At Northeastern University, Professor McGruer has worked in a variety of microfabrication-related areas including plasma-source ion implantation for semiconductor doping in multiple-process systems, fabrication of 0.1 to 2 micron-scale gated field emission devices, gated field emitter reliability physics, fabrication of microrelays and MEMS sensors, fabrication of 3-D microelectronic circuits, and fabrication of monolithic ferrite devices. Current research interests are in the areas of micro and nanofabrication, especially MEMS. Recent projects include design and fabrication of microrelays, micromirrors, and a variety of MEMS sensors, with an emphasis on nanoscale material properties and contacts. Current projects include design of microrelay contacts, fabrication of MEMS testbeds for nanoscale materials testing, design and fabrication of magnetic sensors, and development of microfabricated surface-energy driven nanoscale alignment systems. To carry out this work, Professor McGruer directs the Microfabrication Laboratory and the Scanning Electron Microscopy Facility.

Professor McGruer received the degrees of B.S. in physics and M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 1977, 1979, and 1983 from Michigan State University. From 1983 to 1987, at Sperry Semiconductor Operations, he was responsible for ion implant/diffusion process development for 0.8 and 1.25 micron CMOS technologies,  participated in the startup of a new fabrication facility, and investigated rapid thermal and oxidation of silicon for MOS  gate dielectrics.

Active Research Projects:

• Microrelays: Fabricated using an all metal surface micromachining process, the Northeastern University Metal Micromachining (NUMEM) process. Compatible with IC processes on a post-process basis. Funded by Analog Devices.

• MEMS-based emission spectroscopy chip: A MEM Fabry-Perot microspectrometer and a microfabricated microplasma source. Funded by NSF.
• MEMS sensors for biomimetic robots: The NUMEM Process is used to build flow, tilt, and bending sensors to replicate the current, force, and orientation senses in lobsters. Funded by DARPA.
• MEMS sensors for measurement of vibration, pressure and temperature: Silicon Nitride and Polysilicon cantilevers and membranes are used with an interference-based optical readout to measure the quantities of interest at high temperatures. Funded by NASA and the Air Force.
• Processing Technology for Acoustooptic Tuneable Filters: Micromachining of LiNbO₃. Funded by Opnetics, Inc.

Teaching:

GE 1001 Introduction to Engineering
ECE 1227 Electromagnetic Fields Laboratory I
ECE 1240 Introduction to Electrical Engineering Laboratory
ECE 1233 Integrated Circuit Fabrication Laboratory
ECE 1341 Electronics I
ME  1386 Materials Science for Engineers and Scientists
ECE 1400 Special Topics, Oxidation Process Characterization and Modeling
ECE 1406 Integrated Circuit Fabrication
ECE 3384 Characteristics and Models of Solid State Devices I
ECE 3388 Characteristics and Models of Solid State Devices II
ECE 3626 Integrated Circuit Fabrication
ECE 3629 Integrated Circuit Fabrication II
ECE G244 Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

Patents:

United States Patent 5,872,010 Microscale Fluid Handling System, issued Feb. 16, 1999. Karger; Barry L., Foret; Frantisek, Zavracky; Paul M., McGruer; E. Nicol, Xue; Qifeng, Dunayevskiy; Yuriy M.

United States Patent 6,153,839, Micromechanical Switching Devices, issued November 28, 2000. Zavracky and McGruer.

United States Patent 6,114,188, Method of fabricating an integrated complex-transition metal oxide device, issued September 5, 2000. McGruer, Oliver, Vittoria, and Zavracky.

U.S. Patent No. 6,202,495, Flow, Tactile and Orientation Sensors Using Deformable Microelectrical Mechanical Sensors, Paul M. Zavracky and Nicol E. McGruer. Issued March 20, 2001.

U.S. Patent No. 6,261,494, Method of Forming Plastically Deformable Microstructures, Paul M. Zavracky, Rick H. Morrison, Keith Warner, and Nicol E. McGruer. Issued July 17, 2001.

