Lab and Facilities

The research is carried out in the Dynamic Systems and Stability Lab (DSSL) in ME 2046 and in several lab spaces in the Birck Nanotechnology Center.

Birck Nanotechnology Center

Birck 1081

Birck 1081 is a biosafety level two lab that houses a unique combined spinning disk confocal-bioAFM system. By fluorescent tagging living cells, we can observe the deformation field of a living cell during AFM indentation- this ability opens up many interesting studies in cellular nanomechanics.

Birck 1089

Brick 1089 is a low vibration and low electromagnetic noise lab that house a high-resolution AFM and a laser doppler vibrometer.  The high-resolution AFM system is the Asylum Cypher which allows the use of ultrasmall cantilevers and is easily capable of acquiring atomic resolution images at liquid solid interfaces.

All our MEMS/NEMs work as well as characterization of AFM microcantilevers is performed on the MSA scanning laser doppler vibrometry system.

Birck Shared Facilities

Our web vibrations research is carried out at the Birck Center's roll-to-roll facility (functional printing, slot/die, coating, drying etc.). We have basic vibration measurement equipment for these applications.

DSSL Lab 

The DSSL Lab is located in ME 2046 and houses laser systems, optical tables, and several custom build test stands.  Our human bio-mechanics and some of our roll to roll manufacturing work takes place in this space.