Investigation of a surface comprised of an array of micro-electro-mechanical actuators for the dynamic control of a thermal path

适用于工业或军事市场的高性能光纤收发器的额定工作环境恶劣(例如-40°C至85°C)。Relex Photonics将这种收发器设计和生产成模块。这些模块旨在包括强大的热控制，以确保收发器在如此宽的温度范围内的稳定性。这需要对设备进行加热控制，以便使其在高于环境温度的情况下运行。但是，模块内产生的多余热量必须使用对控制收发器温度很重要的热高效路径来排出。然而，这些热高效路径在寒冷环境中就像一把双刃剑，热传递被颠倒，模块被环境通过高效热路径冷却，导致温度控制问题和收发器性能漂移。这需要耗电的电可控散热器，Reflex Photonics希望消除这种散热器，以降低其模块的成本和功耗。因此，Reflex Photonics希望通过这个Engage项目来研究如何使用微电子机械系统(MEMS)来实现可以与模块接触的不同数量的致动器阵列。这将允许热路径的导热系数动态变化，并提供可控制的热路径，使模块在寒冷的环境中暴露或排出多余的热量。为了进行这项研究，Reflex Photonics希望与ETS的FredericNabki教授建立新的合作关系。Nabki教授在MEMS器件的设计和制造以及它们在不同系统中的集成方面拥有丰富的经验。这将为这一新概念提供可行性分析，然后将其应用于Reflex Photonics的下一代收发器模块，从而加强其市场地位。该项目产生的概念将使动态控制热路径表面的实现成为可能，该表面也可以在接触微电子的广泛应用中应用。本项目培训的HQP将由两名博士生和一名研究专业人员组成。

High performance optical transceivers for the industrial or military markets are rated to operate in harshenvironments (e.g., -40ºC to 85°C). Reflex Photonics designs and produces such transceivers into modules.These modules are meant to include robust thermal control in order to ensure the stability of the transceiversover this wide temperature range. This requires heating control of the device in order to operate it above theambient temperature. However, the excess heat generated within the module must be exhausted using thermallyefficient paths that are important to the control of the transceiver's temperature. However, these thermallyefficient paths act as a double-edged sword in cold environments, where the thermal transfer is reversed and themodule is cooled by the ambient through the efficient thermal path, causing a temperature control problem andtransceiver performance drift. This requires power-hungry electrically controllable thermal coolers whichReflex Photonics wishes to eliminate in order to reduce cost and power consumption of its modules.Accordingly, Reflex Photonics wants to investigate with this Engage project how microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) could be used to implement an array of actuators that can contact in different numbers withthe module. This will allow for the variation of the thermal conductivity of the thermal path dynamically andprovide a controllable thermal path that insolates the module in cold environments or can exhaust excess heat.To perform this investigation, Reflex Photonics wants to establish a new collaboration with Prof. FredericNabki at ETS. Prof. Nabki has extensive experience in the design and fabrication of MEMS devices and theirintegration in heterogeneous systems. This will provide a viability analysis of this novel concept that can thenbe implemented in Reflex Photonics' next generation transceiver modules, strengthening its market position.The concept resulting from this project will enable the implementation of a dynamically controlled thermalpath surface that can have application in a wide range of applications touching microelectronics as well. TheHQP trained in this project will be two PhD students and one research professional.