Publications:

Nicol McGruer and D.K. Reinhard, "The Effect of Photogenerated Carriers on the Mean Time Delay for Avalanche Breakdown in p-n Junctions," Solid State Electronics, 23, 289 (1980).

N. McGruer and D.K. Reinhard, "Substrate Bias and Cathode Voltage Effects in RF Sputtered Amorphous Silicon," Solar Energy Materials II, 447 (1985).

N.E. McGruer and R.A. Oikari, "Polysilicon Capacitor Failure During Rapid Thermal   Processing," IEEE Trans. on Electron Devices, ED-33, 929 (1986).

N.E. McGruer, R. Singh, J.H. Weiss, and K. Rajkanan, "In-Situ Anneal Induced Growth   Enhancement during Rapid Isothermal Oxidation of Silicon," J. Appl. Phys., 62, 3405 (1987).

N.K. Anamali, James F. Bockman, N.E. McGruer and Joseph Chapski, "A Comparison of Buried Oxide Characteristics of Single and Multiple Implant SIMOX and Bond and Etch Back Wafers", IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci., 37, 2001 (1990).

N.E. McGruer, A.C. Johnson, S.W. McKnight, W.C. Schwab, C. Chan, and S. Tong, "Prospects for a 1 THz Vacuum Microelectronic Microstrip Amplifier," IEEE Trans. on Electron Dev., 38, 666 (1991).

N.E. McGruer, K. Warner, P. Singhal, J.J. Gu, and C. Chan, "Oxidation Sharpened Gated Field Emitter Array Process", IEEE Trans. on Electron Dev., 38, 2389 (1991).

S. Qin, N. McGruer, C. Chan, and K. Warner, "Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation Doping Using a Microwave Multipolar Bucket Plasma," IEEE Trans. on Electron Dev., 39, 2354 (1992).

S. Qin, C. Chan, and N.E. McGruer, "Energy Distribution of Boron Ions During Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation, "Plasma Sources Science & Technology, 1,1 (1992).

S. Qin, C. Chan, and N.E. McGruer, "Energy Distribution of Boron Ions During Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation, "Plasma Sources Science & Technology, 1,1, (1992).

J. Browning, N.E. McGruer, W. Bintz, and M. Gilmore, "Experimental Observations of  Gated Field Emitter Failures," IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., 13, 167 (1992).

J. Browning, N.E. McGruer, S. Meassick, C. Chan, W. J. Bintz, M. Gilmore, "Gated Vacuum Field Emitter Failures:  Experiment and Theory," IEEE Trans. on Plasma SCI, 20, 499 (1992).

J. Barry, N.E. McGruer, W.J. Bintz, A. Nagras, and K. Warner, "Properties of Gated Silicon Field Emission Wedges," IEEE Electron Device Lett., 14, 83 (1993).

M. Gilmore, N.E. McGruer, J. Browning, and W.J. Bintz, "Measurement of Gated Field Emitter Failures," Rev. SCI Instrum., vol. 64, p. 581 (1993).

N.E. McGruer, J. Browning, S. Meassick, M. Gilmore, W.J. Bintz, and C. Chan, "Ion-Space-Charge Initiation of Gated Field Emitter Failure," J. Vac. SCI Technol. B., vol 11, p. 441 (1993).

Z. Huang, N.E. McGruer, and K. Warner, "200 nm Gated Field Emitters," IEEE Electron Device Lett., Vol. 14, p. 121 (1993).

J. Browning, S. Meassick, Z. Xia, C. Chan, and N. McGruer, "Ion and Electron Energies in Gated Field Emitter Failures," IEEE Trans. on Plasma Science, vol 21, p. 259 (1993).

W.J. Bintz and N.E. McGruer, "SiO2-Induced Silicon Emitter Emission Instability," J. Vac. SCI Technol. B., vol. 12, p. 697 (1994).

P.M. Zavracky, S. Majumder, and N.E. McGruer, "Micromechanical Switches Fabricated Using Nickel Surface Micromachining," J. Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 6, p. 3 (1997).

