Notes from the Director

Welcome to the 2009 edition of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL) magazine, MTL Micronotes. In our 25th anniversary year, we continue our active research agenda with new research programs, two new faculty members, several major awards, and a new MIG member.

This past year, 35 core faculty engaged in many exciting research initiatives, including areas related to electronic device fabrication, integrated circuits and systems, photonics, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and molecular and nanotechnologies. Around 80 affiliate faculty members benefited directly from MTL’s fabrication and/or CAD infrastructure. More than 550 researchers conducted research at MTL.

I would like to introduce and welcome two new faculty members. Dana Weinstein, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, and core member of MTL, completed her Ph.D. in Applied Physics at Cornell. Her research focuses on RF MEMS and hybrid NEMSsemiconductor devices for wireless communication and signal processing. Li-Shiuan Peh, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, resident member of CSAIL, and core member of MTL, comes from Princeton and received her doctorate from Stanford. Her interests include power-aware interconnection networks, parallel architectures, and networking in general.

The Navy’s Department of Naval Research named Tomás Palacios, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, one of 15 new Young Investigators. Joel Dawson, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, was named a recipient of a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor the US government bestows on young professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. The White House award ceremony occurs this fall.

Prof. Hae-Seung “Harry” Lee became an MTL Associate Director in May. Director of the MTL Center on Circuits and Systems, Prof. Lee is working on industrial relations and MTL publications. The Associate Directors include Mr. Samuel Crooks (MTL Administrative Officer and Associate Director of Finance), Prof. Jesus del Alamo (Associate Director of Computation), Dr. Vicky Diadiuk (Associate Director for Fabrication Operations), and Prof. Judy Hoyt (Associate Director of Fabrication and MTL Safety Officer).

MTL hosted exciting technical events and seminars this year. Collaborating with the School of Engineering [SoE], MTL co-hosted the inaugural lecture in SoE’s new Distinguished Lecture Series. Irwin Jacobs MS ’57 Ph.D. ‘59, co-founder of Qualcomm, gave a talk entitled “From Information Theory Courses at MIT to Providing Chips and Technology for a World with Four Billion Cellular Subscribers: Memories and a Look Ahead.” Inclement weather changed the venue of MTL’s Annual Research Conference (MARC 2009) to MIT’s Stata Center; over 200 attendees participated. MARC offers a unique opportunity to learn about research in MTL’s diverse areas, and it encourages interaction within MTL. Special thanks go to Prof. Joel Voldman, Steering Committee Chair, and all volunteers. MTL also held a two-day workshop, “Next-Generation Medical Electronics,” with a panel discussion by leading experts and a lively poster session. Our MTL Seminar Series, organized by the MTL Seminar Committee and chaired by Prof. Joel Dawson, continued to feature exciting presentations. I thank Prof. Dawson for his excellent leadership for the past 3 years. Tomás Palacios is the chair of the MTL Seminar Committee as of Fall 2009.

The MTL community greatly benefits from the generous financial support of the MIG, which provides subsidies for device and circuit research. In addition, MIG members donate equipment, contribute directed fellowships and provide fabrication access to state-of-the-art technologies. I welcome Veeco Instruments to the MIG. Veeco is a leading provider of Metrology and Process Equipment solutions for the materials science, precision manufacturing, semiconductor, data storage, wireless, lighting and solar industries. This partnership strengthens MTL’s efforts in areas such as nanotechnology, energy, MEMS, and compound semiconductors, among others.

Our Industrial Advisory Board (www-mtl.mit.edu/mig/iab.html) provides significant assistance in shaping MTL’s vision. We continued our successful MTL Days at MIG companies, visiting Qualcomm and NEC while holding the Veeco Day in MTL. Students benefit greatly from the opportunity to give detailed presentations to industry experts. These visits result in increased collaborations between MTL and the MIG companies.

MTL remains the home of the Materials, Structures, and Devices Center, managed by the Semiconductor Research Corporation. Dimitri Antoniadis continues to direct it through the next phase, which begins in November. MTL also plays major roles in two of the other centers (IFC and C2S2).

More globally, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and MIT began a major new collaboration that will enrich each institution’s research activities in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The institutions created MIT-INL, an education and research enterprise focused on nanotechnology. The collaboration will enable approximately $35 million of sponsored research with MIT in its first five years.

We enjoy hearing from alumni. Please register to receive MTL publications. We hosted another successful alumni event at ISSCC 2009; over 100 people attended. Please contact me with suggestions to improve MTL. I am eager to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Anantha P. Chandrakasan
Director, MTL

Annual news review of the Microsystems Technology Laboratories at MIT

What's in the 2009 Issue...

Notes from the Director