MEMS Laboratory

MEMS: Micro Electro Mechanical Systems are microscopic devices built with techniques derived from the microelectronics industry. Unlike conventional integrated circuits, MEMS can have many functions, including sensing, communication, and actuation. Just like microelectronics, MEMS will permeate our everyday lives in the coming decades.

Our Research Interests: In our lab, we work on many aspects of micro and nano electro mechanical systems (MEMS / NEMS). This research tends to be very interdisciplinary, and we have collaborations in biology, chemical engineering, bioengineering, computer science, and other departments. We have built, for example, self-assembling microstructures, biomedical implants, systems for docking of picosatellites, and walking microrobots.
There are two major research themes in our work:
Controlling surfaces and surface forces at the micro and nano scale: this includes systems for controlled self-assembly of microcomponents, "programmable" surfaces whose local properties (for example, hydrophobicity) can be changed on demand, and MEMS actuator arrays and microrobots for moving tiny objects (solid or liquid).
Joining MEMS and biology: this includes integrating new biomaterials into MEMS processes and devices, biomedical sensor implants, and microchips for handling and analyzing biological samples.
If you are a prospective student interested in joining our lab, please read these instructions.

Our Educational Mission: Students working in our lab gain hands-on experience in designing, building, and testing of MEMS. In addition, our lab also offers undergraduate projects and outreach activities, for example in Independent Study projects, as summer REU's (Research Experience for Undergraduates), in Freshmen Interest Groups (FIG's), or via the UW Minority Science and Engineering (MSEP) program.
The UW EE department offers classes on the theoretical and practical aspects of MEMS, e.g. EE502-Introduction to Microelectromechanical Systems (usually in Autumn, crosslisted as ME/MSE504 and broadcast via the internet) or EE527-Microfabrication Techniques (usually in Spring).

Our Laboratory: We are located in B020 and B024 in the lower basement of the UW EE/CSE building, tel. 206 221-5340, fax 206 543-3842, www.ee.washington.edu/research/mems. Student offices (room 253J), tel. 206 616-6170.

Job openings: please check here.


© Karl F. Böhringer, Department of Electrical Engineering, Box 352500, Seattle, WA 98195-2500, USA