Zhenyun Qian
Email: qian@ece.neu.edu
Address: 360 Huntington Ave, 409 DA
Boston, MA 02115 USA
Website: www.northeastern.edu/nemslab/
Education
09/2013 - Present: Ph.D. Candidate in Electrical Engineering, Northeastern University (NEU), Boston,
MA, USA. Advisor: Prof. Matteo Rinaldi
09/2011 - 08/2013: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Northeastern University (NEU), Boston,
MA, USA (GPA: 3.7). Advisor: Prof. Matteo Rinaldi
Thesis: Graphene-Aluminum Nitride Nano Plate Resonators
09/2007 - 06/2011: Bachelor of Science in Electronic Science and Engineering, Southeast University
(SEU), Nanjing, Jiangsu, China (GPA: 85/100).
Research Experience
Graduate Research Fellow in Northeastern Sensors & Nano System Laboratory at NEU
(05/2012 – present)
Worked on the development of Multi-Functional Nanoelectromechanical Sensing Platform and Near Zero
Power Sensors funded by Near-Zero Power RF and Sensor Operations (N-ZERO) DARPA program.
• Demonstrated large scale integration of two-dimensional materials with Nanoelectromechanical Systems
(NEMS) to realize the employment of massless graphene-electrode for piezoelectric Aluminum Nitride (AlN)
NEMS resonators.
• Demonstrated a breakthrough in the scaling of piezoelectric electromechanical resonators and a
significantly improved figure of merit (up to 5X) of graphene-AlN NEMS resonators compared to their
metal-electrode counterparts.
• Designed and prototyped a single transistor oscillator based on a graphene-AlN NEMS resonator with
improved phase noise performance compared to that of a reference oscillator built with a conventional AlN
resonator.
• Demonstrated unique Infrared (IR) and chemical sensing capabilities of graphene-AlN NEMS resonators.
• Demonstrated ultra-fast (~μs) and nano-watts resolution uncooled IR detectors based on scaled AlN NEMS
resonators.
• Designed and fabricated Plasmonic Microelectromechanical Infrared Digitizer (PLASMID) for near zero
power IR sensing.
Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Key Laboratory of MEMS of Ministry of Education at SEU
(09/2010 - 06/2011)
Worked on the development of On-site Testing Structures for Extracting Mechanical Properties of MEMS
Materials.
• Improved a thermally-driven V-shape testing structure for the on-site measurement of fracture strength of
polysilicon.
Team Leader in the SEU Student Research Training Program (04/2009 - 05/2010)
Built an interdisciplinary team to compete for undergraduate research funding, and worked on hardware
developments.
• Developed a programmable and compact control unit and a wearable pressure sensor for a medical device.
• Developed a portable touch screen tennis scoring device based on a development board of embedded
system.
Honors and Awards
06/2015: Winner of the Outstanding Paper Award at the 18th International Conference on Solid-State
Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers 2015), Anchorage, USA.
04/2015: Best Student Paper Award Finalist at 2015 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium European Frequency and Time Forum (IFCS-EFTF 2015), Denver, USA.
09/2013: Recipient of Northeastern University College of Engineering Dean’s Fellowship.
07/2013: Best Student Paper Award Finalist at 2013 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium European Frequency and Time Forum (IFCS-EFTF 2013), Prague, Czech Republic.
06/2010: First Prize in the 12th Electronic Devices Design Competition at SEU. (Top place in 121 teams)
04/2010: Second Prize of 3rd Embedded System Design Competition at SEU. (2nd place in 147 teams)
Publications
Journal Papers
1. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kang, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “Graphene Aluminum Nitride NEMS
Resonant Infrared Detector”, Microsystems & Nanoengineering, 2016, in press.
2. C. Cassella, G. Chen, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Cross-Sectional Lamé Mode Ladder Filter
for UHF wideband applications”, IEEE Electron Device Letters, 2016, in press.
3. Y. Hui, J. S. Gomez-Diaz, Z. Qian, A. Alu and M. Rinaldi, “Plasmonic Piezoelectric Nanomechanical
Resonator for Spectrally Selective Infrared Sensing”, Nature Communications, 2016, in press.
4. C. Cassella, Y. Hui, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Aluminum Nitride Cross-Sectional Lamé
Mode Resonators”, IEEE Journal of MicroElectroMechanical Systems, 2015, in press.
