Research Projects

Miniature Seismometers (more)

CubeSats and Micro Robots (more)

Deformable Electronics (more)

Film Bulk Acoustic Resonators (more)

Other Projects (more)

Harsh Environmental Sensing (more)

Understanding the structure, dynamics, and evolution planetary bodies requires a detailed imaging of their interiors with seismometers. However, conventional seismometers have very strict requirements on installation angle (<5o) and  shock force (<200G). Our Molecular Electronic Transducers based seismometers provide a unique solution with high tolerance on installation angle (any degree) and shock force (> 23 kG), enabling  variety of rover or penetrator type of space missions and operations in extremes on Earth (ocean bottom and glaciers).

Harsh environments have conditions that make collecting scientific data difficult with existing commercial-off-the-shelf technology. Specific designed sensing instruments manufactured with micro fabrication technology are ideally suited for harsh environment measurement and operation due to the wide range of materials available and an incredible array of different sensing techniques. Our liquid chemical sensing array has provided scientists a tool to study biogeochemistry of hydrothermal environments, such as hotspings in Yellowstone National Park (USA) and Tengchong (China).

CubeSats and micro robots are much desired miniaturized instruments for scientific missions. However, the small dimension also constrains its performance (e.g. limited area for solar power supply and long range RF communication). Origami, traditional art of paper folding, is a perfect solution for solar panel and antenna on CubeSat, while saving the storage space while folded, but it can cover big area after unfolding.  We are developing an origami enabled manufacture technology for CubeSats and flapping wing UAV

Flexible and/or stretchable electronics is emerging as a promising new industry with great  potential in biomedical, personal care and wearable consumer electronics. At first, using organic substrates we developed flexible metamaterials, cardiovascular shear stress sensor and stretchable temperature sensors. Secondly, utilizing Origami’s repeatable folding, a system level stretchablity has been  realized to combine high-performance functions with deformability. Finally, the deployment of origami’s deformability has been demonstrated with integrating of soft and hard material, resulting intelligent structure.

Film bulk acoustic-wave resonator (FBAR) is one of the most successful MEMS products that have been used as RF duplexers for mobile devices (Avago and TriQuint). Dr. Yu has demonstrated an ultra temperature-stable oscillator using FBAR at USC. After arriving ASU, his group has utilized FBAR’s RF readout and materials’ properties and developed various sensing functions   based on similar platform, which includes UV, relative humidity, Infrared, Alcohol, Ozone, and ionizing radiation sensing.

1) Reactive nano multilayer foils for localize bonding, which can be employed for low temperature packaging.

2) Self Focused Acoustic-Wave Traducers for a) localized cell lysis using cavitation, b) high frequency ultrasound imaging, c) directional underwater driving.

3)  3D tactile images for visually impaired education.

 

3D Energy Devices  (more)

Variety of energy harvesting and storage devices based on nano/micro materials and structures are in a 2D planar thin-film format, such as Li Ion battery, super capacitors and solar cells. The lack of 3D manufacture solution limits their vertical dimension and, therefore, resulting in low area energy and power density.  Our integrated manufacture technology based on Origami platform provides an universal solution to incorporate nano/micro fabrication into scalable 3D manufacture.