Research Associate and Assistants to begin in Spring or Fall 1995.

Virtual Rapid Prototyping for Piezoelectric Micro Systems (PMS)

Micromachined micro systems with embedded or surface-mounted piezoelectric
elements possess unique and promising features that are not offered by
electrostatic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Performance of PMS (e.g.
signal-to-noise ratio, mechanical resonance, driving capability, etc.) is
dependent on various factors such as geometrical design, materials selection,
process conditions, etc. However, a good design tool for PMS is not currently
available, and PMS are primitively designed and optimized. We plan to develop a
virtual rapid prototyping system for PMS. Our most significant contributions
will be in modeling, simulating and optimizing PMS, for which we need to
combine multi-disciplinary theories and also to build up materials-property
data bases of thin films used in PMS.

One Research Associate position and three Graduate Research Assistant positions
    are available to perform the research at Piezoelectric Microsystems
    Laboratories at the University of Hawaii.
    One Research Associate will be responsible for the integration of the
    entire program to link different modules of this research effort and
    maintain a constant interaction between various activities. A Ph.D. degree
    is required for this position, and the minimum annual salary will be
    $36,000.

    One graduate student will concentrate on the theoretical modeling for
    electromechanical behavior of PMS, materials property modeling, development
    of test structures for materials-property data base, experimental process
    optimization, experimental materials processing, and verification of our
    modeling.

    Another graduate student will concentrate on the theoretical/computational
    modeling and experimental measurements for the design and manufacturing of
    PMS; specifically with respect to static and dynamic finite element
    analyses, the residual stress finite element solver, the comparison of the
    results with experimental data during the manufacturing, and the
    optimization of the manufacturing parameters for maximum performance.

    A third graduate student will concentrate on final development and testing
    of the data bases, computer graphics and animation, theoretical/
    computational modeling of dynamic simulation and computer animation and the
    optimization of design parameters for maximum performance.

The Graduate Research Assistantships will be with Electrical Engineering
Department, Mechanical Engineering Department or Information Computing Science
Department at the University of Hawaii and will cover tuition and salary
(minimum $12,200/yr) for up to 3 years. Suitable students will pursue a
graduate degree program in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or
Computer Science, at the University of Hawaii.

For further information contact
Prof. Eun Sok Kim
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Hawaii
2540 Dole St.
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel) 808-956-5309
Fax) 808-956-3427
email) eskim@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu

or
Prof. Mehrdad Nejhad
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Hawaii
2540 Dole St.
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel) 808-956-7560
Fax) 808-956-2373
email) nejhad@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu

or
Prof. Stephen Itoga
Department of Information and Computer Science
University of Hawaii
2565 The Mall
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel) 808-956-3494
Fax) 808-956-3548
email) itoga@uhics.ics.hawaii.edu

or
Prof. Junku Yuh
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Hawaii
2540 Dole St.
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel) 808-956-6579
Fax) 808-956-2373
email) yuh@wiliki.eng.hawaii.edu