Qifeng Xue, Frantisek Foret, Yuriy M. Dunayevskiy, Paul M. Zavracky, Nicol E. McGruer, and Barry L. Karger, "Multichannel Microchip Electrospray Mass Spectrometry," Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 69, p. 426 (1997).

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, "Electrostatically Actuated Micromechanical Switches," J. Vac. SCI Tech. A, Vol. 15, p. 1246, 1997. S.A. Oliver, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and R. Schmidt, "A Monolithic Single-Crystal Yttrium Iron Garnet/Silicon X-Band Circulator" IEEE Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, Vol. 7, p 239 (1997).

H. How, S.A. Oliver, SW McKnight, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and C. Vittoria, "Theoretical Modeling of Microstrip Thin-Film Circulators," IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. 33, p. 3433 (1997).

H. How, S.A. Oliver, SW McKnight, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, C. Vittoria, R. Schmidt, "Theory and experiment of thin-film junction circulator," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 46, pp. 1645-1652, 1998.

P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, R.H. Morrison, G. Jenkins, and K. Warner "Microswitches for Microwave and Other Applications," Sensors, Vol. 15, No. 4, p. 41, 1998.

P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and R.H. Morrison, "Microswitches and Microrelays with a View Toward Microwave Applications," RF and Microwave Computer Aided Engineering, Vol. 9, pp. 338-347, 1999.

H. How, S.A. Oliver, SW McKnight, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, C. Vittoria, and R. Schmidt, "Influence of Nonuniform Magnetic Field on a Ferrite Junction Circulator," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 47, pp. 1982-1989, 1999.

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, George.G. Adams, A.P. Zavracky, P.M. Zavracky, Richard.H. Morrison and Jacqueline Krim, "Study of Contacts in an Electrostatically Actuated Microswitch," Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Vol. 93 (1) (2001) pp. 19-26, 2001

S.A. Oliver, P. Shi, W. Hu, H. How, S.W. McKnight, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, and C. Vittoria, "Integrated Self-Biased Hexaferrite Microstrip Circulators for Millimeter-Wavelength Application," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, Vol. 49, pp. 385-387, 2001.

P. Shi, H. How, X. Zuo, S.A. Oliver, N.E. McGruer and C. Vittoria, "MMW Monolithic y-junction circulator on single-crystal Sc-doped Ba-Hexaferrite." Accepted for publication in IEEE Tranactions on Magnetics.

Conference Papers

N. E. McGruer, S. W. McKnight, W. Schwab, C. Chan, S. Tong, and A. Johnson, "Prospects for a 1 Thz Microelectronic Microstrip Amplifier," presented at the Microwave Power Tube Conference, May, 1990.

N. E. McGruer, A. Johnson, S. W. McKnight, W. Schwab, C. Chan, S. Tong, "Vacuum Microelectronic Microwave Amplifier Design," presented at the 3rd Annual Vacuum Microelectronics conference, Monterey, Ca., July 1990.

K. Warner, N. E. McGruer, "Self-Aligned, Oxidation Sharpened, Gated Field Emitter Fabrication," presented at the 3rd Annual Vacuum Microelectronics conference, Monterey, Ca., July 1990.

N. E. McGruer, A. Johnson, and J. Browning, "Field Emitter Structures in Microwave Generation and Amplification," Invited Talk and Extended Abstract in IVMC 91 Technical Digest, The Fourth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, Nagahama, Japan, p. 68, Aug. 1991.

T. Treado, W. Anderson S. Bandy, J. Barry, A. Johnson, R. Larue, and N. McGruer, "Status of the Varian/Northeastern University Vacuum Microelectronic Microstrip Amplifier (VMMA) Program," presented at the Microwave Tube Conference, Monterey, CA, May, 1992.

J. Browning, N.E. McGruer, S. Meassick, C. Chan, W. Bintz, and M. Gilmore, "Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of Gated Field Emitter Failures," presented at the IEEE Plasma Science Conference, 1992.

