EAGER: Magnetoelectric Thin Films for High Frequency Devices

可调谐射频/微波信号处理器件，如滤波器、谐振器、移相器等，在现代通信系统中得到广泛应用。随着与5G相关的新应用的出现，正在开发新技术，以便设备可以跨多个频率频道进行广泛调谐。传统上，磁场是用来调节这类装置的。然而，它们体积庞大，速度慢，并且消耗大量电力。因此，迫切需要改进这种频率可调器件的性能。这个NSF项目旨在开发和测试基于电可调薄膜的高频器件，该器件可以在有限的功率预算下快速调谐。该项目的目标是开发基于电可调高频器件的磁电多铁性（ME MFs）复合薄膜，该器件具有较大的优点（=可调性/插入损耗）和功率效率。这种复合薄膜由磁性和铁电材料组成，并且由于ME耦合可以在电和磁上调谐。该项目的智力价值主要包括：(i)全面了解复合膜中磁性相和铁电相的分布和比例的作用，以实现大的ME耦合；（ii）在更高频率下制造和测试基于ME膜的谐振器和滤波器。该项目将带来变革性的变化，因为电路上的电压很容易获得，并且拟议的设备预计将表现出很大的优点，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培训不同群体的学生，并与奥克兰大学合作测试电压可调设备。本研究项目将招收少数民族研究生。代表性不足的本科生将通过麦克奈尔学者计划在PI实验室获得研究经验。夏季将为当地高中教师提供学习和开发基于可调设备的高中学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，用于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。本项目工作包括：(1)制备具有不同两相分布和比例的铁电、磁致伸缩复合和异质结构薄膜；(2)测量和分析铁电特性和漏电流；(3)ME耦合测量；(4)基于高品质系数优化薄膜的谐振器和滤波器的制造和测试。这项工作将为开发2-12 GHz以上的节能、紧凑、高频多频带电压可调器件提供巨大的机会，这些器件具有可与现有半导体技术集成的大性能。通过本项目获得的基本理解可以扩展到其他高频器件，如移相器、振荡器、存储器件、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下一代工程师。外展活动将为这个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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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。

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.