Development of Micro/Nano Systems and Instrumentations

创造先进设备的能力取决于是否有足够的材料和获得适当的工具。有了这些对微加工和纳米技术的基本理解，拟议的研究计划将重点放在微/纳米系统和仪器的开发上，用于现实世界的应用。在这项广泛的转化研究中，来自化学或材料和化学工程实验室的纳米材料（如纳米管和石墨烯）特性的基本发现将被设计和利用，以创建优越的原型设备，如x射线和超声波设备。具有独特性能的新材料将被调查、研究和开发，以创造设备和仪器来解决我们世界的迫切需求。该研究项目的重点是开发微型和纳米设备，以及将这些设备集成到功能仪器中，并优化整体系统，用于广泛的应用，包括医疗诊断和治疗，制造和装配线，以及可穿戴消费产品。因此，拟议的研究计划将侧重于研究纳米材料的基本特性，以及将这些新发现的知识转化为现实世界应用的创新微/纳米器件。该计划的长期目标是：(i)发现和利用纳米材料的新的机械、电气、热学和结构特性，并开发微/纳米器件来解决现实世界的问题；建立一个转化研究方案，将实验室环境中的原型验证与相关环境中的原型演示联系起来；（三）发展世界一流的微纳米器件研究项目，培养高素质的微纳米器件研究人员/工程师，吸引国际人才来建立和巩固加拿大在这一战略领域的实力。Yeow博士旨在通过以下短期目标提高碳纳米管的场电子发射（FEE）和电容式微机械超声换能器（CMUT）性能，并推进x射线和超声模式的广泛应用：利用Yeow博士和他的学生发明的独特的场发射显微镜方法，研究FEE不稳定和寿命限制的基本机制，制定微/纳米器件的设计方法和制造工艺；O1b：为医疗和工业无损检测（NDT）应用设计创新的基于FEE的x射线发生器。（ii） O2a：研究聚合物基cmut的有效性、可靠性和稳健性；Q2b：制定准确的环形cmut性能模型和设计。无损检测技术对加拿大的战略性制造业、航空航天、医疗和核工业至关重要。开发的技术将提高生产过程的有效性，并保护加拿大免受有缺陷的产品和设施的影响。

The ability to create advanced equipment relies on the availability of adequate materials and the access to appropriate tools. Equipped with these fundamental understandings of micromachining and nanotechnology, the proposed research program will focus on the development of micro/nano systems and instrumentations for real-world applications. In this broad translational research, fundamental findings of the properties of nanomaterials such as nanotubes, and graphene from chemistry or materials and chemical engineering labs will be engineered and exploited to create superior prototype devices such as X-ray, and ultrasound devices. Novel materials with unique properties will be investigated, studied and exploited to create devices and instrumentations to tackle pressing needs of our world. The research program is focused on developing micro and nanodevices, as well as integration of these devices into functional instrumentations, and optimization of the overall systems for wide ranging applications including medical diagnostics and therapeutics, manufacturing and assembly lines, and wearable consumer products. As such, the proposed research program will focus on investigating the fundamental properties of nanomaterials as well as translating this new found knowledge into innovative micro/nanodevices for real-world applications.The long-term goals of this program are to: (i) Discover and exploit new mechanical, electrical, thermal, and structural properties of nanomaterials, and develop micro/nanodevices to address real world problems; (ii) Build a translational research program that bridges prototype validation in a laboratory environment to prototype demonstration in a relevant setting; and (iii) Develop a world-class micro/nanodevice research program, train highly qualified micro/nanodevice researchers/engineers, and attract international talents to build and consolidate Canada's strength in this strategic area. Dr. Yeow aims to improve carbon nanotube's field electron emission (FEE) and capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) performance and advance X-ray and ultrasound modalities for wide ranging applications through these short-term objectives: (i) O1a: Investigate the fundamental mechanisms of FEE instability and lifespan limitation by using the unique field emission microscopy method invented by Dr. Yeow and his students, and formulate micro/nanodevice design methodology and fabrication process; O1b: Design innovative FEE based X-ray generators for medical and industrial non-destructive testing (NDT) applications. (ii) O2a: study the effectiveness, reliability and robustness of polymer-based CMUTs; Q2b: Formulate accurate performance models and design for annular CMUTs. NDT technologies are instrumental to Canada's strategic manufacturing, aerospace, medical and nuclear industries. The developed technologies will improve the effectiveness of manufacturing processes and safeguard Canadian from defective products and facilities.