Study of advanced concepts and technologies behind the field of Bio-Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems (Bio-MEMS), with a special focus in Microfluidic devices for biological-medical applications. Advanced concepts of fluid mechanics in microchannels will be covered, including inertial and droplet-based microfluidics, electrokinetics, transport phenomena, and nanofluidics.

Practical experience in mechanical engineering in cooperation with private industry or government to be jointly supervised by the academic department, the co-op program coordinator, and an official from the cooperating organization. A written report will be required upon completion of each period of work.


Course Description: 

Discussion of the fundamentals of microfabrication techniques as applied to micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) and nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS). Study of photolithography, subtractive and additive techniques, surface and bulk micromachining, soft lithography and non-conventional fabrication techniques. Hands-on laboratory experience on mask design, photolithography, surface micromachining and soft lithography.

Course Objectives:

  1. Grasp the process of photolithography.
  2. Describe subtractive and additive pattern transfer processes.
  3. Describe and compare bulk and surface micromachining.
  4.  Describe and compare non-conventional fabrication technologies.
  5. Create micro-devices based on photolithography.
  6. Apply the theory in the laboratory.

Fundamental laws and principles of thermodynamics and their application in engineering. Thermodynamic and energetic concepts, properties of pure substances, heat transfer, heat engines.

This course focuses on the study of the first and second laws of thermodynamics and their application to steady state and transient systems. The students will learn how determine the thermodynamic properties of materials, based on equations of state or thermodynamic tables, and how to apply the energy and entropy balance in thermo-mechanical systems. Analysis of basic thermodynamic cycles will be studied.

Application of the fundamental concepts of thermodynamics to the study of power and refrigeration cycles and combustion processes. Introduction to gas dynamic concepts, nonreactive mixtures and psychrometrics.