CAREER: Understanding and Exploiting Non-linear Behavior of Phase-Change Materials for Millimeter-Wave Applications

职业：理解和利用相变材料的非线性行为用于毫米波应用

基本信息

批准号：
2149886
负责人：
Nima Ghalichechian
金额：
$ 50万
依托单位：
Georgia Tech Research Corporation
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2021-09-01 至 2024-01-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2149886&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
CAREER Understanding Exploiting Non linear

项目摘要

Future wireless communication systems are expected to support significantly higher data rates. Higher data rates, though, are generally achieved by using higher frequencies. One area of the electromagnetic spectrum that uniquely fits this purpose is called the millimeter-wave band. This band refers to wavelengths in the order of a few millimeters. Specifically, the millimeter-wave band is defined as frequencies between 30 GHz to 300 GHz. Reconfigurability and adaptability is a vital feature of future agile millimeter-wave systems for sensing, imaging, and wireless communications. However, when radio-frequency systems are made reconfigurable, they become lossy neutralizing any gain achieved by reconfiguration. In other words, despite the added functionality, losses (low efficiencies) are the Achilles heel of any radio-frequency reconfigurable system often less discussed. This project intends to address aforementioned fundamental limitation. The proposed research fosters fundamental studies on phase-change materials and their applications in the millimeter-wave domain, specifically, passive imaging sensors. The proposed research can open doors in millimeter-wave and beyond. Applications of the proposed millimeter-wave sensors include medical imaging, navigation, remote sensing, and robotics among a few. In addition to research, the education plan of this project includes: 1) develop new courses at the Ohio State University, 2) undergraduate and K-12 summer program, and 3) participation in outreach program for underserved students from Central Ohio. Broader impacts of this project include broadening participation of underrepresented groups and undergraduate research. Phase-change materials are attractive choices for millimeter-wave reconfiguration as they provide a path to achieve low-loss microsystems. Unique feature of phase-change material is non-linear or abrupt change in physical (i.e. electrical or optical) properties such as permittivity or refractive index with temperature, strain, and current. Metal oxides such as vanadium dioxide belong to a sub-group of phase-change materials that exhibit reversible metal-insulator transition. These materials provide a path for realization of low-loss radio-frequency microsystems. As a result, the main objectives of the proposed research are 1) to understand and analyze the correlation between film deposition conditions and the electrical properties (complex permittivity) of phase-change materials in the millimeter-wave band including losses. Successful demonstration of such unique properties, hinges upon understanding film growth conditions and their impact on crystal structure; 2) study and exploit new strain-induced excitation (activation) techniques on suspended millimeter-wave structures and analyze their impact on device performance; 3) explore novel device architecture, especially, using selected phase-change materials such as vanadium dioxide or other candidates, to reduce or eliminate losses while achieving unique functionalities. A new class of passive imaging arrays (millimeter-wave camera) is expected to exhibit significantly higher responsivity in this band than the state-of-the-art sensors. In addition to the fundamental studies, the proposed work is ambitious but potentially transformative as it challenges the conventional wisdom in designing sensors and dominance of semiconductor-based millimeter-wave detectors. Currently, no acceptable solution is available for millimeter-wave imaging systems operating at the room temperature.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.

未来的无线通信系统预计将支持更高的数据速率。不过，更高的数据速率通常是通过使用更高的频率来实现的。电磁频谱中唯一适合此目的的一个区域称为毫米波段。该波段是指几毫米量级的波长。具体来说，毫米波频段被定义为30GHz至300GHz之间的频率。可重构性和适应性是未来用于传感、成像和无线通信的敏捷毫米波系统的重要特征。然而，当射频系统可重新配置时，它们就会变得有损，抵消了通过重新配置获得的任何增益。换句话说，尽管增加了功能，但损耗（低效率）是任何射频可重构系统的致命弱点，而这些问题往往很少被讨论。该项目旨在解决上述基本限制。拟议的研究促进了相变材料及其在毫米波领域（特别是无源成像传感器）中的应用的基础研究。拟议的研究可以打开毫米波及更远距离的大门。所提出的毫米波传感器的应用包括医学成像、导航、遥感和机器人技术等。除研究外，该项目的教育计划还包括：1）在俄亥俄州立大学开发新课程，2）本科生和 K-12 暑期项目，以及 3）参与针对俄亥俄州中部服务不足的学生的外展项目。该项目的更广泛影响包括扩大代表性不足群体和本科生研究的参与。相变材料是毫米波重构的有吸引力的选择，因为它们提供了实现低损耗微系统的途径。相变材料的独特之处在于物理（即电或光学）特性（例如介电常数或折射率）随温度、应变和电流的非线性或突然变化。诸如二氧化钒之类的金属氧化物属于表现出可逆金属-绝缘体转变的相变材料的子类。这些材料为实现低损耗射频微系统提供了一条途径。因此，本研究的主要目标是：1）了解和分析毫米波波段的薄膜沉积条件与相变材料的电性能（复介电常数）之间的相关性，包括损耗。成功展示这种独特的性能取决于对薄膜生长条件及其对晶体结构的影响的了解； 2）研究和开发悬浮毫米波结构的新型应变诱导激励（激活）技术，并分析其对器件性能的影响； 3）探索新颖的器件架构，特别是使用选定的相变材料，例如二氧化钒或其他候选材料，以减少或消除损耗，同时实现独特的功能。新型无源成像阵列（毫米波相机）预计将在该频段表现出比最先进的传感器更高的响应率。除了基础研究之外，拟议的工作雄心勃勃，但具有潜在的变革性，因为它挑战了设计传感器的传统智慧和基于半导体的毫米波探测器的主导地位。目前，对于在室温下运行的毫米波成像系统还没有可接受的解决方案。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

期刊论文数量（7）

专著数量（0）

科研奖励数量（0）

会议论文数量（0）

专利数量（0）

Novel Ka-Band Phase Shifter Design Based on Vanadium Dioxide Switches for 5G Applications

适用于 5G 应用的基于二氧化钒开关的新型 Ka 波段移相器设计

DOI：
10.1109/ap-s/usnc-ursi47032.2022.9886855
发表时间：
2022-07
期刊：
2022 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (AP-S/URSI
影响因子：
0
作者：
Williamson, Thomas G.;Lust, Mark C.;Ghalichechian, Nima
通讯作者：
Ghalichechian, Nima

Reconfigurable Reflectarray Unit Cell using Vanadium Dioxide

使用二氧化钒的可重构反射阵列单元

DOI：
10.1109/aps/ursi47566.2021.9704486
发表时间：
2021-12
期刊：
2021 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (APS/URSI
影响因子：
0
作者：
Ramsey, Jordan A.;Henderson, Kendrick Q.;Ghalichechian, Nima
通讯作者：
Ghalichechian, Nima

A Vanadium Dioxide Microbolometer in the Transition Region for Millimeter Wave Imaging

用于毫米波成像的过渡区二氧化钒微测辐射热计

DOI：
10.1109/apusncursinrsm.2019.8888891
发表时间：
2019-07
期刊：
2019 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting
影响因子：
0
作者：
Chen, Shangyi;Lust, Mark;Ghalichechian, Nima
通讯作者：
Ghalichechian, Nima

Thermally Actuated Vanadium Dioxide Millimeter Wave Reflectarray

热驱动二氧化钒毫米波反射阵列