SCIMPS Contacts

Strathclyde University

Institute of Photonics and Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering

General Interest
Project Administration: Tim Holt
Project Technical details: Martin Dawson, John Girkin, Deepak Uttamchandani

Institute for System Level Integration

Project Administration and technical details: Mark Begbie
SCIMPS WebMaster: Aboubacar Chaehoi

Heriot Watt University

Project Administration and technical details: Marc Desmulliez

Glasgow University

Project Administration: Jon Cooper
Project Technical Details:Jon Cooper, David Cumming

STAFF

Institute for System Level Integration
Microsystems Engineering Centre, Heriot Watt Univesity
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde
Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow

Institute for System Level Integration

Mark Begbie gained his degree in Physics and Electronics from the University of St Andrews, before moving to Edinburgh where he completed a PhD in the development of liquid crystal over silicon VSLI micro-displays and their applications to coherent optical image processing. Following on from this work, Mark was a postdoc first at St Andrews University and then Glasgow working in the field of optical instumentation and measurement systems. This work was based on the use of polarisation based techniques to derive additional information in optical metrology, resulting in a reduction of the ambiguity often associated with these methods. Mark then made the move into the commercial world, joining local telecommunications start up Kymata as a member of the team developing and inducting MEMS technology for telecoms applications. His responsibilities covered the design space, process integration and transfer, product engineering including prototype development, test definition, perfomance and failure analysis. After spending time in this field with Kymata, Alcatel and Avanex, Mark brought his commercial MEMS experience to the iSLI where he set up the in-house MEMS activity. This is now well established with a mix of collaborative, academic and commercial projects going on. He is passionate about the transfer of capability from science lab to product company, a sense which underpins his vision and involvement with iSLI.

Aboubacar Chaehoi received his Ph.D. degree in Micro-electronics from Montpellier University in 2005. From 2001 he worked on micro-electromechanical systems design and modeling at the Montpellier Laboratory of Computer Science, Robotics, and Microelectronics (LIRMM - France). His work concerned the design and characterization of a full integrated 3-axis accelerometer in CMOS technology [AMS_0.8µm] (using both piezoresistive and thermal transduction) and the development of FEM and behavioral models for those sensors. He is currently a MEMS designer at the Institute of System Level Integration (ISLI) in Scotland, where he is involved in design of MEMS for optical and micro-photonic applications.

Hui You received his PhD degree in Engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1999, for his research on micro accelerometer. He then joined the Ritsumeikan University, Japan as a research fellow where he worked on lab-on-chip and LIGA process. In 2001 he moved to the University of Hertfordshire, UK as part of an EPSRC project to develop microfluidic devices using plastic-silicon hybrid technology. In 2002, he joined the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge on a project supported by DTI and local industry to develop a commercial application using microfluidic technologies. In 2004 Hui joined Innovation in Nanotechnology Exploitation (INEX) based at the University of Newcastle, UK. He was responsible for the design & modelling activities within INEX and some MEMS research projects. In 2008 Hui joined Institute of System Level Integration, UK as a senior MEMS research engineer. His current research interests are in MEMS for optical and micro-photonic applications, micro sensors and actuators, micro fluidic systems.

Microsystems Engineering Centre , Heriot Watt University

Marc P.Y. Desmulliez was born in Lille (France) in 1963 and graduated from the Ecole Superieure d’Electricite of Paris, France, in 1987. He obtained two College Diplomas in 1987 and 1989, in Microwave and Modern Optics at University College London (London, UK) and in Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge (UK). After spending a couple of years in Dunkerque (France) as a Power Engineer, he obtained his Ph.D. diploma in Optoelectronics in 1995 from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. The major fields of study of Prof. Desmulliez are MEMS and advanced packaging. He has over 200 publications in these fields.
He is currently Head of the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering at Heriot-Watt University, and has been directing the Microsystems Engineering Centre since 1999. This Centre regroups 6 academic members of staff and over 30 Ph.D. students and Researchers, specialized in all aspects of MEMS manufacturing, packaging and testing. Current research interests include the post-CMOS processing of magnetic components and advanced 3D manufacturing technologies.
Prof. Desmulliez is a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Physicist from the UK Institute of Physics.

Mr David Flynn was born on December 1979 in Perth (Scotland). David graduated with honours of the first class in electrical and electronic engineering from Heriot-Watt University in 2002 . David also received the MG Say prize for being the top student in electrical power subjects.
The same year David commenced his Master of Science in Microsystems at Heriot-Watt. David's project work in partnership with Raytheon Systems Limited focused on the development of microscale magnetic components. During his MSc David won the IEE postgraduate scholarship and graduated the with distinction.
In 2003 David continued his research in the area of Microsystems at Heriot-Watt via his PhD on the Manufacture and Characterisation of Microscale Magnetic Components. Since 2003 David has generated over 14 journal, conference and letter publications in this field. During his PhD David has won the IEE Robinson Scholarship and the Heriot-Watt Second year PhD prize. David is an IET scholar having received the coveted Leslie H Paddle scholarship from the IET during the final year of his PhD.
David is currently a Research Associate at Heriot-Watt University concerned with the design and manufacture of MEMs devices

David Ewan Watson completed his BEng in Electronic & Software Engineering from the University of Aberdeen in 2005 before going on to gain his MSc in Microsystems Engineering from Heriot Watt University in 2008. Following a successful project prototyping flexible 'smart skin' sensors, he joined MISEC as a Research Associate where he is currently focussed on developing a method of laser direct-writing of metals onto flexible polyimide substrates. This process has applications both in hermeticity testing and the HUMMS project, fabricating coil sensors, as well as being highly promising for the development of medical sensors and implants due to the chemical inertness of polyimide.

