Dr. Hengky Chandrahalim (right) accepts the 2025 IEEE Dayton Section Harrell V. Noble Award. (Contributed photo)
Dr. Hengky Chandrahalim, AFIT associate professor of electrical engineering and nanofabrication and characterization facility director, was selected as the 2025 IEEE Dayton Section Harrell V. Noble Award Winner. The award is presented for pioneering contributions to research, development, and education in integrated microelectromechanical systems, advancing inertial navigation, portable environmental sensing, radiation detection, precision timing, and radio wave processing for next-generation spacecraft communication.
Dr. Chandrahalim’s innovative work at AFIT has significantly advanced integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Through his extraordinary skill in developing novel electromechanical transducers and pioneering nanofabrication methods, he has propelled the field to new frontiers.
At the core of his research is the exploration of transducer materials—spanning solid and liquid dielectrics, ferroelectrics, and piezoelectric thin films—to efficiently generate high-quality mechanical waves in solids. This effort has led to the realization of highly miniaturized, frequency-agile radio wave processors that can be seamlessly integrated with CMOS transistors on a single microchip. Such innovations have already unlocked transformative possibilities for aerospace applications, producing over 100-fold reductions in size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) for critical systems, including advanced inertial navigation, sensitive radiation detection, precise timing references, and novel signal processors for spacecraft communication.
To further expand this transformative research, Dr. Chandrahalim recently secured $353K in funding from AFOSR and DTRA, underscoring the Department of Defense’s recognition of the strategic importance of his work. His emerging radio-frequency microsystems directly support vital Air Force Vanguard initiatives—including Golden Horde, Navigation Technology Satellite 3 (NTS-3), Skyborg, and Rocket Cargo—by offering robust, radiation-hardened components that remain stable in extreme conditions. His devices can withstand temperatures from roughly –230°C to over 300°C, while also tolerating gamma rays and heavy particle radiation.
Blending fundamental scientific inquiry with visionary engineering, these systems provide operational resilience in environments traditionally deemed too hostile for standard electronics. Central to his achievements is a rigorous examination of how elevated radiation levels affect electron-phonon interactions in electromechanical transducer materials—a pioneering effort that has led to three high-impact journal articles, all featured on the covers of Advanced Materials Interfaces and Advanced Engineering Materials in 2023. Notably, one of these publications was additionally honored as the Editor’s Choice.
Dr. Chandrahalim’s advances in nanofabrication are equally remarkable. By harnessing ultrashort laser pulses, he has circumvented limitations of traditional lithography, enabling the fabrication of three-dimensional, multifunctional microsystems with unprecedented precision. These cutting-edge methods have facilitated the monolithic integration of 3D sensors—capable of measuring thermal, pressure, refractive index, and flow parameters—directly onto optical fiber tips. His work in this domain has garnered significant acclaim, ranking among the top 30 breakthroughs in Optics in 2022. This cutting-edge 3D microsystem sensor technology is readily integrated into defense systems to enhance chemical detection in pilot oxygen masks, enable real-time environmental monitoring in military drones, and optimize fuel flow diagnostics in military aircraft and ground vehicles—significantly improving operational efficiency, safety, and situational awareness. Building on this momentum, Dr. Chandrahalim’s broader research in MEMS over the past few years has resulted in the granting of 10 patents, with seven more currently pending, and has attracted over $1.4 million in research funding. In 2024, the Air Force Technology Transfer & Transition Program further honored him as a top inventor, distinguishing him as one of the three most impactful innovators across the Air and Space Forces.
AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management provides in-residence and distance learning graduate degrees and certificates in engineering, applied science, mathematics and management. GSEM provides its students with several significant advantages, including a more personalized educational experience, academic programs with a defense-related focus, and research on high-priority defense problems.
AFIT is located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. AFIT’s mission is to educate defense professionals to innovatively accomplish the deterrence and warfighting missions of the USAF and USSF. AFIT’s vision is to lead defense-focused education, research and consultation to accelerate military superiority across all domains and is accomplished through operationally relevant advanced academic education, research, and professional continuing education. For more information, please visit the AFIT webpage https://www.afit.edu/ or contact the Graduate School of Engineering and Management at AFIT.EN.Outreach@us.af.mil.
