Our group is currently researching in several areas. To explore our projects, please click on a project title or on an image.

Optical microscope image of a small array of adaptive microbolometers from our adaptive infrared detectors project.

This image is from our spectrally tunable infrared bolometer project.Shown here is the results of our first successful tunable filter. This filter can be tuned to center around three different infrared wavelengths. The filter is tuned by moving one plate of our filter to different heights above its substrate. The movement is done electrostatically by applying a voltage between the plate and the substrate.

This conceptual diagram of a micromachined thermal contact interface (a) in vacuum and (b) in air is from our thermal contact conductance project. Evidence suggests that when a device is actuated to the substrate in (b), some of the air layer is squeezed between the plates before it can escape. The trapped air forces apart the plates in small areas and reduces the thermal contact conductance.

This figure is from our negative thermal expansion thin film project. It shows the curvature of microstructure versus temperature. Analyzed data leads to a coefficient of thermal expansion of -12 ppm/K.

This figure is from our thermally invariant optics project. It shows interferometric images of stress compensation in micromirrors. By designing coatings with the proper stress and mechanical characteristics one can create essentially deformation free mirrors. The image on the left is a mirror with no deformation compensation (and thus it is highly curved), and the mirror on the right is compensated.