CAREER: Dielectrically Transduced MEMS Resonators for Communication and Computation

这个CAREER提案的重点是设计固体和液体介质换能器，高Q，低阻抗MEMS谐振器。通过机械耦合这些谐振器，PI将演示用于频率敏捷无线电的可调谐通道选择滤波器和用于片上时钟分布的同步振荡器。智力优势：PI将开发新的调谐技术，使用正交电极和液体电介质来调谐GHz体声谐振器。谐振器阵列的实现和测试将对谐振器之间的衬底耦合和通过衬底和介电换能器的Q退化提供至关重要的见解。通过在单芯片上设计一个同步振荡器阵列，PI将提供一个芯片级工具包来研究大量微机械振荡器的集体行为。更广泛的影响：这项研究将为学术界提供一个精确建模的电介质感应MEMS谐振器库。初步计算预测，将可调谐MEMS滤波器集成到手机中，将使手机重量减轻15%，电池寿命延长24%。MEMS振荡器机械同步的成功演示将使Pentium 4微处理器的功耗降低30%。结合这项研究，PI将开发一门高级MEMS课程，该课程结合了机电，薄膜，流体学的基础知识以及这些原理在MEMS器件中的应用。PI已经表明了对培养女工程师的具体承诺：他的三个研究生中有两个是女性。PI通过CNS物理教师研究所为高中学生和教师组织关于纳米力学和力的讲习班。

This CAREER proposal focuses on the design of solid- and liquid-dielectric transduced, high Q, low impedance MEMS resonators. By mechanically coupling these resonators the PI will demonstrate tunable channel-select filters for frequency-agile radios and synchronized oscillators for on-chip clock distribution.Intellectual Merit: The PI will develop new tuning techniques using orthogonal electrodes and liquid dielectrics to tune GHz bulk acoustic resonators. Implementation and testing of resonator arrays will give crucial insight regarding substrate coupling between resonators and degradation in Q through both substrate and dielectric transducer. By designing a synchronized oscillator array on a single-chip, the PI will provide a chip-level tool-kit to study the collective behavior of a large population of micromechanical oscillators.Broader Impact: This research will provide the academic community with an accurately modeled library of dielectrically-transduced MEMS resonators. Initial calculations predict that incorporating tunable MEMS filters into cell-phones will reduce the weight of the phone by 15% and increase battery life by 24%. A successful demonstration of mechanical synchronization of MEMS oscillators will reduce the power consumption of a Pentium 4 microprocessor by 30%. In conjunction with this research, the PI will develop a senior-level MEMS course that combines the fundamentals of electro-mechanics, thin-films, fluidics and the applications of these principles to MEMS devices. The PI has demonstrated a concrete commitment to the development of women engineers: two of his three graduate students are women. The PI organizes workshops through the CNS Institute for Physics Teachers for high-school students and teachers on nanomechanics and forces.