Michael Mayer, PEng

Michael Mayer's research at the University of Waterloo focuses on electronic packaging, semiconductor assembly processes, microelectronics interconnects, joining processes, hardware security, and RF-based non-destructive testing. His work combines advanced manufacturing, reliability engineering, and cyber-physical security, with applications ranging from thermosonic bonding and package characterization to hardware Trojan detection and supply-chain assurance. He collaborates closely with industry and contributes to international research and conference activities in the electronics packaging community.

• Electronic Manufacturing

• Semiconductor Packaging

• Process Characterization

• Quality Assurance

• Reliability Engineering

• Failure Analysis

• Production Test

• Hardware Security

• Supply-Chain Security

• Manufacturing Innovation

- Fundamental understanding of wire-bonding mechanics through direct measurement of bond force, ultrasonic energy, and tool–substrate interactions.

- New approaches for identifying reliability degradation, aging effects, and manufacturing defects in electronic hardware.

- Novel RF-reflectometry methods for non-destructive characterization of electronic components and assemblies.

- Proof-of-concept Trojans, supply-chain attacks, and other hardware-level security threats detection and defense using physical-materials based test platforms.

- Sensor-chip instrumentation capable of operating directly on production wire-bonding equipment.

- RF-based inspection techniques to industrially relevant fault-detection and hardware-assurance problems.

- Inspection and characterization approaches aimed at improving the reliability, security, and quality of electronic products throughout the supply chain.

- Former graduate students employed at Kulicke and Soffa, Samsung, Bell, Telus, Government of Canada, Analog Devices, Tesla, Meta, Qualcomm, Nvidia, Google, SK Hynix, Microbonds Inc., etc.

• 2000, Doctorate Technical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland

• 1994, Diploma in Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland

• BME 282 - Materials Science for Biomedical Engineers
  • Taught in 2021, 2022
• ME 115 - Structure and Properties of Materials
  • Taught in 2023, 2024, 2026
• ME 436 - Welding and Joining Processes
  • Taught in 2021, 2023
• ME 538 - Welding Design, Fabrication and Quality Control
  • Taught in 2026
• ME 596 - Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering
  • Taught in 2022, 2023, 2024
• ME 735 - Special Topics - Welding and Joining
  • Taught in 2023, 2026
• MTE 111 - Structure and Properties of Materials
  • Taught in 2021
• MTE 482 - Mechatronics Engineering Project
  • Taught in 2024

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Ott J., Moreno C., Mayer M., Fischmeister S. (2025) Trust Anchor to Mitigate a Physical-Material-Based Denial-of-Service Attack on Electronics Hardware Post-Manufacturing. IEEE PAINE 2025

• Huynh, M., Zhang, K., Tanvir, S., & Mayer, M. (2025). Simplified Characterization of Heat-Localizing Nanocomposite Gels to Determine Their Clinical Relevance for Laser Tissue Welding. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

• Zhou, J., Zhou, Y. N., & Mayer, M. (2024). Measure for optical robustness of directly bonded glass-to-glass joint using its interaction with damage induced by fs laser. Review of Scientific Instruments, 95(6).

• Zhou, J., Mei, N., Leonenko, Z., Zhou, N., & Mayer, M.; Direct glass-to-glass bonding obtained via simplified ammonia-based low-temperature procedure resists high shear stress and powerful CW fiber laser irradiation. RSC advances, 2022

• AbdelAziz, M., Xu, D. E., Wang, G., & Mayer, M.; Electromigration in solder joints: A cross-sectioned model system for real-time observation. Microelectronics Reliability, 2021

• Feng, J., Xu, D., Tian, Y., Mayer, M.; SAC305 solder reflow: identification of melting and solidification using in-process resistance monitoring. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology, 2019

• Xu, Di Erick and Kim, Jang Baeg and Hook, Michael David and Jung, Jae Pil and Mayer, Michael; Real time resistance monitoring during sintering of silver paste, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2018

• Laor, Ari and Athia, Depayne and Rezvani, Alireza and Clauberg, Horst and Mayer, Michael, Monitoring of thermo-mechanical stress via CMOS sensor array: Effects of warpage and tilt in flip chip thermo-compression bonding, Microelectronics Reliability, 60, 2017

• Xu, Di Erick and Hook, Michael David and Mayer, Michael; Real time joint resistance monitoring during solder reflow, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 3002, 2017

• Campbell, Eric E and He, Ruijian and Mayer, Michael, Conductive pathway on cotton fabric created using solution with silver organometallic compound, Materials Research Express, , 2017

• Method for producing a wedge-wedge wire connection, TW200529397A, Granted 2006-01-21

• Method for the calibration of a wire bonder, US6739496B2, Granted 2004-05-25

• Method for the calibration of a wire bonder, US6648205B2, Granted 2003-11-18

• Researchers lead project to fortify Canada's cybersecurity
• Students walking on air after microgravity competition win