Farid Amalou was born in June 1972 in Algiers (Algeria). He did his undergraduate studies at USTHB (University of Science and Technology in Algiers) and graduated in 1993. He then obtained a High Degree Diploma in Theoretical Physics in 1995 from the same university. In 1999 he completed a Master degree in computational physics at the University of Tizi-Ouzou (Algeria) in collaboration with the IPCMS-GEMME CNRS in Strasbourg (France). He then moved to Switzerland at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) from which he obtained his PhD degree in Micro-Engineering and Micro-Magnetism.
He is now a Research Associate at the Micro System Engineering Centre, School of Engineering & Physical Sciences, at Heriot-Watt University. His current research interests are mainly in Microsystems, and include the investigation of alternative micro-patterning techniques, such as the powder blasting technology, packaging of optical devices using the LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic) technology, and the development of novel bio-devices for medical applications.

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde

Deepak Uttamchandani is Professor of Microsystems Engineering. He was awarded a PhD in 1985 from University College London where his research was in the field of frequency modulated semiconductor laser radar and their applications to optical sensor networks. In 1986, he joined the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Strathclyde as a Lecturer. His research interests were initially in optical and fibre-optic sensors and systems. Since the late 1980s he has been growing research in the field of microtechnology including: techniques for the characterisation of micromechanical properties of materials; optically excited microresonator sensors; commercial-foundry-centred microfabrication of MEMS in polysilicon and silicon-on-insulator, MEMS design, excimer laser micromachining applications and radio-frequency (RF) MEMS. He has edited 2 books, guest-edited 2 journals and authored/co-authored around 200 publications. He has been a member of EPSRC ranking panels, was a member of the Basic Technology 4 final panel in 2004 and served on a DTI Technology Programme panel in 2004.

George Stewart is currently a Professor in the EEE Department at the University of Strathclyde. He was awarded a BSc Degree with First Class Honours in 1974 and the PhD degree for research on integrated optics in 1979, both from the University of Glasgow. Thereafter, he was appointed as a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow until 1985 and then joined the Photonics Group at Strathclyde University where he continued research on fibre optic components, optical sensors, fibre lasers and laser spectroscopy. He is the primary author of 5 book chapters and is author or co-author of more than 150 technical & scientific papers in the field of fibre and integrated optics. Professor Stewart is a member of the Optical Society of America and the Institute of Physics.

Gordon Brown gained a BSc in Physics and Electronic Engineering at Glasgow University and an MSc in Laser Engineering from St Andrews University. A Research Fellow at Strathclyde University, he has investigated the dynamic motion of microsystems with ultra high-speed cameras. His main area of interest now is excimer laser micromachining, in particular its application in microsystems research. He is also involved in projects with several companies to develop commercial applications for excimer laser micromachining.
In addition to his research activities, Gordon Brown is also responsible for the Specialised Equipment operated by the Centre.

Dr. Lijie Li received the B.Sc. degree in microelectronics science from the Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China, in 1995, and the Ph.D. degree in the design, modeling, and characterization of microactuators and optical MEMS devices from Center for Microsystems and Photonics, Strathclyde University, Glasgow, U.K., in 2004. He continued optical and general MEMS research at Strathclyde University. From beginning of 2006 to August 2007, he was a senior MEMS design engineer in Institute of System Level Integration, UK. He is now a Senior Research Fellow at Strathclyde University. He is author and coauthor of over 30 scientific papers and one U.K. patent in the field of MEMS. His current research interests are in Micro sensors and actuators, Optical Microsystems, and Radio Frequency Microsystems.

Anna Sheridan joined CMP in Feb 2007 as an RCUK Academic Fellow in Bio-nanotechnology.
She was awarded a BSc in Physics from Durham University in 1997 and went on to complete a PhD in (2000) in which she studied the gain and optical properties of conjugated polymers. She then took up a Post-doctoral research position at the Optoelectronics Research Centre at the University of Southampton. Here she worked on the design, modelling and fabrication of integrated optical waveguide sensors for simultaneous surface plasmon resonance and electrochemical measurements. In 2004 she was awarded a one year EPSRC discipline hoping award to work in the School of Chemistry at the University of Southampton. In May 2005 she moved to the University of Glasgow to develop her interest in surface plasmon based sensors. Here she worked on the fabrication and characterisation of novel gold nanostructured substrates using electron beam lithography, with a view to optimising the sensing performance of such structures, for instance in surface enhanced techniques such as Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.
Her current interests are in the area of novel integrated optical lab-on-a-chip devices for bio and chemical sensing.