N. E. McGruer, J. Browning, S. Meassick, W. Bintz, M. Gilmore, and C. Chan, "Failure of Silicon Field Emitters," Presented at the Fifth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, July 13-17, Vienna, Austria, 1992.

N.E. McGruer and Z. Huang, "Gated Field Emitter Scaling," presented at the Sixth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, July 12-15, Newport, RI, 1993.

SW McKnight, T. Treado, A. Sahin, and N.E. McGruer, "A Design for a Resonant Vacuum Microelectronic Microstrip Amplifier at 10 and 60 GHz," presented at the Sixth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, July 12-15, Newport, RI, 1993.

SW McKnight, T. Treado, A. Sahin, and N.E. McGruer, "A Design for a Resonant Vacuum Microelectronic Microstrip Amplifier at 10 and 60 GHz," at the Annual Vacuum Electronics Review, June 30, 1993.  (5 page extended abstract)

W.J. Bintz and N.E. McGruer, "Silicon Emitter Failure Initiation," presented at the Sixth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, July 12-15, Newport, RI, 1993.

S. Meassick, Z. Xia, C. Chan, and J. Browning, "Investigation of the Operating Modes of Gated Vacuum Field Emitter Arrays to Reduce the Failure Rate," presented at the Sixth International Vacuum Microelectronics Conference, July 12-15, Newport, RI, 1993.

S. Majumder, N. McGruer, and P.M. Zavracky, "Electrostatically Actuated Micromechanical Switches, Presented at the 43rd AVS National Symposium, Oct. 14-18, 1996.

P.M. Zavracky, N. McGruer, K. Warner, R. McClelland, and G. Jenkins, "The MEMS Program at Northeastern University," Presented at Sensors Expo 1996.

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, G.G. Adams, R.H. Morrison, and J. Krim, "Measurement and Modelling of Surface Micromachined, Electrostatically Actuated, Microswitches," International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, Digest of Technical Papers, Vol. 2, pp. 1145-1148, 1997.

J.Wang, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and R.H. Morrison, "Study of Tunneling Noise Using Surface Micromachined Tunneling Tip Devices," International Conference on Solid-state Sensors and Actuators, Digest of Technical Papers, Vol. 1, pp. 467-472, 1997.

S.A. Oliver, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and R. Schmidt, "A Monolithically Integrated Single-Crystal Yttrium Iorn Garnet/Silicon X-Band Circulator, Presented at Intermag '97, 1997.

P.M. Zavracky, Nicol E. McGruer, Rick Morrison, Sumit Majumder, Xiang Wang, and Weilin Hu, "Micromechanical Switches and Relays," IMAPS New England 24th Annual Symposium & Exhibition, Andover, MA, May 8, 1997.

N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, R. Morrison, and S. Majumder, "Microswitches and Microrelays," Proceedings of Sensors Expo, Boston, May 13-15, pp. 215-218, 1997.

P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and R.H. Morrison, "Integration of Surface Micromachined Devices and Silicon Microelectronics," Proceedings of Sensors Expo, Boston, May 13-15, pp. 79-84, 1997.

P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, R.H. Morrison, G. Jenkins, and K. Warner, "Microswitches for Microwave and Other Applications," Proceedings of Sensors Expo, Detroit, Oct. 21-23, pp. 293-298, 1997.

S.A. Oliver, H. How, W. Hu, N.E. McGruer, P. Shi, P.M. Zavracky, SW McKnight, and C. Vittoria, "Fabrication of Thin Self-Biased Y-junction Circulators for Millimeter-Wavelength Applications, Presented at IEEE MTT Symposium, 1997.

H. How, SW McKnight, S.A. Oliver, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, and C. Vittoria, "Effects of Inhomogeneous Magnetic Bias Field on Ferrite Circulators, Presented at IEEE MTT Symposium, 1997.

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, R.H. Morrison, G.G. Adams, and J. Krim, "Contact Resistance Performance of Electrostatically Actuated Microswitches," American Vacuum Society, 44th National Symposium,Abstracts, p. 161, 1997.

