U.S.-Ireland R&D Partnership: Highly efficient magnetoelectric nano-antenna arrays with wide operational bandwidth

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This research is a four-way collaboration between the University of Utah, Utah State, Tyndall Institute in the Republic of Ireland and Queens University of Belfast in Northern Ireland of UK to develop a new generation of non-traditional magneto-elastic antennas across multiple size scales, from nm and um to mm and cms. The size and efficiency of traditional communications antennas are intimately tied to the electromagnetic wavelength. This fact limits their performance across a wide spectrum of frequencies. To address this issue, this project will develop the core technologies for a new type of antenna, called a magnetoelectric (ME) antenna, that can dramatically reduce the required antenna size for a given frequency. As part of this project, the team of researchers will develop and characterize ME antennas operating at low frequencies (tens of kilohertz), and high frequencies (up to gigahertz). The antennas developed in this project could impact wireless communications across many applications and industries. At low frequency, the antennas can enable effective communications through complex environments due to the lower path loss at low frequency. These include underground, under-ice, and perhaps underwater communications. A compelling application at higher frequencies is the use of wireless implantable devices for monitoring, sensing, and control of targeted drug release in humans. This application is greatly hampered by the strict limitations on the physical size of implanted devices. The smaller, more efficient, antennas developed as part of this project can be an enabling factor for wireless implants which could impact the lives of a large proportion of humanity. At even higher frequencies, such as those used for 5G and 6G communication, this technology can enable smaller and more efficient 5G and 6G communications devices. PI proposes to train undergraduate and graduate students on magnetoelectric (ME) antennas fabricated at the nano-, micro-, and meso- size scales in three countries. In addition, outreach efforts include familiarizing high school students specifically for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations in the technology area.In this project, the team of researchers seeks to enable smaller communications devices through the exploration of magnetoelectric (ME) antennas fabricated at the nano-, micro-, and meso- size scales. ME antennas are made from multi-material structures consisting of magnetostrictive materials coupled with piezoelectric materials. In receiver mode, the structures acoustically vibrate in response to incoming electromagnetic waves producing a voltage through the action of the piezoelectric material. In transmitter mode, the piezoelectric material is excited electrically, producing acoustic waves which create a radiating electromagnetic wave through the action of the magnetostrictive material. In either case, the size-frequency relationship is dictated by the acoustic wavelength which is orders smaller than the electromagnetic wavelength for a given frequency. This fact enables antennas that are an order of magnitude smaller than traditional electromagnetic antennas. This project will advance the state of knowledge for ME structure design and performance specifically, and wireless communications generally. The project will explore novel low frequency antenna design and structures implemented at the meso-scale (i.e., millimeter-centimeter scale) and characterize their use for communication in lossy environments, specifically underground. Micro- and nano-scale ME antennas will be explored for higher frequency communications. This will entail the development of novel fabrication processes needed for non-standard, nano-patterned piezoelectric ceramics and magnetostrictive metal-ceramic heterostructures. In both cases, low frequency and high frequency, novel nonlinear mechanical structures will be incorporated to increase antenna bandwidth without loss of performance. Finally, this project will explore the modulation of spin waves while producing tripartite phonon-magnon-photon coupling in different magnonic nano-patterned magnetoelectric antenna architectures which represents a fundamentally new ME coupling mechanism used for communications.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.