Research

Research Group

Consortium for Applied Acoustoelectronic Technology (CAAT)

Director: Dr. Donald C. Malocha

CAAT is a part of the Advanced Material Processing and Analysis Center (AMPAC) at the University of Central Florida

Current Research

I am completing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Central Florida for which the projected graduation date is May 2010.  My area of specialization is Radio Frequency (RF) Microelectronic and Solid State Devices.   This field is comprehensive in that the coursework allows the flexibility to engage in device physics, design, fabrication, measurement and analysis of RF Microelectronic and Solid State Devices.  The tentative title of my dissertation is "Surface Acoustic Wave Device  Hydrogen Gas, and Cryogenic Liquid Sensors."  I work for the Consortium for Applied and Acoustoelectric Technology under Dr. Donald Malocha.  My research is sponsored by NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) through the Small Business Technology Transfer, which is aimed at solving various sensor issues at KSC.  Thus far, my work on cryogenic liquid sensing, high temperature and hydrogen gas sensing has produced results that exceed NASA's needs.  Experimentation has resulted in the creation of temperature sensors that can function from -200 to 300 degrees Centigrade.  This is important because NASA currently has no sensors which function over a temperature range this wide. Additionally, these sensors may be implemented as passive (without batteries) and wireless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag sensors.  Furthermore, these devices are radiation hardened, which in combination with their wide temperature range of operation makes them promising candidates for use in outer space.  In the near future, NASA may be testing these sensors in their inflatable habitats in Antarctica.  If successful, these sensors will be used on the moon.  My work with SAW based hydrogen gas sensors has also provided very good insight into the acoustoelectric mechanism of piezoelectric substrates.  The methodology used in the development of SAW hydrogen gas sensors is may be applied to other SAW based chemical or biological sensing applications.

Additional Research Interests

My primary interest in becoming an engineer was aimed at designing devices and/or systems that may make a positive impact on the world or at least make it more fun.  In keeping with this spirit, I find myself researching biological and chemical sensing applications using SAW device platforms, as well as alternative energy sources such as photovoltaic and thermoelectric power sources and systems.  I did some undergraduate work in photovoltaic power systems which was the catalyst behind my pursuit of semiconductor physics as my master’s work, unfortunately, I  have not had the opportunity to do any graduate work in this area as of yet.  The physics behind thermoelectric systems is similar to that of semiconductors, which gives me a strong background on which to launch research.  I am in the process of designing a very basic thermoelectric system prototype, the results of which will be posted as soon as there are available.  Hopefully, it will be useful to humanity somewhere; if not, it will at least be fun for me to design, so stay tuned for updates and perhaps a video.