(ANGOLA) - Trine University's Allen School of Engineering and Computing hosted a seminar this week by Hideki Arahari, Ph.D., of Basic Research Laboratories at NTT, Inc. in Japan.
NTT is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies.
Arahari's seminar was held Monday, June 29. It was followed by presentations of research by Trine University mechanical engineering majors Maranda Padfield of Kokomo, Janna Wilson of Kokomo, Nicholas Ewing of Wabash and Nathan Stefanski of Almont, Michigan.
The students have been conducting research guided by James Miller, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Their work focuses on microelectromechanical systems resonators, or MEMS resonators, which are vibrating silicon structures smaller than the width of a human hair.
The research seeks to develop techniques to make the resonance frequencies of MEMS resonators more stable by using controlled mechanical tension, nonlinear operation and amplifier circuit design to improve performance.
One technique looks at whether tuning the tension on the resonators, similar to tightening a guitar string, will make their frequencies more stable. The work has applications for improved timekeeping devices used in modern technology, including smartphones, computers and data centers.
Arahari has conducted related research on microscale optomechanical resonators, which use coupling between laser light and mechanical vibrations to control nonlinear damping.
Arahari discussed recent experimental and theoretical research at NTT showing that carefully controlling coupling between optical and mechanical modes, and between mechanical modes, can tune the nonlinear damping of mechanical vibrations.
The seminars were attended by Trine University faculty from multiple departments.