RET Reflections…………. From: Dr. Loris Carter

A Wheatstone Bridge beginning…

Circuit construction……. Kirin explains……… The Wheatstone Bridge is one of the most sensitive and precise methods of measuring small changes in resistance. The Wheatstone Bridge incorporates one or more electrical transducers that change resistance as a result of an environmental change or input (stp - stress, temperature, or pressure).

What is a Wheatstone Bridge… It is a simple circuit used to measure small changes in resistance of a transducer. It consists of four resistors ~ 3 fixed and 1 variable. Take a look………..

Testing time……..

Webex Wonders Worth Discussing…. Dr. Marian Mc Cord discussed the SHE project which hopes to reduce the number of days that females in impoverished and developed countries are away from school/work due to unavailable and unaffordable sanitary pads. I hope to partner with Dr. Mc Cord to involve Homestead’s faculty and staff. Our medical magnet school can support and enhance the program from the high school level.

Dr. Ewan Pritchard discussed battery technology and carbon nano-filters which are used to promote a viable, powerful, electric automobile. Dr. Pritchard is the program manager of the Advanced Transportation Energy Center (ATEC). Finding the greatest surface area for the anode/cathodes is the goal. Longer battery life will be the outcome. I am especially interested in his research premise focusing on “The Future is Electric”. I will work to encourage a high school in the South Region to participate in the EVChallengeKids program.{Miramar High School currently participates!}

Electron Beam Evaporator Titanium pellets……….

Titanium Thoughts…… % pure titanium pellets are melted in the evaporator. These pellets travel through a crystal. These pellets are disbursed in a cone shape.

Neal notes…….. ~ E- Beam evaporation vs. Thermal Evaporation ~ Allows for the possibility to add a larger amount of energy into the source material. Heats the source material not the entire crucible(metal container). Results in a higher density film with increased adhesions to the substrate. {Great adhesive!} Supports a low incident angle.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot…….

E-Beam Evaporator

Heated Wafers were attached to three tangent circles. Each circle was composed of a different template. The first circle had 2 inch diameter circles removed from it’s entire area. The second circle had 3 inch diameter circles removed from it’s entire area. The third circle had squares removed from it’s entire area. The circular wafers that we exposed were secured with special tape.

Acetone bath revealed…….

Local Lecturers…….. Dr. Sakhrat Khizroev merged engineering and medicine to deliver a powerful, informative lecture. Mr. Neal Ricks provided very detailed pre and post lectures on pressure sensor fabrication. The hands-on experience Neal provided was excellent! Ata assisted in the clean room and demonstrated/supervised the spinning/baking of the wafers.

Neal knows ……….

Ata spins……..

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) A penny was placed in the microscope for viewing. Initial viewing occurred in the room with the microscope. Minutes later remote access was achieved in a different room located on a different floor. Topography was displayed and discussed. Electron images were identified by comparing the micron length of the image on the screen. Dust particle, indentations, and physical features of the penny were revealed.

Penny pictures……… Optical views from a human and a microscope…

Penny Topography

The Lab assignment This is the function generator, the two ports on the bottom part are the CH 1 and CH 2.

Micro fluidic preparation of particles These are the cholesterol particles that remained in the channel and are to be dissolved in acetone.

Acoustophoretic sorting of particles In the lab, Ata was trying to guide the tubing to the channel using glue.

A closer look…………

Safety Certificates that I attained….. Chemical Handling Safety ~ Basic Principles EPA Hazardous Waste Awareness Fire Safety Laboratory Safety ~ The Finer Points Laboratory Hazard Awareness PPE Safe Use of Fume hoods Small Spills and Leaks

Nano information for the classroom Facts for Homestead ~ Medical Magnet Hemoglobin ……………… 5.5 nanometers in diameter DNA …………………………. 2.0 nanometers in diameter Bio-barcode assay ~ low cost method of detecting disease, specific biomarkers in the blood, even when they are very few in a sample.

RET remarks……….. As an educator, I was exposed to a wealth of information that will be reproduced in part or in whole during classroom instruction. The incorporation of the lab activities encapsulated me. Numerous lectures, locally and using WebEx, exposed me to additional developing research that my students will benefit from. I’m looking forward to continued interaction with the FIU School of Engineering’s Nanotechnology department.