Mini-Oble

Honey, I Shrunk Oblé!

Dr. Vincent (left), Andrew Banas (center), Anthony
Montecillio (right) and the femtosecond-pulse
Titanium: Sapphire laser that could use for their
research on micro- fabrication

(OVCRD)--The Oblation—the revered symbol of the University of the Philippines—has been replicated in a microscopic form through the use of light by scientists at the Instrumentation Physics Laboratory of UP Diliman’s National Institute of Physics (NIP).

The micro-oblation is a solid plastic formed by using the femtosecond-pulse near-infrared laser. It measures around 20 micrometers in length and 10 micrometers in width. Its relplication in the smallest possible form is part of the Wavefront Engineering Team’s (WET) research on micro-fabrication of functional micro-devices using non-linear multi-photon absorption.

The WET research fabricates structures in the micrometer scale with the final aim of using the micro-structures as components in an integrated miniaturized laboratory or a micro-machine functioning under a microscope.

The miniaturization of the Oblation is a way to test the resolution of their micro-fabrication and demonstrates that the micro- structure was built at UP, said Dr. Vincent Ricardo Daria, Associate Professor at NIP and head of the WET research.

Microscopic light-sculptured Oblation
produced via "two photopolymerization

In addition to Daria, the WET group has seven members: Dr. Darwin Palima, an Adjunct Professor, and students, namely: Godofredo Bautista (Ph.D Physics), Anthony Montecillo (MS Material Science and Engineering), Jacqueline Romero (MS Physics), Andrew Banas (BS Physics), Atchong Hilario (BS Applied Physics) and Reniel Cabral (BS Applied Physics). Joaquin Jose Escay who graduated BS Applied Physics in March 2006 also did significant programming work for the project.

WET’s goal is to use light-sculptured devices as components in a miniaturized micro-laboratory. After the fabrication process, the micro-components can also be actuated by light. Light is a form of energy and therefore has momentum. When the momentum of light is transferred to the light-sculptured micro-components, these components will move and become a part of a micro-machine. Hence, using these miniaturized components, WET will make micro-machines fabricated and controlled by light.

The miniaturization and fabrication of components is just an intermediate step in building a scientific breakthrough. The research is expected to produce a scientific tool to be used by biologists and chemists. This tool would help the scientists have a more controlled environment in conducting experiments. According to Daria, most of the experiments are done in bulk or in macro-scale and so data gathering and analysis is usually achieved via statistical methods. In doing the experiment using a smaller (microscopic) scale, the interactions and chemical reactions would be more localized and can aid in major scientific breakthroughs.

WET is now in the stage of testing and fabricating components. In the long run, the researchers want to have these components compiled in their system and eventually create micro-machines.

The research project is funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology, Research and Development (DOST-PCASTARD). Dr. Daria also received a grant amounting to P 2.3M from DOST-Institutional Development Program for setting up a system for programmable phase using a spatial light modulator – an essential component of the project that can also be used for other research ventures. UP provided the femtosecond-pulse Titanium: Sapphire laser, which is the near-infrared light source for micro-fabrication.

-- Jennalyn S. Baraquio

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On the USC Elections, I was told that Shahannah Abdulwahid and Viktor Fontanilla emerged as the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons! Good luck to the UP Student Council! I would support you anywho wins.