580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Key research themes
1. How does substrate nanotopography influence cell adhesion and proliferation?
This research theme explores the impact of nanoscale surface roughness and fractal dimensions of substrates on cell behavior, specifically adhesion and proliferation. Understanding these relationships is pivotal for bio-adhesive design, tissue engineering, and in-vitro assays because cell response to surface topography influences cell fate and function. Despite extensive investigation, results have been conflicting, necessitating rigorous quantitative studies exploring diverse cell types on substrates with controlled roughness.
Key finding: The study demonstrates that four different cell lines (including human lung carcinoma and fibroblasts) show maximal adhesion and proliferation on moderately rough silicon substrates with average roughness in the range of... Read more
2. What are the physical and chemical substrate properties critical for plant cultivation in controlled environments?
This theme focuses on the characterization of plant substrates, emphasizing physical properties such as density, porosity, air space, and water retention, and chemical properties including pH, electrical conductivity, and nutrient availability. These substrate characteristics govern water and nutrient dynamics critical for containerized plant growth in protected environments, influencing management practices and crop success. The theme is key for optimizing soilless cultivation systems and sustainable horticulture, linking substrate parameters to plant development outcomes.
Key finding: The paper synthesizes a comprehensive overview of substrate characteristics crucial for horticultural success, establishing that total porosity, air space, and water retention dictate water and oxygen availability, while... Read more
3. How do substrate engineering and patterning improve performance in electronic and optoelectronic devices?
This theme investigates the modification of substrates at micro- and nano-scales to enhance device functionality, including improved thin film growth, flexible biocompatible substrates, high-frequency communication materials, and patterned scintillators. Research encompasses chemical modification, physical patterning, and hybrid material integration to tailor substrate properties such as adhesion, thermal expansion, dielectric constant, and structural morphology. These approaches are essential for advancing semiconductors, wearable electronics, and high-resolution imaging applications.
Key finding: Introduces a precise atomic-layer deposition technique involving alternate exposure of a substrate to vapors of single elemental species, enabling controlled growth of stoichiometric, highly oriented compound thin films. This... Read more
Key finding: Demonstrates a novel fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) technique to fabricate highly integrated flexible and biocompatible substrates by embedding arrays of semi-rigid silicon 'dielets' within polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).... Read more
Key finding: Reports the fabrication of PEKK polymer films loaded with silica hollow tube (SHT) nanofillers to create substrates suitable for 6G communications, achieving optimal dielectric constant (~2.26 at 1MHz), dielectric loss... Read more
Key finding: Introduces a method to improve spatial resolution in X-ray detectors by evaporating CsI scintillation layers onto substrates patterned with controlled micro-sized mesh structures. Patterned substrates induce well-defined... Read more