EAGER: Magnetoelectric Thin Films for High Frequency Devices

可调谐射频/微波信号处理器件广泛应用于现代通信系统中，如滤波器、谐振器、移相器等。随着与5G相关的新应用的出现，正在开发新的技术，以便设备可以在多个频道上进行广泛的调谐。通常，磁场用于调谐这种器件。然而，它们体积大、速度慢，而且消耗大量电力。因此，迫切需要提高这种频率可调器件的性能。该NSF项目旨在开发和测试基于电可调薄膜的高频器件，这种器件可以在有限的功率预算中快速调谐。本项目的目标是开发基于磁电多铁(ME MFS)复合薄膜的具有高品质因数(=可调谐/插入损耗)和高功率效率的电可调高频器件。这种复合薄膜由磁性和铁电材料组成，由于ME耦合，可以进行电调和磁调。该项目的智力价值主要包括：(I)全面了解磁性和铁电相在复合薄膜中的分布和比例的作用，以实现大的ME耦合，以及(Ii)制造和测试基于ME薄膜的高频谐振器和滤波器。该项目将带来变革性的变化，因为电路上随时可以获得电压，而且拟议的设备预计将显示出很大的优点系数，并允许与现有的半导体技术轻松集成。该项目的预期影响包括在工程领域对不同群体的学生进行培训，并与奥克兰大学合作测试电压可调装置。这项研究项目将招收少数民族研究生。未被充分代表的本科生将通过麦克奈尔奖学金项目在PI的实验室获得研究经验。暑期将为当地高中教师提供学习和开发基于可调设备的高中生教育演示工具包的机会。该项目的总体目标是设计磁电多铁纳米复合材料和异质结构薄膜，以开发具有高品质因数的电可调谐高频共面波导谐振器和滤波器。本项目的工作包括：(I)制备不同两相分布和比例的铁电和磁致伸缩复合和异质结构薄膜，(Ii)铁电性能和漏电流的测量和分析，(Iii)ME耦合测量，以及(Iv)基于优化的高优值系数薄膜的谐振器和滤波器的制备和测试。这项工作将为开发高能效、紧凑、高频、2-12 GHz以上、具有大优值系数的可与现有半导体技术集成的多频段电压可调器件提供巨大的机会。通过这个项目获得的基本了解可以扩展到其他高频设备，如移相器、振荡器、存储设备、磁传感器和天线。该项目的教育目标是培养和准备现代多功能设备技术的未来一代工程师。外展活动将为这一跨学科研究领域的不同群体的学生和高中教师提供培训、知识和研究机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Tunable radio-frequency/microwave signal-processing devices, such as filters, resonators, phase-shifters, are widely used in modern communication systems. With the advent of novel applications related to 5G, new technologies are being developed so that devices can be tuned broadly across multiple frequency channels. Conventionally, magnetic fields are used for tuning such devices. However, they are bulky, slow, and consume lot of power. Thus, there is a critical need for performance improvement of such frequency tunable devices. This NSF project is aimed to develop and test electrically tunable film based high frequency devices that can be rapidly tuned in limited power budget. Objectives of this project are to develop magnetoelectrics multiferroics (ME MFs) composite films based electrically tunable high-frequency devices with large figure of merit (=tunability/insertion-losses) and power-efficiency. Such composite films consists of magnetic and ferroelectric materials and can be tuned electrically and magnetically due to ME coupling. The intellectual merit of the project primarily includes: (i) gaining comprehensive understanding on role of distribution and ratio of magnetic and ferroelectric phases in the composite films to achieve large ME coupling as well as (ii) fabricating and testing ME film based resonators and filters at higher frequencies. The project will bring transformative change as electric voltages are readily available on circuits and the proposed devices are expected to exhibit large figure of merit and allow easy integration with the existing semiconductor technology. Anticipated impacts of this project include training of diverse groups of students in the field of engineering and testing of voltage tunable devices in collaboration with the Oakland University. Minority graduate students will be recruited for this research project. Underrepresented undergraduate students will gain research experience in PI’s lab through McNair Scholar Program. Summer opportunities will be provided to local high-school teachers to learn and develop educational demo kits for high school students based on tunable devices. The overarching objective of this project is to engineer magnetoelectric multiferroic nanocomposite and heterostructured films for developing electrically tunable high-frequency coplanar waveguide resonators and filters with high figure of merit. This project work includes: (i) fabrication of ferroelectric and magnetostrictive composite and heterostructured films with various distribution and ratio of the two phases, (ii) measurement and analysis of the ferroelectric properties and leakage currents, (iii) ME coupling measurements, and (iv) fabrication as well as testing of resonators and filters based on optimized films with high figure of merit. This work will contribute significantly by providing great opportunities for developing power-efficient, compact, high-frequency multi-band voltage tunable devices over 2-12 GHz with large figure of merit that can be integrated with the existing semiconductor technology. The fundamental understanding gained through this project can be expanded to other high-frequency devices, such as phase shifters, oscillators, memory devices, magnetic sensors, and antennas. The educational goal of the project is to train and prepare future generation of engineers in modern multifunctional device technology. The outreach activities will provide training, knowledge, and research exposure to a diverse group of students and high school teachers in this interdisciplinary research area.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.