Sensor Technology Research at Western Michigan University

Professor Massood Atashbar,
Associate Professor—EECS Dept.,
Western Michigan University,
Visiting Research Faculty (UM)

ABSTRACT:
In this talk, the wired and wireless sensing systems research at Western Michigan University will be presented. In the wired arena, our main activities have been development of ?-Ga2O3 nanowire- and nanoribbon-based sensors, CNT-based bio-molecule detector, Pd nanowire Hydrogen sensor, QCM and shear horizontal surface acoustic wave biosensors, and steam trap fault detection sensing systems. The synthesis, mechanical and electrical characterization and sensing properties of ?-Ga2O3 and Pd nanowire and nanoribbon will be presented. In addition, two different sensing mechanisms of CNT will be discussed: (i) change in electrical conductance due to covalent binding of biomolecules and (ii) mass increase of the CNT matrix due to binding of biomolecules measured by Quartz Crystal Microbalance. In the end, an overview of the architecture, fabrication, performance, and simulation of Surface Acoustic Wave based wireless passive sensing system will be provided.

BIO:
Massood Z. Atashbar received his BSc and MSc in electrical engineering from Isfahan University of Technology and Sharif University of Technology, respectively, and his PhD from the department of communication and electronic engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia in 1998. From 1998 to 1999, he was postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Electronic Engineering and Acoustic Materials, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. He is an Associate Professor with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and director and founder of Center for Advanced Smart Sensors and Structures at Western Michigan University. Dr. Atashbar’s research interests include physical and chemical micro and nanosensors development, wireless surface acoustic wave sensing systems, and carbon nanotube-based biosensors. He has published 4 book chapters and more than 90 articles in the area of physical and chemical sensors in refereed journals and conference proceedings. Dr. Atashbar is a senior member of IEEE, and serves as an Associate Editor and member of the Editorial Board of the IEEE Sensors Journal and International Journal of Simulation and Modeling. He has been serving on the Technical Program Committees of the IEEE Sensors conferences.