From Micro- to Nanosystems: mechanical sensors go nano Christopher Hierold ETH Zürich, CH

Christofer Hierold has been full Professor of Micro- and Nanosystems at the ETH Zürich since April 1st , 2002.

He studied Electrical Engineering at the Technische Universität München (TUM, Germany) and received his Dr.-Ing. degree from TUM, advised by Prof. Dr. Rudolf Müller and supported by an Ernst-von-Siemens - grant. In 1990 he completed his research on ‘Quantitative gas analysis with non-selective and non-linear gas sensors’ as visiting scholar at the University of Washington, Seattle, U.S.A. Then he joined Siemens AG, Corporate Technology. He founded the MEMS group at the Microelectronics department and was responsible for R&D on Microsystems, CMOS processes, Memories, Nanoelectronics and New Materials as project manager and head of the department ‘Silicon Process Technology’. He joined Infineon Technologies AG in 1999 and took later on full responsibility for the technology development (MEMS, BiCMOS, GaAs) of Infineon’s Wireless Products business group as Vice President Technology and IP Management. Further areas of responsibility were Competence and Innovation Management. His major research achievements were on the field of CMOS compatible Microsystems: Based on his group’s results an integrated pressure sensor system for automotive applications and a fingertip sensor were introduced in the market. For his innovation project ‘Biometric Sensor FingerTIPTM, Christofer Hierold and his team were nominated for the ‘Deutsche Zukunftspreis 1998 - Preis des Bundespräsidenten für Technik und Innovation’. Christofer Hierold holds 15 patents (patent families) as inventor or co-inventor.

His current research focuses on applied research for advanced integrated microsystems (MEMS, MOEMS) and basic research on materials for microsystems and its (mechanical) properties. The investigation of polymers as a mechanical material will be started as a first project.

Nanotech 2005 Conference Program Speaker Biography