From Self-Assembled Microtubes to Suspended Microchannel Resonators: Advancing Piezoelectric MEMS for Biological Sensing

Organizing university American University in Cairo Event description Piezoelectric materials lie at the heart of modern microtechnology, with Aluminum Nitride (AlN) serving as a cornerstone of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) thanks to its excellent acoustic properties and CMOS compatibility. But how far can we push this material, and is it time to move beyond it? This talk explores these questions through three research directions. First, by introducing controlled strain into ultrathin AlN films, self-assembled three-dimensional piezoelectric microtubes are created, offering highly efficient acoustic actuation and sensing in microfluidic environments. Second, piezoelectric transduction is integrated into Suspended Microchannel Resonators (SMRs), enabling fast, low-power sensing while eliminating parasitic heating. This opens the door to single-cell calorimetry, where the minute metabolic heat generated by individual cells can be measured with unprecedented sensitivity. Finally, the performance limits of AlN are challenged through Scandium alloying. Aluminum Scandium Nitride (AlScN) exhibits substantially enhanced piezoelectric properties, leading to more responsive and efficient MEMS devices. Together, these advances illustrate how innovations in materials, device design, and sensing principles are shaping the next generation of piezoelectric MEMS for biological applications. Participants Only open to the host institution members