Biography of Thomas McMillan

Thomas was born and raised in the North Beach area of San Francisco. Upon Graduating from Lowell High School in 1985, he attended the University of Washington in Seattle for two years. He then transferred to the Univeristy California at San Diego(UCSD) and completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering in the Winter of 1991.

Noted accomplishments:
Part of a Two man team which designed and built fuel gauge senor for the Atlas Rocket. The work was sponsored by General Dynamics.


Graduate School:
Thomas continued his education at the UCSD. He completed his Masters during the Winter of 1994 and Advanced to PhD Candidacy in the Spring of 1995.

Areas of Research:
Experimental:
Dynamics of Slider-Disk Interface, with emphasis on measuring flying height, take-off velocity, and stability with Phase Demodulated Laser Interferometry (PDLI), Intensity Based Interferometry (Phase Metrics Dynamic Flying Height Tester), and Acoustic Emission.

Publications:

  • T. C. McMillan and F. E. Talke, "Ultra Low Flying Height Measurements Using Monochromatic and Phase Demodulated Laser Interferometry"IEEE Trans. Mag., Vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 4173-4195, 1994.
  • T. C. McMillan, R. C. Swain, and F. E. Talke, "Investigation of Slider Take-off Velocity Using the Acoustic Emission Frequency Spectrum"IEEE Trans. Mag., Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 2973-2975, 1995.

  • Skills:

  • Programming: C, Assembly, Fortran
  • Hardware Communication: Digital Oscilliscopes, Spindle and Linear Stage Control via GPIP(IEEE Protocol) and Serial Comunications
  • Data Processing: Fast Fourier Transforms( FFT), Bit manipulation
  • Basic Working Knowledge of Finite Elements
  • Working Knowledge of Ideas or Caeds
  • Working Knowledge of Polarization Optics
  • Machining Skills: Mills and Lathes

  • Personal Interests:

  • Snow Skiing
  • Sky Diving

  • Back to former lab members

    Email:
    tmcmilla@tdh.qntm.com

    Telephone:
    +1 508 770 3091
    Last updated: Feb. 8, 1998