MAE Department - PG Seminar - Advanced Micro/Nano Manufacturing of Architectured Metamaterials
Recent advances in data-driven and interconnected manufacturing have the potential to revolutionize the design and processing of multifunctional elements with unprecedented precision and heterogeneity. These elements include architectured metamaterials with integrated functions that are highly desirable for a broad range of applications in confined spaces, such as impact absorption, thermal management and chemical processing, optical transparency, structural morphing, and real-time monitoring and repair. To fully realize the potential of these multifunctional elements, an integrated knowledge base is crucial for setting up, steering, and analyzing their functionality. This requires combining different geometries and choices of digital voxels with domain-specific design constraints, as well as a library of accurate designer voxels with predictive analytics that capture essential mechanical and physical properties based on the microstructure.
In this seminar, we will explore the three-dimensional microfabrication techniques and expertise required to design and fabricate these architectured metamaterials for combined functions, including energy absorption, actuation/morphing, and micro-scale bioreactors for tissue engineering. I will also discuss our effort on selective ion doping of oxide electrolytes with electronegative metals, which shows promise for reproducible resistive switching that is critical for reliable hardware neuromorphic circuits.
Nicholas X. Fang received his BS and MS in physics from Nanjing University, and his PhD in mechanical engineering from University of California Los Angeles. He is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong. Prior to HKU, He was a full professor with tenure at MIT until 2022. Professor Fang’s areas of research look at nanophotonics and nanofabrication. His research on nanoarchitectured metamaterials was highlighted among the top 10 Emerging breakthrough technologies of the year 2015. His recognitions also include the OSA Fellow (2021); ASME Chao and Trigger Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (2013); the ICO prize from the International Commission of Optics (2011); the NSF CAREER Award (2009) and MIT Technology Review Magazine’s 35 Young Innovators Award (2008).