MRI: Acquisition of Processing and Testing Equipment for the Integration of Materials Science and Engineering Research at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez

这项研究的目的是通过支持购置制造和测试微米级结构和装置所需的仪器，扩大波多黎各大学在科学和工程方面的研究和教育范围。该方法是将波多黎各大学不同工程系的专业知识和教员结合到多学科项目中，这些项目将需要所需的仪器来制造和测试微米级的结构和设备。这一建议的智力优点在于多学科的基础和应用研究活动，这些活动将允许开发：(1)氮化铝射频微电子机械谐振器，(2)由超快“智能”材料制成的微型机电结构，(3)固态雷达，(4)用于生物电子应用的微流控结构，以及(5)使用纳米压印光刻技术对介电材料进行纳米图案化。这些项目对最先进技术的潜在贡献包括：(1)恶劣环境传感器，(2)基于二氧化钒的微型设备，(3)Ka波段和Q波段可调天线，(4)用于高通量基因传输的平面内微流通道，以及(5)利用先进材料上的纳米压印光刻技术制造的新型设备。几个NSF项目和奖项，包括ERC，One Career，One MRI，以及材料研究和教育伙伴关系将从所要求的仪器中受益。此外，所要求的仪器将促进波多黎各-马亚圭兹大学的地位转变为博士授予机构。

The objective of this research is to expand the scope of research and education in science and engineering at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez by supporting the acquisition of the required instrumentation for the fabrication and testing of micrometer-sized structures and devices. The approach is to combine the expertise and faculty from different engineering departments at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez into multi-disciplinary projects that will require the requested instrumentation for the fabrication and testing of micrometer-sized structures and devices.The intellectual merit of this proposal lies in the multi-disciplinary fundamental and applied research activities that will allow for the development of: (1) Aluminum Nitride radio-frequency micro-electro-mechanical resonators, (2) micro-electro-mechanical structures made from ultrafast "smart" materials, (3) solid-state radars, (4) microfluidic structures for bioelectronic applications, and (5) nano-patterning of dielectric materials using nanoimprint lithography. Potential contributions of these projects to the state-of-the-art include: (1) harsh environment sensors, (2) vanadium dioxide-based micro deivces, (3) Ka-band and Q-band tunable antennas, (4) in-plane microfluidic channels for high-throughput gene transport, and (5) novel devices fabricated using nanoimprint lithography on advanced materials.The broader impacts of this proposal include the creation of the first micro-electro-mechanical-systems research group in Puerto Rico. Several NSF programs and awards including an ERC, one CAREER, one MRI, and a Partnership for Research and Education on Materials will be benefited from the requested instrumentation. In addition, the requested instrumentation will promote the change in status of the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez to a PhD Granting Institution.