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Cheng Sun
Assistant Professor

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, L292
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL 60208-3111, USA

TEL: 847-467-0704
FAX: 847-491-3915

c-sun@northwestern.edu

Link to research website

BS Physics, Nanjing University (1993)
MS Physics, Nanjing University (1996)
PhD Industrial Engineering, Pennsylvania State University (2002)

Research: Scalable 3D Nano-fabrication of Integrated Nano-systems

Emerging applications of nano-electronics, nano-photonics, nano-electromechanical systems and nano-biomedical systems necessitate developments of viable nano-manufacturing technologies. Cheng Sun’s research group is engaged in developing novel nano-scale fabrication techniques and integrated nano-system for bio-sensing and high-efficiency energy conversion.

Sub-diffraction-limited Image and Nanolithography is crucial to the reliability of emerging nanosystems and devices. Recent theory indicates an innovative approach to realize diffraction-free images utilizing the richness of bounded surface states, called surface plasmon, of negative index materials (superlensing). Following the first experimental demonstration of such unique effect, we aims to make use of superlensing effect to develop applications in nanolithography and nanometrology.

We are developing engineered Nano-resonator for Bio-Sensing. Collective oscillations of localized electrons can be excited with visible to infrared light, which results in strong enhancement at the resonant frequency. The sensitive dependence of the oscillation frequency or the spectrum peak on the refractive index of immediate environment provides a way for detection of bio-molecule and their interactions at greatly magnified sensitivity level. We are aiming at demonstrating a detection scheme combine with microfluidics sample manipulation system for real-time in-vivo detection by using the micro/nanofabrication methods.

Our group is also interested to develop high efficient Energy Conversion using nano-photonic devices. Solar radiation provides a readily available source of free energy, which if efficiently taped could solve the most urgent problem facing the industrialized world. By making the use of the exceptionally high local energy densities offered by nano-photonic structures, we intend to engineer a novel type of photovoltaic system operating at substantially improved current yield and quantum efficiency. A successful implementation of this research has the potential to dramatically improve the performance of photovoltaic energy conversion devices.

Selected publications

M. Ambati, N. Fang, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Surface resonant states and superlensing in acoustic metamaterials", Physical Review B, 75, 195447, 2007

Z. Liu, H. Lee, Y. Xiong, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, “Optical Hyperlens Magnifying Sub-diffraction-limited Objects”, Science, 315, 1686, 2007.

S. Wang, D. Pile, C. Sun, X. Zhang, “Nano-pin plasmonic resonator arrays and its optical properties”, Nano Lett., 7(4); 1076-1080, 2007.

J. Mai, C. Sun, S. Li, and X. Zhang, “A Microfabricated Platform Probing Cytoskeleton Dynamics Using Multidirectional Topographical Cues”, Biomedical Microdevices, Accepted for publication, 2007.

Z. Liu, S. Durant, H. Lee, Y. Pikus, N. Fang, Y. Xiong, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Far-field Optical Superlens Microscopy", Nano Lett., 7, 403, 2007. 

Z. Liu, S. Durant, H. Lee, Y. Xiong, Y. Pikus, C. Sun and X. Zhang, "Near-field Moire effect mediated by surface plasmon polariton excitation", Optics Letters, 32, 629, 2007. 

H. Liu, D. Genov, D. Wu, Y. Liu, J Steele, C. Sun, S. Zhu, and X. Zhang, “Magnetic plasmon propagation along a chain of connected subwavelength resonators at infrared frequencies”, Phys. Rev. Lett., 97, 243902, 2006.

N. Fang, D. Xi, J. Xu, M. Ambati, W. Srituravanich, C. Sun and X. Zhang, 2006 “Ultrasonic Metamaterials with Negative Stiffness”,  Nature Materials, Vol.5 p452, 2006.

D. Wu, N. Fang, C. Sun, X. Zhang, “ Stiction problems in releasing of 3D microstructures and its solution”, Sensors and Actuators A, Vol.128 pp109-115, 2006.

K. Su, S. Durant, J. M. Steele, Y. Xiong, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Raman Enhancement Factor of a Single Tunable Nanoplasmonic Resonator", J. Phys. Chem. B, 110(9); 3964-3968, 2006

N. Fang, H. Lee, C. Sun, X. Zhang, "Sub-Diffraction-Limited Optical Imaging with a Silver Superlens", Science, Vol 308, 2005,pp534-537

C. Sun, N. Fang, D.M. Wu and X. Zhang, "Projection micro-stereolithography using digital micro-mirror dynamic mask", Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Volume 121, Issue 1, pp113-120, 2005.

Z. Liu, J. M. Steele, W. Srituravanich, Y. Pikus, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Focusing Surface Plasmons with a Plasmonic Lens", Nano Lett., Vol. 5, No. 9, pp1726-1729, 2005 

N. Fang, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, 2004, "Diffusion-Limited Photo Polymerization in Scanning Micro-Stereolithography", Applied Physics A, Vol. 79 (8), 2004, 1839-1842.

W. Srituravanich, N. Fang, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, 2004, “Plasmonic Nanolithography”, Nano. Lett., Vol. 4, No.6, 2004, 1085-1088.

X. Zhang, C. Sun, N. Fang, “Manufacturing at Nanoscale: Top-down, Bottom-up and System Engineering”, J. Nanoparticle Res., Vol. 6 (1), 2004, 125-130.

D. Wu, N. Fang, C. Sun, X. Zhang, W. Padilla, D. Basov, D. Smith, and S. Schultz, “Terahertz Plasmonic High Pass Filter”, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 83(1), 2003, 201-203.

C. Sun, and X. Zhang, “The Influences of the material Properties on ceramic Microstereolithography”, Sensors and Actuators A, Vol. 101, 2002, pp364-370.

C. Sun, and X. Zhang, “Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Microstereolithography of Ceramics”, J. Appl. Phys., Vol. 92, No. 8, 2002, p4796. 

X. Zhang, J. Wen, and C. Sun, “Thermal and carrier transport originating from photon recycling and non-radiative recombination in laser micromachining of GaAs thin films”, Applied Physics A, 76 (2), pp261-267, 2002.

D. Wu, N. Fang,  C. Sun, and X. Zhang, “Adhesion Force of Polymer Three-dimensional Microstuctures Fabricated by Micro-stereolithography, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol 81(22), 2002, 3963-5

X. Jiang, C. Sun, X. Zhang, B. Xu, and Y. Ye, “Microstereolithography of lead zirconate titanate thick film on silicon substrate”, Sensors and Actuators A, vol.A87, 2000. 72-7. 

X. Zhang, X. Jiang, C. Sun, “Micro-stereolithography of polymeric and ceramic microstructures”, Sensors and Actuators A, vol.A77, 1999, 149-56.

C. Sun, M. Wang, van Esch J, et al. “Observation of instability of faceted crystals in lipid monolayers”, Phys. Lett. A 237 (4-5), 1998, 247