Microsystem technology
Microsystem technology, as defined by our group, is a truly multidisciplinary research area. It is based on physical and analytical chemistry, biology, microelectronics, materials science and biomedical technology.
The current focus of our group is on understanding the physical and chemical interactions between dissimilar materials and the impact of changes in the properties of materials on the performance of multimaterial heterogeneous miniaturized structures under different environmental conditions. The research centers largely on carbon-nanomaterial-based electrochemical biosensors and thermodynamic-kinetic analyses of interfacial reactions in a wide variety of different multimaterial systems.
The group conducts both modelling and experimental research work. In fact, the combination of numerical simulations and experimental research is considered to be one of the main strengths of the group. The modelling knowhow of the group is focused on thermodynamic, diffusion-kinetic as well as density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations.
The experimental facilities include extensive electrochemical testing equipment, biocompatibility testing facilities including several different cell lines, different optical and electron microscopes, fluorometry and so forth. In addition, extensive utilization of facilities of Micronova and the Nanomicroscopy Center through close collaboration with several groups in Aalto provides the group access to top-class processing and analysis facilities.
Co-operation around the world
We do extensive international co-operation in research and in teaching with the universities and institutes around the world. Our partners include the University of Muenster, Germany, Indian Institute of Science, Guangxi University, University of Alicante, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), NASA (Ames Research Center) and Imperial College London.
The group is lead by Professor Tomi Laurila.