NECINA Optics Special Interest Group (SIG) Seminar

Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm, Saturday, March 8, 2008

Location: Finisar Corporation (formerly Azna LLC), 36 Jonspin Road, Wilmington, MA 01887

Topic: Nanomaterials and Biosensors

2:00pm-2:30pm Networking Time

2:30pm-2:45pm Introduction

2:45pm-3:45pm Label-free Optical Biosensors

Dr. Xingwei Wang, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract: A biosensor is a device for detection of the presence of an analyte. Biosensor design research, as an interdisciplinary topic, links biology with engineering closely. Problems associated with the established technique include the bulky size, high equipment costs, and time-consuming algorithms. Therefore, such systems are limited to research laboratories and cannot be applied for in-vivo situations.

In this talk, I will focus on two kinds of label-free optical biosensors. One design is aimed at development of a sensor probe for direct detection of DNA sequences. Experimental results demonstrate sequence specificity and sensitivity to nanogram quantities of target DNA sequences with short (~5 min) hybridization time. The second design is a high throughput biosensing platform, which can be used for multiple analyte simultaneous detection.

Dr. Xingwei Wang joined the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UMass Lowell as an Assistant Professor in 2006. She got her Ph.D. and M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA. She also got her certificate for future professoriate from Virginia Tech. Dr. Wang has authored or co-authored more than 20 journal and conference papers, and eight patent disclosures. Her current research interests include optical sensors for medical, chemical and industrial applications; assistive technology program; nanoprobe design and fabrication; self-assembled nanostructures; optical biosensing and biomedical devices; optical imaging; MEMS technology and electromagnetic wave propagation. Her other research experience includes temperature, pressure, acoustic, strain, and chemical sensors. Dr. Wang won Paul E. Torgerson research excellence award for the 2005-2006 academic year at Virginia Tech. Dr. Wang is a member of IEEE, OSA and SPIE. Also, she served as a reviewer of Applied Physics Letters.

3:45pm-4:00pm Break

4:00pm-5:00pm Synthesis, Fabrication and Self-assembly of Multifunctional Nanowires for Emerging Applications

Dr. Zhiyong Gu, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Research and potential applications of nanomaterials and nanotechnology have been experiencing dramatic growth in the past decade. At the nanometer scale, many material properties may alter, for example, optical, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties. In order to enable nanotechnology to fully manipulate and utilize nanomaterials to make nanodevices, nanoelectronics, or nano-products in general, new assembly and integration strategies have to be developed or created since the conventional microfabrication process is approaching its limit in terms of size and cost-effective mass production. In this talk, I will present our recent effort in fabricating and assembling one of the most promising nano-building blocks – nanowires (nanorods), and the assembly and integration of nanowires into ordered structures that may find various applications in emerging fields such as electronics and medicine. Electrodeposition in nanoporous templates has been used to synthesize multi-functional nanowires in the diameter range of 15-200 nm and length up 20 µm. Metallic, polymeric, and hybrid nanowires have been fabricated in very large quantity (10⁹-10¹⁰ wires/cm²) in this way. Several techniques will be described on how to assemble and integrate nanowires into ordered 1-dimensional (1D), 2D and 3D structures. In the end, examples will be shown how the strategies proposed above can be used for various applications.

Dr. Zhiyong Gu completed his undergraduate studies at Qingdao Institute of Chemical Technology, China, in 1996. He received his M.S. from University of Notre Dame and Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2001 and 2004, respectively, all in Chemical Engineering. In April 2004, he moved to the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University, working as a Postdoctoral Fellow until August 2006.

In September 2006, Zhiyong joined the Department of Chemical Engineering at University of Massachusetts Lowell as an Assistant Professor. He is affiliated with the CHN/NCOE Nanomanufacturing Center at UML. His current research interests include synthesis of nanoparticles and nanowires, self-assembly and directed assembly, amphiphilic block copolymers, nanocomposite materials, and nanoscale integration for electronics, sensors and biomedical applications. Zhiyong has published 4 book chapters and over 20 refereed papers, and has about 50 presentations in national and international conferences and meetings.

Contact: Yong Qiao (978) 201-1980, Frank Fan (978) 204-4980, Jin Li (978) 996-8058 

Organizers: Jin Li, Yong Qiao, Qingwu Wang, Xueyan Zheng, Frank Fan, and Yi Qian

For more information, please visit the following sites

NECINA Optics SIG : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NECINA_SIG_Optics/

NECINA: http://www.necina.org/