Micro-Nanoscale Device and Systems Cleanroom

MiNDS courses and related projects are available to all undergraduate technical majors of junior class standing regardless of specific discipline, making the program one of the first efforts to bring the micro technology to a general undergraduate audience.

Since its inception in 2002, the MiNDS program has grown both in size and in scope. Currently multidisciplinary teams of faculty and students are involved in a wide variety of micro and nanoscale technology-related projects and coursework spanning the fields of material science, chemical detection, optics, power generation and bio-micro-electrical-mechanical systems.

The MiNDS cleanroom is used for several ongoing research projects within the areas of micro/nanotechnology and pedagogy. Some highlights include:

Microfabrication Projects

• Meeting Educational Milestones - Enhancing multidisciplinary undergraduate microelectronic education using a "heads-on" cleanroom experience.
• Shape-Memory-Alloy MEMS: Heat engine, energy scavenger and actuation
• Thin Film Deposition: Improve Reliability of Missile Battery Igniter
• Microfluidics: Chemistry Lab-on-a-chip
• Design-Simulation-Characterization of MEMS and microelectronics
• MUMPs: Heat actuators and Mirrors
• Improving FET manufacturing
• Single axis accelerometer layout and process design
• Microscale heat flow and temperature measurement for micro-hotplates and gas flow sensors

Nanofabrication Projects

• Nanomagnetic fabrication for Data Storage
• Saturable Multiple Quantum Wells: Optical Switching & ADC
• Plasmonic films and devices
• Carbon Nano-Tubes: Supercapacitor and Energy Storage Application
• Nano Porous Silica: Water Treatment & Photocatalysis
• Nanophotonics: Multilayered films for optical filtering, frequency selective surfaces, silicon photonic passive devices, silicon nitride Si-rich for ring resonator and degenerate four-wave mixing
• Thermo-optically controlled silicon photonic Mach-Zehnder phase shifters
• Superconducting thin films for Josephson junction qubits
• Sputtered indium tin oxide thin films as a transparent conductive oxide
• Thin film lithium fluoride and aluminum oxide for battery applications
• Reactive sputtering of titanium nitride as a conductive diffusion barrier layer
• Hafnium oxide based ferroelectric memory

Publications

• A. Siahmakoun and H. Alisafaee, “Undergraduate Research Training Boot Camp Using Thin-Film Optics Technology,” ETOP 2023, Proc. of SPIE, 12723, 127230K1-6(2023).
• Z. Chen, J. H. Jeong, A. Siahmakoun, “Modeling and simulation of evanescent coupling to Silicon Waveguides using Surface Plasmon Polaritons,” SPIE Proc. 11462, Plasmonics: Design, Materials, Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications XVIII, 114622M1-6, (2020).
• G. La Rue, A. Siahmakoun, “A new approach for modeling aperiodic photonic bandgap crystals,” Proc. SPIE, 11460, Metamaterials, Metadevices, and Metasystems, 114602S1-10, (20 August 2020).
• C. K. Hong, M. Syed, A. Siahmakoun, H. Alisafaee, “Fabrication of Biaxial Hyperbolic Metamaterials with Oblique Angle Deposition,” arXiv, 2001.09538v1(2020).
• J. R. Kim, A. Siahmakoun, “Evanescent Light Coupling to Silicon Waveguides using Surface Plasmon Polaritons,” Appl. Opt., 59, D64-D68 (2020).
• Azad Siahmakoun "Laboratory training in silicon photonics for undergraduate and graduate students", Proc. SPIE Education and Training in Optics and Photonics, ETOP 2019, 11143, 1114313 (2019).
• J. Dilts, C. K. Hong, A. Siahmakoun, M. Syed, H. Alisafaee, “Low-MSE Extraction of Permittivity in Optical Hyperbolic Metamaterials,” Optics Lett. 44, 4303-4306(2019).
• A. Siahmakoun, “Fundamentals of Silicon Photonics: Design, Fabrication, and Testing -A Course for Senior Optical Engineering Majors,” Proc. SPIE, Optics Ed. & Outreach V, 10741, 031-039(2018).
• T. W. Huh, A. Siahmakoun, “Hybrid Optical Integrator based on Silicon-on-Insulator Platform,” Proc. SPIE, Optics & Photonics for Info. Processing, 10751, 107510D1-0D9 (2018).
• J. R. Kim, E. Ordouie, A. Siahmakoun, “Coupling Light into Silicon Waveguides using Surface Plasmon Polaritons,” Proc. SPIE Plasmonics and Applications XVI, 10722, 107222B1-2B9 (2018).
• E. Ordouie, H. Alisafaee, A. Siahmakoun, “Fabrication and Characterization of Bilayer Polarizing Photonic Bandgap Crystal,” Proc. SPIE, Nanostructured Thin Films XI, 10731, 107310I1-0I15 (2018).
• E. Ordouie, H. Alisafaee, A. Siahmakoun, “Ultra-Compact Polarizing Beam-Splitter based on Single-Material Birefringent Photonic Bandgap Crystal,” Optics Lett. 43, 4288-4291(2018).
• J. Wilkerson, A. Barnett, M. Syed, and A. Siahmakoun, “Wavelength Dependent Contrast Reversal in Reflectivity of Nickel Alloy Nanofilms,” Journal of Mat. Research Soc. Bulletin, 1109, 18-23(2009).
• A. Siahmakoun and A. Miller, “MEMS Courses for Undergraduates,” IEEE Proc. UGIM, 17, 85-88(2008).
• M. Syed, C. Leibs, and A. Siahmakoun, “SPR Effect in nanoscale Nichrome Alloy Film,” IEEE Proc. UGIM, 17, 245-248(2008).
• K. Yadav and A. Siahmakoun, “Hot Embossing LCP for optical interconnects using Silicon Master Tool,” SEM Proc. MEMS and Nanotech. 8, 52-58(2007).
• A. Siahmakoun, “MEMS Courses for juniors and seniors,” SEM Proc. MEMS and Nanotech. 8, 171-176(2007).
• R. Snyder and A. Siahmakoun,” Design and Characterization of MEMS Interferometer,” SEM Proc. MEMS and Nanotech. 8, 25-33(2007).
• A. Siahmakoun, T. Adams, E. Wheeler, and S. Kirkpatrick, S., "Undergraduate MEMS-Nano Courses for Everyone," Proceedings of MRS 2006 Conference, San Francisco, CA, April 17-21, 2006
• T. M. Adams, S. R. Kirkpatrick, Z. Wang, and A. Siahmakoun, " NiTi Shape Memory Alloy Thin Films Deposited by Co-Evaporation", Materials Letters, 59 (10), 1161-1164 (2005)
• Z. Wang, S. R. Kirkpatrick, T. M. Adams, and A. Siahmakoun, " TiNi MEMS Heat Engine", Proceedings of SEM X International Congress & Exposition, Costa Mesa, CA (2004)
• A. Siahmakoun, S. Kirkpatrick, and T. Adams, "Shaped memory alloy TiNi heat actuator," Nano and Microsystems Technology and Metrology, Redstone Arsenal, AL, Nov. 17-18, 2004
• T. M. Adams, " An Undergraduate MEMS Course for Everyone" Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition, Salt Lake City, UT. (Recipient of Best Paper Award)

Refer to the Academic Catalog to read about the following courses:

• NE180
• NE280
• NE320
• NE380
• NE395
• NE406
• NE407
• NE410
• NE411
• NE416
• NE417