 | Rochester, New York Section |
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March 20, 2003 George Eastman Building (Building #1) Room Number 200 Rochester Institute of Technology 5:30 pm Social 6:00 pm presentation by Dr. William J. Grande |
|
| Rochester, New York Section |
|
|
March 20, 2003 George Eastman Building (Building #1) Room Number 200 Rochester Institute of Technology 5:30 pm Social 6:00 pm presentation by Dr. William J. Grande |
|
Of all the changes that the microelectronics revolution has brought perhaps the most significant one is the realization that certain products could get better and cheaper simultaneously – not slowly over time but by orders of magnitude in the span of a few years. The field of Microsystems is the next manifestation of the human drive to build things that are smaller, faster, smarter, and cheaper, while offering greater functionality. The hallmark of Microsystems is that it intends to miniaturize and integrate not only the electronic nature of a product but also its mechanical, optical, chemical, and fluidic aspects. The field’s reach is enormous, but then so are its implications for commerce, health, society, and culture. It is widely believed that Microsystems will revolutionize the 21st Century in a far more dramatic way than microelectronics has shaped the 20th.
“Microsystem Devices and Fabrication Processes”
This presentation will examine the origins of the field of Microsystems, the major fabrication strategies that have evolved as a mélange of mechanical and electronic technologies, and some of the micro-devices that have already changed both our lives and the marketplaces within which they operate. Although it has only been recognized as a distinct technical field for about fifteen years, Microsystems research has already produced benefits in the aerospace, automotive, imaging, communications, and medical industries. Microsystems is a truly multi-disciplinary and integrative endeavor. Advances in allied fields such as nanotechnology and polymer science will undoubtedly be harvested for use in microsystems of astonishing capabilities.
Dr. Grande has been building micro-things for over two decades. His research has centered on the fabrication tools, processes and devices used in the areas of III-V Lasers, Optoelectronics, MEMS, and Microsystems. He holds undergraduate degrees in Electrical and Chemical Engineering and the MS and PhD in Applied and Engineering Physics. After eleven years of industrial research experience he joined the faculty of the Department of Microelectronic Engineering at RIT. Dr. Grande serves as the Associate Director of RIT’s NanoPower Research Laboratory. His research activities include novel devices and fabrication processes, applications of nanotechnology to Microsystems, microrobotics, and autonomous micro-vehicles.