Statistical Modeling and Contact Analysis of Fractal Topography for Radio-Frequency (RF)-MEMS

该奖项的研究目标是开发一种用于RF-MEMS(射频MEMS)接触分析的多尺度分形地形模型，以提高其设计和制造的可靠性。对接表面的形貌和接触力学决定了RF-MEMS的性能质量。地形是一个随机场，在从1 nm到100？m的几个数量级上具有尺度相关的规则和自仿射的分形信号特征。在本奖项中，将开发一种新的、广泛应用的方法来表征和建模多尺度的分形地形，然后将其纳入RF-MEMS性能和可靠性改进的接触分析中。四个主要的研究目标是：开发一种针对多尺度、分形和随机表面结构的微/纳米形貌获取、表征和建模的严格的统计方法；2)开发一个高保真且与真实地形相关的统计规则-分形形貌模型；3)建立考虑弹塑性变形、多尺度分层粗糙度和统计地形的微/纳米接触模拟；4)从表面形貌、接触模拟和实验研究之间的相关性中获得关于失效机理的新知识，这项研究的成功完成将导致用于微电子机械系统的表面形貌及其相关接触力学的新模型。创建一个新的计算基础设施将产生相当大的影响。研究结果可直接用于MEMS行业，测量、表征和量化MEMS开关中表面电荷和磨损随时间的分布和演变，并用于研究表面的一致性和可变性，从而提高设计和制造水平。该奖项的结果将通过专业的学术和产业合作网络、期刊出版物和会议广泛传播。代表不足的研究生和本科生将参与这项研究，并将获得宝贵的机会，了解数据采集中使用的信息提取、统计建模和计量技术方面的挑战。这项研究的一些成果将被整合到本科生和研究生课程中，使该大学所有的工科学生受益。这项研究的结果也将通过新生暑期学院(FSI)计划分享给新生。

The research objective of this award is to develop a multi-scale fractal topography model for contact analysis in RF-MEMS (Radio Frequency MEMS) to improve the reliability in its design and manufacturing. Topography of mating surfaces and contact mechanics determines the performance quality of RF-MEMS. Topography is a random field and has scale-dependent regular and self-affine fractal signal features over several orders of magnitude, ranging from 1nm to 100ìm. In this award, a novel and widely-applicable methodology for characterizing and modeling multi-scale fractal topography will be developed that will then be incorporated into contact analysis for RF-MEMS performance and reliability improvement. The four key research objectives are: the development of a rigorous statistical methodology for micro/nano topography acquisition, characterization, and modeling in the face of multi-scale, fractal, and random surface structures; 2) development of a statistical regular-fractal topography model that has a high fidelity and correlation to real topography; 3) creation of a micro/nano-contact simulation that takes into account elasto-plastic deformation, multi-scale hierarchical asperity, and statistical topography; and 4) generation of new knowledge on failure mechanisms obtained from the correlation among topography, contact simulation, and experimental study.Successful completion of this research would lead to a new model for surface topography and its associated contact mechanics for use in micro-electro-mechanical systems. The creation of a new computational infrastructure will be quite impactful. The results of the study can be used directly in MEMS industries for measuring, characterizing, and quantifying the distribution and evolution of charge and wear of surfaces in MEMS switches over time and for studying consistency and variability of surfaces, enhancing both design and manufacturing. The results of this award will disseminated widely via professional academic and industrial collaborative networks, journal publications, and conferences. Under-represented graduate and undergraduate students will participate in this research and will receive valuable exposure to the challenges of information extraction, statistical modeling and metrological techniques used in data acquisition. Some of the results from the research will be integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses, benefiting all the engineering students at the university. The results of this study will also be shared to incoming freshmen through the Freshmen Summer Institute (FSI) program.