Chairholders: Paul Charette and Luc Fréchette
University: University of Sherbrooke
The revolution brought about by the microelectronics industry in recent decades has given rise to a vast range of miniaturized systems that are now part of everyday life. Two of the most important areas of technology are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and integrated photonics (“light-on-chip”). They are at the heart of modern telecommunications networks and booming Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
This principal research chair, which is jointly held by Professors Paul Charette and Luc Fréchette, aims to integrate new or improved materials, manufacturing processes and components into the industrial production of next-generation high-performance MEMS and microphotonic devices. Functional materials will be developed on industrial tools for 200 mm wafers, such as advanced lead-free piezoelectric thin films for integrated MEMS sensors, actuators and energy harvesters, as well as thermoresistive thin films for infrared imagers cheap. Manufacturing processes for wafer integration and encapsulation will be improved through the development of direct bonding techniques with thin layers and methods allowing low-cost encapsulation of wafers under vacuum. In addition, photonic microstructures intended for imaging will be developed to increase the sensitivity of thermal imagers using plasmodial antennas and introduce wavelength selectivity for infrared hyperspectral imaging. I ntegrated photonic structures will also be developed to take advantage of aluminum nitride and silicon nitride material platforms for mid- and far-infrared coherent photonics and quantum photonics applications, respectively.
