The Webb Space Telescope, which was successfully lifted off last Christmas, is the largest in scale and complexity in history. It also carries the contribution of a Taiwanese engineer Zhuang Literature. His research results 16 years ago laid the foundation for a key optical technology. .
“As an engineer and technologist, I would love to see my research and development be applied in the real world, for the benefit of academic research and the future of humanity.” In an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Central News Agency in Portland, Oregon, engineer Zhuang Wenwen said that the “James Webb Space Telescope” will allow mankind to have a better understanding of the origin of galaxies, star clusters and large structures in the universe. .
The Webb Space Telescope, which launched in French Guiana on December 25, 2021, is expected to reach the Lagrange point, 1.6 million kilometers from Earth, by the end of this month, returning the first images this summer.
The terms and technologies that are unfamiliar to non-professionals, such as “microelectronic systems” (MEMS) and “microshutter array”, are exactly when Zhuang Wenwen was studying for a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at the University of Maryland 20 years ago. In partnership with NASA, the foundation was laid for the Webb Space Telescope Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec). The University of Maryland recently honored alumni Zhuang Wenxian for his contributions.
Challenges of the Webb Space Telescope: At least 20 years of life and no repairs
Back in 2001, two scholarships and the opportunity to participate in NASA research made Zhuang Wenqi, a graduate student of the Department of Electrical Engineering of Chengda University and a master student from Stanford University, go to the University of Maryland to become a young scholar Gosi ( Reza Ghodssi’s first doctoral student.
Universities in the United States have different geographical advantages. Stanford University, located in California’s Silicon Valley, has many projects in cooperation with industry; the University of Maryland, adjacent to the White House, is surrounded by important government agencies and military laboratories.
The NASA Goddard Space Center (NASA Goddard Space Center), where Zhuang Wenxian participated in the research cooperation project at the time, was only regarding a 15-minute drive from the headquarters of the University of Maryland. Goddard researchers were spawning the next generation of the Hubble telescope at the time. “Webb Space Telescope”.
Zhuang Wenwen explained to reporters that the Hubble telescope revolves around the earth, although the cost is high, it can still be repaired; in order to observe more distant galaxies, the Webb Space Telescope must be far away from the radiation of the sun and the earth and be launched farther away from the earth, The challenge is that it must have a lifespan of at least 20 years and cannot be repaired.
In the first year of his doctoral research career, Zhuang Wenwen benefited from the leadership of a German scientist, Rainer Fettig, in the university laboratory. After that, he used the semiconductor process to independently develop microelectronic system equipment. Test in an ultra-low temperature environment of minus 236 degrees Celsius in outer space. For four years, he worked closely with the Goddard Space Center team and reported regularly to NASA.
In 2005, Zhuang Wenwen completed the first micro-shutter array element that can operate in space, and the reliability analysis of its operation in the outer space environment. It’s not just the concept of putting a space telescope in a big ice bank to operate, but to make sure that all components can operate faithfully in the outer space environment within their intended lifespan.
When space telescopes capture faint images of distant objects, microshutter arrays filter the light of unwanted objects, analyzing wavelengths and deciphering composition for only the light of objects that are needed.
Worked for Intel for 16 years and led the team to receive the “Intel Achievement Award”
After obtaining his Ph.D., Zhuang Wenxian will serve in the global semiconductor giant Intel Corp. by chance; Dan Kelly, a master student of the same professor, joined the NASA team when he graduated, and Zhuang Wenwen’s research has been cited by others one following another. publish new papers
Arts.
“This is part of NASA’s innovations in spectrum analysis technology, and I happen to be fortunate enough to be a part of it.” Zhuang Wenwen recalled that NASA originally planned to launch the Webb Space Telescope in 2011, but it was delayed due to the challenges of complex technology and huge funding, and it was finally completed at the end of last year following another 10 years.
“I almost forgot regarding it,” he said, had it not been for the good news shared in advance by Professor Gosey.
Although he did not continue to participate in NASA’s work in his career, Zhuang Wenxian believes that no matter in industry or academia, each other is helping each other step by step, “Your research may be commercialized at any time, and the successor will commercialize it. What’s more fun is that , when the time is right, people can implement the concepts of the past and turn them into new technologies.”
During his 16 years at Intel, the team led by Zhuang Wenwen developed innovative “Silicon Diagnostics” solutions and won the “Intel Achievement Award”, the highest honor for Intel employees.
Zhuang Wenwen has been dispatched to Intel’s campuses in Israel, Malaysia, Costa Rica and other places to assist local engineers. He realized that the “mindset” of doing things is very important, “Don’t think things are impossible. Find different solutions.”
During the interview, Zhuang Wenwen did not forget to thank his parents in Taiwan. He said that his parents only had a middle school education, but they taught him by example and words of “infinite wisdom and reverse thinking”, which had a profound impact on him and his current position in the Department of Finance at National Taiwan University. The professor’s brother, Zhuang Wenyi. In the next stage of his career, he hopes to contribute to Taiwan’s technology community with innovative values compatible with Taiwanese and American cultures.
(Author: Zhou Shihui; source of the first picture:NASA）
