printers and any other place where one requires mechanical movements in response to electronic or optical signals. In addition, because porous silicon is piezooptic and optostrictive it can replace existing elements with these properties along with piezoelectric and electrostrictive elements. Read more...
MAE-0735: Electro-optical and all-optical beam steering Since its early prediction, self-deflection of optical beams has been considered one of the most exciting manifestations of nonlinear optics. Self-deflection occurs when a single beam propagates in a non-linear medium, develops an asymmetric profile and consequently curves and carves its own trajectory which is determined by the beam intensity. Applications for self-deflected beams range from optical interconnects, laser printers and optical scanners to low-cost, low-weight and compact optical limiters but until now, progress with beam self-deflection has been limited. This invention is able to achieve deflections 12 times greater than what has previously been achieved while operating at powers hundreds of time lower than conventional devices, offering a large step forward in this field. Read more...
MAE-1411: Selectively stiffened flexures for motion conversion mechanisms Motion conversion in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) requires specially fabricated mechanisms that currently are not able to be mass produced but rather custom hand-made fabrication for each device is needed. The technology presented is a novel dual-height design that is easier to fabricate using standard mass-fabrication technology. The technology can be used for optical MEMS applications as well as other mechanical mechanisms which require motion conversion. Read more...
MAE-1438: Fabrication of compact self-oscillating mechanical resonator on tip of single mode optical fiber The advancement in the MEMS industry has enabled mechanical resonators to measure physical parameters such as mass, pressure, radiation, stress and chemical changes with unprecedented sensitivity however the requirement of bulky external electronic actuation systems remains a drawback of these passive MEMS devices. The presented technology is a device that can be used to measure different physical parameters such mentioned above without adding electronic noise during measurement. The device is easy to fabricate, inexpensive to operate and can easily be operated at room temperature. Read more...
