[Journal Articles][Conference Papers]

Kamil Ekinci Assistant Professor Boston University Mechanical Engineering 110 Cummington St Office: 6173538670 Email: ekinci http://www.bu.edu/nems/

Biography

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

CURRENT FOCUS:

Kamil Ekinci has been an assistant professor in the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Boston University since January of 2002. He obtained his Ph.D. in physics from Brown University in 1999. There, he designed and built one of the first low temperature Scanning Tunneling Microscopes (STM) with sample manipulation capabilities. His experiments there led to a qualitative understanding of film growth mechanisms at low temperatures, where diffusion is prohibitive. After obtaining his Ph.D., Ekinci joined Caltech Condensed Matter Physics group where he was first a postdoctoral scholar, then a senior postdoctoral scholar. During the 3 years he spent at Caltech, Ekinci focused on Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS). There, he designed and built a microwave UHV cryostat for initiating studies of surface related phenomena in NEMS. In his new laboratory at Boston University, Ekinci's research group is focusing on developing nanomechanical sensors, integration of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and photonic systems, and UHV Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) investigations of nanoscale structures.

Nano-electro-mechanical Systems (NEMS) are perhaps the most promising manifestations of the emerging fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. These are electromechanical systems-much like Micro-electro-mechanical Systems (MEMS)-mostly operated in their resonant modes, with dimensions in the deep submicron. In this size regime, they come with extremely high resonance frequencies, diminished active (vibratory) masses and tolerable force constants. These attributes collectively make them suitable for a multitude of technological applications such as ultra-fast actuators, ultrasensitive sensors, and high frequency signal processing components.

We have two major efforts in the Scanning Probe Microscopy field. In the first project, we are investigating the physical properties of NEMS surfaces at the atomic scale, and trying to correlate the device properties to surface structure. For these studies, we are using our ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) STM and AFM. We are also trying to engineer NEMS surfaces by using well established sample cleaning and surface treatment techniques such as annealing and sputtering. The completion of these experiments will not only enable a deeper understanding of surface effects at the nanoscale, but also create better devices for ground-breaking applications in many diverse fields.

In a second, more recent project in collaboration with Dr. Keith Schwab at LPS at the National Security Agency, we are developing a novel STM that operates at radio frequencies.

Journal Articles

14.) K. Ekinci, "All you need is feeback," Nature Nanotechnology, Vol. 3, 2009, pp. 319-320

13.) K. Ekinci, D. M. Karabacak, and V. Yakhot, "Universality in Oscillating Flows," Physical Review Letters, Vol. 101, December 2008, pp. 26501

12.) U. Kemiktarak, T. Ndukum, K. C. Schwab, and K. Ekinci, "Radio-frequency scanning tunnelling microscopy," Nature, Vol. 450, 1 November 2007, pp. 85-88

11.) N. O. Azak, M. Y. Shagam, D. M. Karabacak, K. Ekinci, D. H. Kim, and D. Y. Jang, "Nanomechanical displacement detection using fiber-optic interferometry," ACTA Crystallographica C, Vol. 91, 27 August 2007, pp. 093112

10.) D. M. Karabacak, K. Ekinci, C. H. Gan, G. J. Gbur, M. S. Ünlü, S. B. Ippolito, B. B. Goldberg, and P. S. Carney, "Diffraction of evanescent waves and nanomechanical displacement detection," Optics Letters, Vol. 32, No. 13, 1 July 2007, pp. 1881-1883

9.) D. M. Karabacak, V. Yakhot, and K. Ekinci, "High-frequency nanofluidics: An experimental study using nanomechanical resonators," Physical Review Letters, Vol. 98, 22 June 2007, pp. 254505

8.) P. A. Truitt, J. B. Hertzberg, C. C. Huang, K. Ekinci, and K. C. Schwab, "Efficient and sensitive capacitive readout of nanomechanical resonator arrays," Nano Letters, Vol. 7, No. 1, January 2007, pp. 120-126

7.) Y. T. Yang, C. Callegari, X. L. Feng, K. Ekinci, and M. L. Roukes, "Zeptogram-Scale Nanomechanical Mass Sensing," Nano Letters, Vol. 6, No. 4, April 2006, pp. 583-586

6.) K. Ekinci, D. M. Karabacak, T. Kouh, and C. C. Huang, "Optical knife-edge technique for nanomechanical displacement detection," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 88, 2006, pp. 193122

5.) K. Ekinci, and C. C. Huang, "Fabrication of freely suspended nanostructures by nanoimprint lithography," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 88, 2006, pp. 093110

4.) A. Sampathkumar, T. W. Murray, and K. Ekinci, "Photothermal operation of high frequency nanoelectromechanical systems," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 88, 2006, pp. 223104

3.) T. Kouh, O. Basarir, and K. Ekinci, "Room-temperature operation of a nanoelectromechanical resonator embedded in a phase-locked loop," Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 87, 2005, pp. 113112

2.) K. Ekinci, D. M. Karabacak, and T. Kouh, "Analysis of optical interferometric displacement detection in nanoelectromechanical systems," Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 98, 2005, pp. 124309

1.) K. Ekinci, "Electromechanical Transducers at the Nanoscale: Actuation and Sensing of Motion in Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS)," Small, Vol. 1, No. 8-9, 2005, pp. 786-797

Conference Papers

2.) P. S. Carney, D. M. Karabacak, S. B. Ippolito, M. S. Ünlü, and K. Ekinci, "Nanoscale Motion Detection by Diffraction of Evanescent Waves," Bulletin of APS Meeting, March 2006

1.) D. M. Karabacak, T. Kouh, M. S. Ünlü, B. B. Goldberg, and K. Ekinci, "Solid Immersion Lens Microscopy Techniques for Enhanced Optical Displacement Detection in Nanoelectromechanical Systems," Bulletin of APS Meeting, March 2005