Bi-stable MEMS for Non-Volatile Information Storage and Opto-Mechanical Computing in Harsh Environments

该项目将研究用于非易失性数据存储和光学机械计算的微机械双稳态系统，在传统微电子面临严重限制的恶劣环境中使用。这种环境包括高温或低温，以及在地球大气层(空间探索和卫星通信)、核反应堆或其他涉及强烈辐射的环境中遇到的辐射。该项目将采用一种基于我们最近对MEMS双稳态系统的理论和实验研究的方法，该双稳态系统由受轴向力压缩的微机械柱组成，从而使其在两种可能的状态(0或1)中的一种状态下屈曲。柱子的状态将通过中等强度的激光束的压力来改变，从而潜在地实现光学机械计算机和数字数据存储。作为一个机械系统，它天生就是健壮的。我们的长期愿景是开发由固定光源驱动的微机械计算元件，如连续激光或聚焦太阳光。这样的连续光源可用于使用在此提出的元件来完全为有限状态计算器供电。这个项目将解决四个基本问题：(1)光束切换双稳态系统状态的机制，如光压力或光致应力。(2)可承受恶劣环境的计算元件的首选材料，例如硅柱上热生长的二氧化硅。(3)由于热噪声而改变状态的小型化极限或最小作用力极限。(4)辐射损伤：空间中遇到的高能粒子和强电磁场对双稳态系统稳定性的影响，以及材料(S)的辐射损伤将以纳秒为间隔，以纳米级的分辨率进行研究。我们还提出利用MEMS双稳态系统的变量来设计和构造基本存储器(双稳态多谐振荡器)和逻辑元件(AND、OR、NOT)。上述研究将是在非常恶劣的环境中将微机械系统应用于计算和数据存储目的的第一步。

This project will investigate micro-mechanical bi-stable systems for use in nonvolatile data storage and optomechanical computing, in harsh environments where conventional microelectronics face severe limitations. Such environments include high or low temperatures, and radiation as encountered above the earth's atmosphere (space exploration and satellite communication), in nuclear reactors or in other environments involving intense radiation. The proposed project will employ an approach based on our recent theoretical and experimental investigation on a MEMS bi-stable system that consists of a micro mechanical column compressed by an axial force so that it buckles in one of two possible states (0 or 1). The state of the column will be changed by the pressure of a moderate intensity laser beam, thus potentially enabling opto-mechanical computers and digital data storage. Being a mechanical system, it is inherently robust. Our long term vision is to develop micro-mechanical computational elements driven by a fixed light source such as CW laser or focussed sunlight. Such a continuous light source can be used to completely power a finite state computational machine using the elements proposed herein. This project will address four fundamental queries: (1) The mechanism by which an optical beam switches the state of the bi-stable system, such as light pressure or photo-induced stress. (2) The material of choice for computational elements that will sustain harsh environments, e.g., thermally grown Silicon dioxide on a silicon column. (3) The limit of miniaturization or the limit of the minimum force by which the state can be changed due to thermal noise. (4) Radiation damage: The effect of high energy particles encountered in space, and high electromagnetic fields on thestability of the bi-stable system, and the radiation damage of the material(s) will be studied at nanosecond intervals with nanometer resolution. We also propose to design and construct the basic memory (bi-stable multivibrator) and logic elements,(AND, OR, NOT) using variations of the MEMS bi-stable system. The above study will be a first step in applying micro mechanical systems for computational and data storage purposes in very harsh environments.