Micro ElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) is one of the fastest growing research field all over the world [1,2]. Thanks to the hard-working of many MEMS researchers all over the world, traditional MEMS has moved from pure academic research field [3] into one mature technology in industry [4]. Recently, MEMS research has gradually moved into two new frontier areas: bio-MEMS and Nano Electro-Mechanical System (NEMS). MEMS/NEMS has attracted researchers from a variety of disciplines including mechanical engineering (fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, heat transfer, manufacturing), electrical engineering (solid-state electronics, integrated circuit engineering) and basic science such as physics, chemistry and biology. At HKUST, our research projects are currently focusing on micro/nanofluidics (micro chaotic mixer, micro/nano electrokinetic flow) and bio-MEMS (micro/nano capillary electrophoresis chip, micro electroporation chip, micro/nano bubble actuator to enhance bio-reaction).

High-aspect ratio (max= 50:1) sub-micron pillar array for electrophoresis of large DNA molecules. It is fabricated by projection photolithography (stepper), ICP DRIE etching and oxidation.  See our paper published in J. Micromech. Microeng., 16(4), 699-707, 2006, for detailed info. Our work is cited by STS company's Innovations Newsletter in Jun-July 2006.

The micrograph of sub-micron bubble actuator fabricated by projection photolithography (Stepper), etc. 

Application Specific IC chip (0.35um 2P4M CMOS Technology) for mini/micro vibration power generator.

The time-periodic micro cross-channel mixer.

References

1. NEXUS's MEMS market analysis

2. MEMS and NEMS books in Amazon.com

3. R.P. Feynman, There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom, Caltech Engineering and Science, Feb, 1960 (JMEMS, 1(1), 60-66, 1992)

4. Forbes magazine:Special issues on micromachine, Apri 2 2001.

5. K. Peterson, Silicon as Mechanical Material, Proceedings of the IEEE, 70(5), 402-457, 1982

6. K. Najafi, Micromachined Inertial Sensors, Proceedings of the IEEE, 86(8), 1640-1659, 1998.

7. C. M. Ho & Y. C. Tai, Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems and Fluid Flows, Ann. Rev. of Fluid Mech., 30, 579-612, 1998.

8. J. Voldman, et al., Microfabrication in Biology and Medicine, Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng., 1, 401-425, 1999.

9. D.L. Polla, et al., Microdevices in Medicines, Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng., 2, 551-576, 2000.

10. H.G. Craighead, Nanoelectromechanical System, Science, Vol. 290, pp. 1532-1535, 2000.

11. L. Bousse, et al., Electrokinetically Controlled Microfluidic Analysis Systems, Annu. Rev. Biophys. Biomol. Struct., 29, 155-181, 2000.

12. D.R. Reyes, et al., Micrototal Analysis System. 1. Introduction, Theory and Technology," Analytical Chemistry, 74(12) 2623-2636, 2002.

13. P.-A. Auroux, et al., Micrototal Analysis System. 2. Analytical Standard Operations and Application," Analytical Chemistry, 74(12) 2637-2652, 2002.

14. P.R. Selvaganapath, el al., Recent Progress in Microfluidic Devices for Nucleic Acid and Antibody Assay, Proceedings of IEEE, 91(6), 954-975, 2003.

15. A. Ajdari, et al., Engineering Flow in Small Devices: Microfluidics toward a lab-on-a-chip, Ann. Rev. of Fluid Mech., 36,381-411, 2004.

16. R.B. Fair, et al., Special issues on biomedical applications for MEMS and microfluidics, Proceedings of IEEE, 92(1), 3-5, 2004.

17. R. Langer, et al., A BioMEMS review: MEMS technology for physiologically integrated devices, Proceedings of IEEE, 92(1), 6-21, 2004.

18. N. Li, A. Tourovskaia, A. Floch, Biology on a Chip: Microfabrication for Studying the Behavior of Cultured Cells, Critical Review in Biomedical Engineering, 31(5 & 6), 423-488, 2003

19. P. Tabeling, Introduction to Microfluidics, Oxford University, 2005.

20. H. Bruus, Theoretical Microfluidics, Oxford University, 2009.

21. J.C.T. Eijkel and A. van den Berg, Nanofluidics: What is it and what can we expect from it?, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 1(3), 249-267, 2005.

 

News:  

2 Jun 2009: Dr Yun-Yang Ling's JM³ paper about micro flow cytometer using giant electrorheological fluid (GER) was selected by for the May 15, 2009 issue (Vol. 17, No. 10) of   Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research (published by the American Physical Society and American Institute of Physics).

8 Jan 2009: Huiqi He's Huiqi He's battery-powered miniaturized electroporation system paper was elected as the one of the 10 Best Paper Finalists in IEEE NEMS 2009, Shenzhen, Jan 5-8, 2009.