• October 8, 2018
  • 4:00 p.m.
  • 320 New Classroom Building
  • Matthew Fu, Princeton University
  • Faculty Host: Dr. William Devenport

Abstract: Semiconductor and micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) manufacturing techniques provide a unique experimental toolbox for resolving the behavior of turbulent flows. The ability to manufacture probes with nanoscale dimensions not only allows for the miniaturization of current sensor technologies, but also promotes the development of novel sensing modes. In this talk, I will present a suite of MEMS based sensors and describe how they are being applied in turbulent flow research. The first investigation explores the use of a subminiature version of conventional hotwire anemometers to obtain fully resolved measurements of a high Reynolds number boundary layer. The second investigation describes a novel selective, strain-based velocimetry technique that utilizes the bending of a free-standing, electrically-conductive nanoribbon under fluid forcing. The sensor behavior is experimentally and theoretically characterized and found to be suitable for a wide range of applications including medical devices and turbulent flows.

Biography: Matt Fu is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Princeton University. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 2018 and his B. Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech in 2013. He co-founded Tendo Technologies, Inc., a Princeton based start-up specializing in MEMS-based flow sensing solutions. His research interests include a variety of problems related to fluid mechanics, with focus on multidisciplinary approaches and instrumentation.