Speaker: Dr. Richard Gale, Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Texas Tech University
Title: Nonlinear Control of Electrostatically Activated Non-landing MEMS Devices
Abstract: Closed-loop control of electrostatic MEMS requires sensing to provide a feedback signal. We present an integrated sensor for charge and position that negligibly affects the open-loop dynamics, does not increase the device footprint, and may be easily fabricated. Numerical finite-element simulation, incorporating a realistic electrostatic field model, and experimental results validate the functionality of the sensor. Simulations show how the sensor may be used in conjunction with nonlinear control to provide full gap operation and improved transient performance. Nonlinear control is often considered too complex for convenient implementation, however the controller presented may be implemented using on-chip, local, integrated circuit components.
Speaker Background: Richard Gale held the position of Distinguished Member, Technical Staff, and was responsible for coordinating the work of the New Applications Research and Development Group in the Technology Development section of Digital Imaging at Texas Instrument Incorporated until retirement in April, 2001. Dr. Gale holds the A.B. degree in Physics from the University of California at Berkeley (1976), and M.S. and Ph. D. degrees from Lehigh University (1979 and 1984, respectively). Dr. Gale joined the Central Research Laboratories at Texas Instruments in 1984 to apply his graduate work on electron traps in silicon dioxide to charged-coupled device imagers for space-borne applications. He moved from CCD’s to more general photonics interests in 1985, in time to make several key contributions in the developing MEMS spatial light modulators at TI. He was a member of the team taking the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD tm) from research into a corporate venture projects activity in 1991 after successfully managing parts of the initial customer interactions in projection displays. He contributed to the development of Corporate Venturing at Texas Instruments, and managed the demonstration/validation activity in the early stages of Digital Imaging at TI. After successfully promoting the technology internally and externally through a period of explosive growth, he took a position in Production Engineering for the development of first generation portable projectors.
His final position included responsibility for novel approaches and new technologies utilizing and enabling Digital Light Processing tm insertion points, providing strategic direction in understanding competitive assessment and intelligence, and coordinating the DLP(tm) Products Coop programs and technical publication management.
Dr. Gale is an author of more than a dozen technical publications, and holds patents in MEMS design, processing, packaging, control circuits, and system utilization concepts. Dr. Gale is currently pursuing new career directions that will build on and expand his experience in microelectromechanical systems, novel data analysis techniques, information creation and distribution systems, and communications technologies. He accepted a tenured Professorship in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, that began 1 June, 2002.
Location
Tyco Campus
302 Constitution Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025.
The Security booth will require that you check in with them briefly and will then give you a map of the campus that will indicate where the meeting will be held. It will be in a conference room named “The Commons” in the 302 building
Post-Seminar Dinner: The seminar is free. Pizza will be served after the meeting ends at 7pm.