N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, S. Majumder, and R. Morrison, "Electrostatically Actuated Microswitches; Scaling Properties," Technical Digest, Solid-state Sensor and Actuator Workshop, Hilton Head Island, June 8-11, pp 132-135, 1998.

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, G.G. Adams, R.H. Morrison, and J. Krim, "Contact Resistance Modeling and Measurements of an Electrostatically Actuated Micromechanical Switch," ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress, DSC-Vol. 66, Microelectromechanical Systems, PP 341-346, Nov. 1998.

SW McKnight, C. Vittoria, S.A. Oliver, H. How, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, "Monolithically Integrated Ferrite Device Technology," IEEE IMS "Ferrite" Workshop, Integration of Ferrite Devices into Future Radar, Wireless and Space Communications, 1998.

S. Majumder, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, G.G. Adams, R.H. Morrison, and J. Krim, "Contact Resistance in Electrostatically Actuated Micromechanical Switches," Proceedings of the 44th IEEE Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts, PP 127-132, 1998, Washington, DC.

M.L. Schirmer, P.M. Zavracky, N.E. McGruer, S. Majumder, R.H. Morrison, D.C. Potter. G.G. Adams, J. Krim, "Design , Characterization and Application of Surface Micromachined Electrostatically Actuated Microswitches," Proceedings of the 46 Annual International Relay Conference, PP 16-1-16-9, 1998.

Thieu Q. Truong, Terrence G. Barnes, Xiaoqing Lu, George G. Adams, and Nicol E. McGruer, "Design Analysis, Fabrication, and Testing of a MEMS Contact/Bending Sensor with Improved Dynamic Range," ASME MEMS-Vol. 1, pp 201-207, 1999.

Barnes, T.G., Truong, T.Q., Lu, X., McGruer, N.E., Adams, G.G., “Design, Analysis, Fabrication, And Testing of a MEMS Flow Sensor,” Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems, 1999 ASME International Congress and Exposition, MEMS-Vol. 1, pp. 355-361 ,1999.

Shi, Ping; How, Hoton; Zuo, Xu; Oliver, Steven A., McGruer, Nicol E., Vittoria, Carmine, "MMW Monolithic Y-Junction Circulator on Single-Crystal SC-Doped Ba-Hexaferrite," IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, Proceedings of the 1999 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Jun 11-Jun 16 2000 v2 2000 Boson, MA, p 909-912.

Oliver, S.A., Kozulin, I., McGruer, N.E., Yoon, S.D., and Vittoria, C., "Cracking and delamination of Heteroepitaxial Barium Hexaferrite Films," to appear in Recent Developments in Oxide and Metal Epitaxy - Theory and Experiment, Materials Research Society Conference Proceedings, Materials Research Society, Vol. 619, 2001.

Nicol McGruer, George Adams, Paul Zavracky, Thieu Truong, Terrance Barnes, Xiaoqing Lu, and Juan Carlos Aceros, "Biomimetic Flow and Contact/Bending Sensors," Neurotechnology for Biomimetic Robots, Oct. 14-16, 2000, Nahant, MA.

Joseph Ayers, Nicol McGruer, and George Adams "MEMS SENSORS FOR BIOMIMETIC UNDERWATER ROBOTS" Dec. 1999 Neuroscience conf., Miami.

F.C. Li, N.E. McGruer, P.M. Zavracky, and K.L. Denis, A Micromachined Scanning Fabry-Perot Interferometer, AVS 47th International Symposium, October 2, 2000, Boston.

Xiaomin Yan, N.E. McGruer, Sumit Majumder, and George G. Adams, Thermal Characteristics of Microswitches, AVS 47th International Symposium, October 2, 2000, Boston.

Sumit Majumder, Nicol McGruer, and George G. Adams, "Contact Resistance and Adhesion in a MEMS Microswitch," Proceedings of 2003 STLE/ASME Joint International Tribology Conference Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida USA, October 26-29, 2003.