Olivier N. Pierron

Assistant Professor

Office:	Love Building, Room 228
Lab:	Love Building, Room 301
Phone:	404.894.7877
Fax:	404.894.8496
E-mail:

Education

• Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, 2005
• M.S., The Pennsylvania State University, 2002
• Engineering Degree, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris, 2000

Research Areas and Descriptors

• Mechanics of Materials and Microelectromechanical Systems: Experimental and analytical characterization of fracture and fatigue of small-scale materials (thin films, nanomaterials), structural reliability of MEMS/NEMS devices, and environmental effects.

Background

Dr. Pierron joined Georgia Tech in summer 2007. Prior, he was a senior engineer at the R&D center of Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc. in San Jose, California. There, he worked on the development of a revolutionary MEMS-based reflective flat panel display.

Research

Dr. Pierron's research group investigates the mechanical properties of small-scale materials with emphasis on the degradation properties (fracture, fatigue, creep). The underlying challenge is to develop experimental techniques that permit to accurately measure these properties. The scientific contribution of this research is to develop a fundamental understanding of the degradation mechanisms at the nanoscale. The engineering motivation of this research is to assess and predict the structural reliability of devices and systems fabricated with emerging technologies. Dr. Pierron's research is currently sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of the mechanics of materials in a multi-disciplinary environment, Dr. Pierron's students are exposed to a series of valuable engineering disciplines, such as design, numerical modeling, test development/automation, and failure analysis.

Optical images of a micron-thick, monocrystalline silicon fatigue resonator, at rest and at resonance. At resonance, large cyclic stresses (~GPa amplitude) develop locally (red arrow).

Distinctions

• Sigma Xi (Georgia Tech Chapter) Best M.S. Thesis Award (for M. Budnitzki), 2008
• Newport Research Excellence Award Photonics West, 2005
• Materials Research Institute Student Research Award, 2003
• Kennametal Fellowship Award, 2003

Representative Publications

• P.-O. Theillet and O. N. Pierron. 2009. Fatigue Rates of Monocrystalline Silicon Thin Films in Harsh Environments: Influence of Stress Amplitude, Relative Humidity and Temperature. Applied Physics Letters 94(18), 181915.
• M. Budnitzki and O. N. Pierron. 2009. Highly Localized Surface Oxide Thickening on Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films During Cyclic Loading in Humid Environments. Acta Materialia 57(10), 2944.
• M. Budnitzki and O. N. Pierron. 2009. The Influence of Nanoscale Atomic-Layer-Deposited Alumina Coating on the Fatigue Behavior of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films. Applied Physics Letters 94(14), 141906.
• O. N. Pierron, D. D. MacDonald and C .L. Muhlstein. 2005. Galvanic Effects in Si-Based Microelectromechanical Systems: Thick Oxide Formation and Its Implications for Fatigue Reliability. Applied Physics Letters 86(21), 211919.
• O. N. Pierron and C. L. Muhlstein. 2005. The Extended Range of Reaction-Layer Fatigue Susceptibility of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films. International Journal of Fracture 135(1-4), 1-18.