Institute of Photonics, University of Strathclyde

Now Chief Executive, Tim Holt joined the Institute of Photonics in May 2001, where he was responsible for business development and for establishing and maintaining links with industry. He received BSc (1st class) in Physics from St. Andrews University in 1974 and followed this by a 5 year spell in the Royal Navy as an Instructor Lieutenant, teaching electronics and then navigation. On leaving the Navy, he joined Westland Helicopters as an engineer, with projects in both military and civil avionics. He joined the laser division of Ferranti in Dundee in the sales department, initially working on military and then industrial lasers, eventually becoming their laser Sales Manager. He was part of the management buyout that purchased the laser division from Ferranti to form Laser Ecosse in the early '90s. In 1992 he was appointed UK Sales Manager for Rofin-Sinar, one of the largest suppliers of industrial lasers in the world, and from Rofin he subsequently joined the Institute.

Martin Dawson joined the Institute in March 1996. He obtained a Ph.D in Laser Physics from Imperial College, London, in 1985, followed by postdoctoral work in the USA in the group of Professor A.L. Smirl, first at North Texas State University and subsequently at the University of Iowa. His work there involved ultrafast spectroscopy of semiconductors and femtosecond laser development. He returned to the UK in 1991 to join Sharp Corporation's new research laboratory (SLE) in Oxford as a Senior Researcher, working on semiconductor spectroscopy and diode laser development. His interests at the Institute focus on III-V optoelectronic devices and materials’ science, particularly on developing novel surface-normal emitters and modulators including VCSELs, VECSELs, micro-LEDs and SESAMs. Martin is a Senior Member of IEEE/LEOS, of which he was Scottish Chapter Chairman from 2000 – 2003. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He was promoted to Professor in October 2001.

John Girkin joined the Institute in July 1996. His main responsibility is in the development of the Institute's applications-based activities. He obtained his PhD from the University of Southampton, before working in industry, developing commercial diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers. Immediately prior to joining the Institute, John worked for Keeler Ltd, producing novel instruments for the treatment and diagnosis of a range of ophthalmic diseases, including the first commercial diode laser ophthalmic photocoagulator. These systems are now being sold worldwide. His research interests are primarily into the use of photonics in the biotechnology arena, including the application and development of femtosecond lasers for multiphoton imaging.

David Massoubre joined the Institute in February 2006 as a member of the Semiconductor Optoelectronics group. He received his engineering diploma in Nanotechnology from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, Rennes ( France) in 2002 and his M.Sci degree in Physics from University of Rennes the same year. He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Paris 11 in 2006. His PhD work was focused on all-optical saturable absorber-based microcavities for passive all-optical signal regeneration at ultra-high bit rate. His current research at the Institute focuses on the integration of micro-optics onto gallium nitride-based micro Light Emitting Diode arrays.

Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow

Professor Jon Cooper's research is in the field of Bioelectronics and Bioengineering in the Department of Electronics at the University of Glasgow. He has developed the full range of technologies associated with bioelectronics (including areas as diverse as bionanotechnology, microfluidics, surface analysis, biochip fabrication and development, instrumentation, modelling and cell based assays). He has been closely involved in the commercialisation of a number of these technologies. In addition to the activity associated with SCIMPS, he is a principal applicant on the Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (IRC) in Bionanotechnology (with the University of Oxford and NIMR, Mill Hill) and the IRC in Proteomics Technologies (with the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee). Professor Cooper has served on numerous editorial boards, including currently, as an editor of Biosensors and Bioelectronics and the International Advisory Board of Lab-on-a-Chip. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2001 and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, 2004. Professor Cooper's work is recognised by invited lectures at leading conferences including the Gordon Research Conferences in Analytical Chemistry (France, 2005) and The Physics and Chemistry of Microfluidics (Oxford, 2005), Nano2005 and Nano 2006 (Tokyo) and ISE (Edinburgh, 2006). He has published ca.130 papers

David Cumming has BEng (Glasgow, UK, 1989) and PhD (Cambridge, UK, 1993) degrees and is a member of the IEEE. He has worked variously on mesoscopic device physics, RF characterization of novel devices, fabrication of diffractive optics for optical and sub-millimeter wave applications, diagnostic systems, and microelectronic design. He is currently a Professor and EPSRC Advanced Research Fellow in Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Glasgow, UK, where he leads the Microsystem Technology Research Group.

Kevin T.C. Chai received the B.Eng. (Hons.) degree in 2002 and the Ph.D. degree in 2007 in electronics and electrical engineering from the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K. He is currently a post doctoral research assistant in the Microsystem Technology Research Group, University of Glasgow, where he is developing CMOS light addressable potentiometric sensors (LAPS) for high density ion detection. His research interests include image processing, CMOS electronic circuit design, and optical and electrical methods for cellular imaging.