5. Z. Qian, F. Liu, Y. Hui, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “Graphene as a Massless Electrode for
Ultrahigh-Frequency Piezoelectric Nanoelectromechanical Systems”, Nano Letters, 15 (7), pp.
4599–4604, 2015.
6. J. Qian, K. Rong, Z. Qian, C. Wen and S. Zhang, “Effects of a multichannel dynamic functional
electrical stimulation system on hemiplegic gait and muscle forces”, Journal of physical therapy
science27, no. 11 (2015): 3541.
Conference Papers
1. Z. Qian, S. Kang, V. Rajaram and M. Rinaldi, “50 nm Thick Aluminum Nitride Piezoelectric
Nano-Plate Resonant Thermal Detectors”, Proceedings of the 2016 Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and
Microsystems Workshop (Hilton Head 2016), Hilton Head Island, 5-9 June, 2016, in press.
2. C. Cassella, G. Chen, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Unprecedented Figure of Merit in Excess
of 108 in 920 MHz Aluminum Nitride Cross-Sectional Lamé Mode Resonators Showing k t 2 in Excess
of 6.2%”, Proceedings of the 2016 Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Workshop (Hilton
Head 2016), Hilton Head Island, 5-9 June, 2016, in press.
3. C. Cassella, G. Chen, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “920 MHz Aluminum Nitride
Cross-Sectional Lamé Mode Piezoelectric MEMS Transformer with High Open-Circuit Voltage Gain
in Excess of 39”, Proceedings of the 2016 Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Workshop
(Hilton Head 2016), Hilton Head Island, 5-9 June, 2016, in press.
4. Z. Qian, Y. Hui and M. Rinaldi, “Effects of Volume Scaling in AlN Nano Plate Resonators on Quality
Factor”, Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, New Orleans,
Louisiana, USA, May 9-12, 2016, in press.
5. G. Chen, C. Cassella, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Aluminum Nitride Cross-Sectional Lamé
Mode Resonators With 300 MHz Lithographic Tuning Capability and High k t 2>4%”, Proceedings of
the 2016 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, May 9-12,
2016, in press.
6. C. Cassella, G. Chen, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Cross-Sectional Lamé Mode Filters for
UHF Wideband Applications”, Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE International Frequency Control
Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, May 9-12, 2016, in press.
7. C. Cassella, Z. Qian, G. Hummel, and M. Rinaldi, “1.02 GHz Aluminum Nitride Cross Sectional Lamé
Mode Resonator with High k t 2 Exceeding 4.6%”, Proceedings of the 29th IEEE International
Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS 2016), Shanghai, China, 24-28 January 2015,
in press.
8. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “Chemical Sensing Based on Graphene-Aluminum
Nitride Nano Plate Resonators”, Proceedings of the 14th IEEE Sensors Conference (Sensors 2015),
Busan, South Korea, November 1-4, 2015, pp. 1-4.
9. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “1.27 GHz Graphene-Aluminum Nitride Nano Plate
Resonant Infrared Detector”, Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors,
Actuators and Microsystems (Transducers 2015), Alaska, USA, June 21-25, 2015, pp. 1429-1432.
[Winner of the Outstanding Paper Award]
10. Y. Hui, Z. Qian and M. Rinaldi, “Resonant Infrared Detector Based on a Piezoelectric Fishnet
Metasurface”, Proceedings of the 2015 Joint conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control
Symposium and the European Frequency and the Time (IFCS-EFTF 2015), Denver, USA, April 12-16,
2015, pp. 630-632. [Nominated for Best Student Paper Award]
11. Z. Qian, R. Vyas, Y. Hui and M. Rinaldi, “High Resolution Calorimetric Sensing Based on Aluminum
Nitride MEMS Resonant Thermal Detectors”, Proceedings of the 2014 IEEE Sensors Conference,
Valencia, Spain, 2-5 November, 2014, pp. 986-989.
12. Y. Hui, Z. Qian, G. Hummel and M. Rinaldi, “Pico-Watts Range Uncooled Infrared Detector Based on
a Freestanding Piezoelectric Resonant Microplate with Nanoscale Metal Anchors”, Proceedings of the
2014 Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Workshop (Hilton Head 2014), Hilton Head
Island, 8-12 June, 2014, pp. 387-390.
