Research Interests

Chester Wilson’s research merges the field of Applied Physics, and Micro- and Nano- technologies, to produce practical devices.  While at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Wilson worked in a group that developed some unique applications for, and developed the physics of microplasmas – small scale plasma discharges generated on the chip itself.  These were used for self-etching silicon devices, and small scale water impurity detectors, as well as devices to induce bio-fluorescence.  While at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, he worked in a team that developed a MicroGeiger -- the first MEMS Geiger Counter. 

Currently, Dr. Wilson is developing a new category of nanotechnology-based neutron detectors for homeland security applications – fissionable isotopes emit neutrons, little else does.  Dr. Wilson is also developing a new exothermic based on-chip MEMS metal casting process, as well as new nanotechnology based optical sources.

History

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
MS degree in Applied Physics from the University of Washington-Seattle 
BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Seattle University

Patents

“A  Method for Localized Silicon Etching and Deposition using Microplasmas,” Pending

“A Technique for Water Impurity Measurement Using Small Scale Electric Discharges,” Pending

“MicroGeiger: A Miniaturized Gas Based Radiation Detector,” Pending

“A Method and Apparatus for On-Chip Electrodischarge UV light generation,” Pending

Selected Publications of Chester Wilson

Publication List

Year 2005

Conference

Chester G. Wilson, Christine Eun, and Yogesh B. Gianchandani, “D-Microgeiger: A Dual-Cavity Gas based Beta Particle Detector for Energy Spectroscopy,” Accepted: Proc. IEEE Conference on MEMS, Jan 2005. 

Ruma Jakka, and Chester G. Wilson, “NEXT ALCHEMY: Nanoparticle Exothermic Alloying Chemistry for Tall, On-Chip Microstructures” Accepted: Proc. IEEE Conference on MEMS, Jan 2005. 

Journal

Long Que, Chester G. Wilson, and Yogesh B. Gianchandani “Microfluidic Electrodischarge Devices with Integrated Dispersion Optics for Spectral Analysis of Water Impurities,” Accepted: IEEE J. Microelectromechanical Sys. 

Year 2004 

Conference

Chester G. Wilson and Yogesh B. Gianchandani, “Room Temperature Deposition of Silicon by Arrayed DC Microplasmas,” Proc. IEEE Conference on MEMS, Jan 2004, pp. 765-8 

Chester G. Wilson and Yogesh B. Gianchandani, “MicroGeiger: A Gas-Based Beta Radiation Detector,” Tech. Dig., Solid-State Sensor, Actuator, and Microsystems Workshop, Hilton Head Island, June 2004, pp. 53-6 

Journal
 

C.G. Wilson and Y.B. Gianchandani, “Miniaturized Magnetic DC Nitrogen Microplasmas,” IEEE Trans. Plasma Science, 32(1) Feb. 2004, pp. 282-7 

Year 2003 

Conference

L. Que, C.G. Wilson, J. De La Rode, Y. Gianchandani, “A Water Spectroscopy Microsystem With Integrated Discharge Source, Dispersion Optics, and Sample Delivery,” Proc., IEEE Transducers Conf., Boston, June 2003 

L. Que, P. Selvaganapathy, B. Mitra, C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “Dye-Fluorescence LEd-SpEC: A Battery-Operated, On-Chip, Wavelength-Tunable Optical Source for Detection of Biochemicals”, Proc. of the Micro Total Analysis Systems Symposium, Squaw Valley, CA, October 2003 

B. Mitra, C.G. Wilson, L. Que, Y. G. Gianchandani, “A Microfluidic Ultra-Violet Emission Source for Direct Fluorescence of Tryptophan,” Proc. Engineering in Medicine and Biology Soc., Sept 2003, pp. 3380-4 

Journal

C.G. Wilson, A.E. Wendt, and Y.B. Gianchandani, “High Voltage Constraints for Vacuum Packaged Microstructures,” IEEE J. Microelectromechanical Sys., 12(6) Dec 2003 pp. 835-9 

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani R.R. Arslanbekov, V. Kolobov, and A.E. Wendt, “Profiling and Modelling of DC Nitrogen Microplasmas,” Jour. Of Applied Physics, 94(5) Sept 2003, pp. 2845-51 

Year 2002 

Conference

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “LEd-SpEC: Spectroscopic Detection of Water Contaminants Using Glow Discharges From Liquid Microelectrodes,” Proc. IEEE Conference on MEMS,  Jan 2002, pp. 248-51. 

C.G. Wilson, A.E. Wendt, and Y.B. Gianchandani, “High Voltage Limits for Electrostatic Transducers: On the Role of Ambient Pressure and Device Dimension in Microdischarges,” Tech. Dig., Solid-State Sensor, Actuator, and Microsystems Workshop, Hilton Head Island, June 2002, pp. 370-1 

Journal

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “Spectral Detection of Metal Contaminants in Water Using an On-Chip Microglow Discharge,” IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 49(12),  Dec 2002, pp. 2317-2322. 

Book Chapter

J. Park, C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “Micromachined Pressure Sensors, Chapter 25 for The MEMS Handbook, CRC Press, Mohamed Gad-el-Hak, editor, 2002 

Year 2001 

Conference

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “Progress in Silicon Etching by In-situ DC Microplasmas,” Proc. IEEE Conference on MEMS, Jan 2001, pp. 26-9.                                               

Journal

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “In-Situ Microplasmas for Rapid Dry Etching of Silicon,” IEEE J. Microelectromechanical Sys., 10(1), Mar. 2001, pp. 50-4. 

Year 2000 

Conference

C.G. Wilson, Y.B. Gianchandani, “In-Situ Microplasmas for Rapid Dry Etching of Silicon,” Proc., Solid-State Sensors and Actuators Workshop, Hilton Head, SC, June 2000 pp. 335-8.