Professor

Ph.D., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

phone: (617) 358-2702
email: xinz@bu.edu
website: people.bu.edu/xinz
office: 8 St. Mary’s Street, PHO 724

Research Interests

Fundamental issues and applications of micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS or micro/nanosystems)

Xin Zhang is currently Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Boston University. Her research has focused on fundamental and applied aspects of MEMS and Nanotechnology. Specifically, she seeks to understand and exploit interesting characteristics of micro/nanomaterials, micro/nanomechanics, and micro/nanomanufacturing technologies with forward-looking engineering efforts and practical applications ranging from energy to health care to homeland security. Dr. Zhang has been on the Boston University Faculty since 2002, and is the recipient of the National Science Foundation Faculty CAREER Award in 2003. In 2007, she became an Invitee of National Academy of Engineering (recognized as one of the top engineers in the country between the ages of 30-45) and participated in the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium; in 2009, she was named the inaugural Distinguished Faculty Fellow, a five-year appointment given to tenured College of Engineering faculty at Boston University who is on a clear trajectory toward exemplary leadership career in all dimensions of science and engineering; in 2011, she was selected to be one of 60 engineers (30 from the EU and 30 from the US) and took part in the NAE’s EU-US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium.

Recent Publications

• Y. Minowa, M. Nagai, H. Tao, K. Fan, A.C. Strikwerda, X. Zhang, R.D. Averitt, and K. Tanaka, “Extremely Thin Metamaterial as Slab Waveguide at Terahertz Frequencies,” IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, 1 (2): 441-449, 2011.
• H. Tao, E.A. Kadlec, A.C. Strikwerda, K. Fan, W.J. Padilla, R.D. Averitt, E.A. Shaner, and X. Zhang, “Microwave and Terahertz Wave Sensing with Metamaterials,” Optics Express, 19 (22): 21620-21626, 2011.
• P. Du, X. Zheng, I-K Lin, and X. Zhang, “Effect of Loading Rates on Cellular Force Measurements by Polymer Micropillar based Transducers,” Applied Physics Letters, 99 (8): 083701 (3 pages), 2011.
• H. Tao, L. Chieffo, M.A. Brenckle, S.M. Siebert, M. Liu, A.C. Strikwerda, K. Fan, D.L. Kaplan, X. Zhang, R.D. Averitt, and F.G. Omenetto, “Metamaterials on Paper as a Sensing Platform,” Advanced Materials, 23 (28): 3197-3201, 2011.
• P-H Wu, I-K Lin, H-Y Yan, K-S Ou, K-S Chen, and X. Zhang, “Mechanical Property Characterization of Sputtered and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Deposition (PECVD) Silicon Nitride Films after Rapid Thermal Annealing,” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 168 (1): 117-126, 2011.
• I-K Lin, X. Zhang*, and Y. Zhang*, “Inelastic Deformation of Bilayer Microcantilevers with Nanoscale Coating,” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 168 (1): 1-9, 2011.
• K. Fan, A.C. Strikwerda, H. Tao, X. Zhang*, and R.D. Averitt*, “Stand-up Magnetic Metamaterials at Terahertz Frequencies,” Optics Express, 19 (13): 12619-12627, 2011.
• B.C. Kaanta, A.J. Jonca, H. Chen, and X. Zhang, “Temperature Distribution on Thermal Conductivity Detectors for Flow Rate Insensitivity,” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 167 (2): 146-151, 2011.
• E. Ekmekci, A.C. Strikwerda, K. Fan, G. Keiser, X. Zhang, G. Turhan-Sayan, and R.D. Averitt, “Frequency Tunable Terahertz Metamaterials Using Broadside Coupled Split-Ring Resonators,” Physical Review B, 83 (19): 193103 (4 pages), 2011.
• X. Zheng and X. Zhang, “Opto-Mechanical Platforms for Cell Force Study,” Micro and Nano Letters, 6 (5): 332-336, 2011.
• H. Tao, A. Strikwerda, K. Fan, W.J. Padilla, X. Zhang*, and R.D. Averitt*, “MEMS Based Structurally Tunable Metamaterials at Terahertz Frequencies,” Journal of Infrared, Milimeter, and Terahertz Waves, 32 (5): 580-595, 2011.
• X. Zheng and X. Zhang, “Microsystems for Cellular Force Measurement: A Review,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 21 (5): 054003 (14 pages), 2011.
• X. Zheng and X. Zhang, “Whole Field Decoupling of Predistortion on Polymeric Cell Force Transducer,” Applied Physics Letters, 98 (17): 173701 (3 pages), 2011.
• B.C. Kaanta, H. Chen, and X. Zhang, “Effect of Forced Convection on Thermal Distribution in Micro Thermal Conductivity Detectors,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 21 (4): 045017 (9 pages), 2011.
• H. Tao, W.J. Padilla, X. Zhang*, and R.D. Averitt*, “Recent Progress in Electromagnetic Metamaterial Devices for Terahertz Applications,” IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, 17 (1): 92-101, 2011.