13. G. Hummel, Y. Hui, Z. Qian and M. Rinaldi, “Switchable Aluminum Nitride MEMS Resonator Using
Phase Change Materials”, Proceedings of the 2014 Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems
Workshop (Hilton Head 2014), Hilton Head Island, 8-12 June, 2014, pp. 431-434.
14. Y. Hui, Z. Qian and M. Rinaldi, “A 2.8 GHz Combined Mode of Vibration Aluminum Nitride MEMS
Resonator with High Figure of Merit Exceeding 45”, Proceedings of the Joint conference of the 2013
European Frequency and the Time Forum & International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFC
2013), Prague, Czech Republic, July 21-25, 2013, pp. 930-932. [Nominated for Best Student Paper
Award]
15. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “Single Transistor Oscillator Based on a
Graphene-Aluminum Nitride Nano Plate Resonator”, Proceedings of the Joint conference of the 2013
European Frequency and the Time Forum & International Frequency Control Symposium (EFTF/IFC
2013), Prague, Czech Republic, July 21-25, 2013, pp. 559-561.
16. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “245 MHz Graphene-Aluminum Nitride Nano Plate
Resonator”, Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and
Microsystems (Transducers 2013), Barcelona, Spain, June 16-20, 2013, pp. 2005-2008.
Conference Abstracts
1. Z. Qian, Y. Hui, F. Liu, S. Kar and M. Rinaldi, “GHz Range Graphene-Aluminum Nitride Nano Plate
Resonators”, Abstract presented in 2015 Joint conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control
Symposium and the European Frequency and the Time (IFCS-EFTF 2015), Denver, USA, April 12-16,
2015. [Nominated for Best Student Paper Award]
2. Z. Qian, X. Yu and J. Qian, “Rehabilitation Mechanics with Muscle Electrical Stimulation”, Abstract
presented in 13th International Conference on Mesomechanics, Vicenza, Italy, July 6-8, 2011.
Patents
1. M. Rinaldi, Z. Qian, and Y. Hui, “Nano- and Micro-Electromechanical Resonators”, U.S. Patent No.
20,160,065,169, issued in Mar. 2016.
2. M. Rinaldi, C. Cassella, Z. Qian, and Y. Hui, “Aluminum Nitride Cross-Sectional Lame Mode
Resonators”, U.S. provisional application No. 62/213,876 filed in Sep. 2015
3. M. Rinaldi, Z. Qian, Y. Hui, and V. Rajaram, “Zero-power Plasmonic Microelectromechanical Infrared
Digitizer”, U.S. provisional application No. 62/207,545 filed in Aug. 2015
4. M. Rinaldi, Z. Qian, Y. Hui, “Aluminum Nitride Piezoelectric NEMS devices using 2-dimensional
electrode material”, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/828,227, filed in April 2013.
5. M. Rinaldi, Y. Hui, Z. Qian, “Combined Mode of Vibration Aluminum Nitride Microelectromechanical
Resonator with High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient”, U.S. Provisional Application No.
61/814,742, filed in April 2013.
6. J. Qian and Z. Qian, “Electrical stimulation device for walking anterior tibial muscle”, China patent No.
ZL 2009 2 0231896.9, issued in May 2011.
Professional Skills
MEMS/NEMS Design
Specialized in MEMS/NEMS devices design, modelling and simulation. Skilled in use of COMSOL
Multiphysics, CoventorWare, Layout, Advanced Design System, and Altium Designer.
Micro/Nano Fabrication
Extensive experience in process development. Skilled in use of magnetron sputtering system, e-bean
evaporation system, reactive ion etching tool, mask aligner, XeF 2 etcher, SEM, and profilometer. In charge
of training and maintenance of reactive ion etching tool and XeF 2 etcher.
Device Characterization
Capable of developing efficient experimental setup for sophisticated measurements. Skilled in use of RF
probe station, network analyzer, semiconductor analyzer, frequency counter, wire-bonder.
Data Analysis and Visualization
Expert in data analysis, intuitive illustration and effective presentation. Skilled in use of MATLAB,
OriginLab, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, 3D CAD tools, and Photoshop.
Teaching
Three-year experience as a lab instructor for the graduate course Nano and Micro Fabrication.
Website development and maintenance
Learned as a hobby. Designed and maintained the group website: http://www.northeastern.edu/nemslab/.
Affiliations
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), Student Member
IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society (UFFC), Student Member
United States Tennis Association (USTA), Member