MEMS for RF and Sensing Applications

Date & Time: 
Fri, 10/26/2018 - 12:00pm
Speaker: 
Guoan Wang
Affiliation: 
University of South Carolina
Location: 

Discovery Park F175

Abstract: 

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) are a class of miniature devices and systems fabricated by micromachining processes, which have wide applications in wireless communications, optical, and biomedical fields especially in the development of miniaturized tunable RF and microwave technologies and sensors. The fastest growing wireless communications market has and will continuously see dramatic changes in both the requirements on, and the capabilities of radios to support the wireless connections especially in future 5G technologies. Due to their excellent high frequency performance, tunable RF MEMS technologies are enabling new frontiers to support multiple communication standards in modern and next generation military and commercial applications. This talk will present the development of frequency agile and electrically tunable miniaturized RF and microwave MEMS switches and devices enabling multifunctional and adaptive radios. First, the needs and requirements for adaptive and reconfigurable frequency components in next generation wireless devices will be described, and a few new high performance RF MEMS switches based on new thin films and their applications on tunable RF technologies (e.g., phase shifter, filter, antenna) are discussed. In addition, other applications of MEMS sensors in gas sensing and biomedical pressure areas will also be briefly investigated.

Biography: 

Dr. Guoan Wang received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2006. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He worked as an Advisory Scientist responsible for on chip mmwave passives and wafer level RF MEMS technologies in IBM Semiconductor Research and Development Center from 2006-2011. His current research areas include tunable RF and microwave electronics, novel materials/techniques for smart RF applications, MEMS/NEMS, sensors and sensing systems, wireless energy harvesting, and 3D integrated devices/system. Dr. Wang’s research work has produced over 110 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences proceedings, one book (Smart RF Passive Components: Novel Materials, Techniques, and Applications, Artech House). He also has 50 granted US and international patents and 49 pending patent applications. Dr. Wang is an Associate Editor of IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, an Associate Editor for IEEE Access, and an editor board member for International Journal of RF and Microwave Computer-Aided Engineering. He is also a member of Technical Coordinating Committee for IEEE MTT RF MEMS (MTT-21), and IEEE MTT-S Biological Effects and Medical Applications of RF and Microwave (MTT-10). He has been served in Steering Committee, Technical Program Committees, and as Session Chairs of many IEEE conferences include International Microwave Symposiums and IEEE Antennas and Propagation Symposium. Dr. Wang was a recipient of IEEE Region 3 Outstanding Engineer Award in 2018, NSF Early Faculty Development (CAREER) Award in 2012, USC Breakthrough Star Award in 2016, multiple IBM Invention Achievement Awards, NASA Tech Brief Award, and Young Faculty Development Award from Southeastern Center for Electrical Engineering Education.

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