Reconfigurable Liquid-Metal RF Circuits and Antennas Using Electrical Actuation

拟议的研究将研究液态金属的电控驱动，有助于为使用液态金属的可重构设备和电路的设计奠定基础。可重构电子设备具有改变其操作参数的独特能力，使其能够适应特定的任务或环境。液态金属的无定形性质允许产生动态导体，其形状和位置可以改变以适应变化的环境或操作参数。例如，想象一个移动的电子设备，它可以重新配置其通信系统，以在各种环境中提供最高的效率，从而提供最长的电池寿命。这项研究有可能影响电子和电信行业，并能够更有效地利用无线频谱。此外，对致动方法的研究还应用于可重构电子学之外的领域，包括微流体和芯片实验室系统。该项目还将支持纳入代表性不足的夏威夷土著学生，将涉及本科生在拟议的研究，并将支持推广到K-12学生。我们将调查低压电控驱动方法的液体金属的驱动，并定制这些方法在可重构射频（RF）电路的应用。将重点关注的驱动方法包括一种新的混合形式的电毛细管和电化学驱动，电毛细管驱动耦合的量化形状的液体金属，和连续的电润湿。使用每种类型的驱动方法的可重构电路将被证明：液体金属天线，可以shape移位，以改变其工作特性，微波频率开关，具有低插入损耗，高隔离和高可靠性的潜力。拟议的研究还将解决液态金属器件中的一个重要问题：由于使用含水电解质而导致的微波频率损失。将开发对这种效应不可知的器件架构，利用损失，或通过去除或置换电解质来最小化损失。每一个建议的液态金属驱动方法的适应独特的约束和要求的可重构电路是新颖的。驱动方法将通过创建在微波频率下工作的新型可重构电路来展示。由此产生的设备将具有独特的或超过当前最先进的可重构电子器件的性能特征。因此，这项研究将推动液态金属电路领域的发展，并为实现可重构RF电路创造新的技术。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The proposed research will investigate electrically controlled actuation of liquid metals, helping to create the foundation for the design of reconfigurable devices and circuits that use liquid metals. Reconfigurable electronics have the unique ability to change their operational parameters, allowing them to adapt to specific tasks or environments. The amorphous nature of liquid metal allows for the creation of dynamic conductors whose shape and position can be altered to adapt to changing environments or operating parameters. Imagine, for example, a mobile electronic device that can reconfigure its communication system to provide the highest efficiency, and thus the longest battery life, in a variety of environments. This research has the potential to impact the electronics and telecommunication industries, and can enable more effective and efficient use of the wireless frequency spectrum. In addition, the research into the actuation methods has applications to fields outside of reconfigurable electronics, including microfluidics and lab- on-chip systems. This project will also support the inclusion of underrepresented Native Hawaiian students, will involve undergraduate students in the proposed research, and will support outreach to K-12 students.We will investigate low-voltage electrically controlled actuation methods for the actuation of liquid metals, and tailor these methods to applications in reconfigurable radio-frequency (RF) circuits. The actuation methods that will be focused on include a novel hybrid form of electrocapillary and electrochemical actuation, electrical capillary actuation coupled with quantized shapes of liquid metal, and continuous electrowetting. Reconfigurable circuits using each type of actuation method will be demonstrated: liquid-metal antennas that can shapeshift to change their operating characteristics, and microwave-frequency switches that have the potential for low insertion loss, high isolation, and high reliability. The proposed research will also address an important issue in liquid-metal devices: loss at microwave frequencies due to the use of aqueous electrolytes. Device architectures will be developed that are agnostic to this effect, take advantage of the loss, or minimize the loss by removing or displacing the electrolyte. The adaptation of each proposed liquid-metal actuation method to the unique constraints and requirements of reconfigurable circuits is novel. The actuation methods will be showcased by creating new types of reconfigurable circuits operating at microwave frequencies. The resulting devices will have performance characteristics that are unique or that exceed the current state-of-the-art in reconfigurable electronics. Thus, this research will advance the field of liquid-metal circuits, and create new technologies for realizing reconfigurable RF circuits. New knowledge of liquid-metal actuation will be generated.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.