Mohammad Hossein Zarifi of University of British Columbia

The continuous progression of technological innovations and breakthroughs in material processing methodologies have propelled the evolution of sophisticated sensor systems, broadening their applicability across diverse sectors. Meanwhile, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has particularly been a key driver in market growth. As fundamental components in IoT devices, sensors are seeing increased demand as the IoT market expands. This is expected to continue, with predictions of billions of connected devices worldwide within the next few years.

RF/Microwave/mmWave sensors, characterized by their non-contact, real-time, label-free, and robust operation, distinguish themselves among a variety of sensor alternatives. They present significant potential across a wide range of sensing applications. This potential is predominantly attributable to their inherent advantages, which include a relatively uncomplicated fabrication process and seamless compatibility with Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Such emerging sensors promise to offer integrated portable sensing platforms with both wired and wireless communication interfaces, catering to real-time monitoring and analysis purposes.

This talk primarily focuses on integrating cutting-edge nanomaterials and polymers into planar microwave structures, a strategy promising considerable sensor technology advancements. These materials, characterized by their unique properties, have the potential to significantly enhance the sensitivity, selectivity, and resolution of microwave sensors. Such enhancements enable these sensors to effectively function within the high-frequency, high-bandwidth landscape of emerging 5G and 6G applications.

Biography:

Mohammad Hossein Zarifi (Ph.D. PEng, PRC Tier II, SMILE) received the B.Sc., MSc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Tabriz, Iran, in 2004, 2006, and 2009. He is currently an Associate Professor and Tier II Principal’s Research Chair (PRC) in Sensors and Microelectronics with the School of Engineering at the University of British Columbia and the director of Okanagan MicroElectronics and Gigahertz Applications Laboratory (OMEGA Lab), Canada. Before joining UBC, Dr.Zarifi was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta from 2013-2017. He has authored or coauthored more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and five issued or pending patents. Dr. Zarifi received the CMC-NRC first-place award on industrial collaboration for innovative microwave sensors in Canada in 2015. Dr. Zarifi’s research focuses on millimeter-wave and tera-hertz (THz) theory and techniques, antenna sensors, microwave and millimeter sensors, and flexible electronics for communication and sensing applications. Dr. Zarifi is a member of IEEE MTT-S TC- 26 “RFID, Wireless Sensor, and IoT,” a member of IEEE MTT-S TC- 4 “Microwave Passive Components and Transmission Line Structures”, and a senior member of the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society, and the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society, and has served as a reviewer for numerous journals and conferences. Dr. Zarifi also received the Emerging Researcher Award and the Best Teaching Award at the University of British Columbia School of Engineering in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

Address:University of British Columbia, , Vancouver, Canada