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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Theory, Design, and Characterization of Nanoelectromechanical Relays for Stiction-Based Non-Volatile Memory
AU - Pamunuwa, D.
AU - Worsey, E.
AU - Reynolds, J.D.
AU - Seward, D.
AU - Chong, H.M.H.
AU - Rana, S.
N1 - ©2022 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
PY - 2022/4/30
Y1 - 2022/4/30
N2 - Diverse areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), aerospace and industrial electronics increasingly require non-volatile memory to work under high-temperature, radiation-hard conditions, with zero standby power. Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays uniquely have the potential to work at 300°C and absorb high levels of radiation, with zero leakage current across the entire operational range. While NEM relays that utilise stiction for non-volatile operation have been demonstrated, it is not clear how to design a relay to reliably achieve given programming and reprogramming voltages, an essential requirement in producing a memory. Here, we develop an analytical, first-principle physics-based model of rotational NEM relays to provide detailed understanding of how the programming and reprogramming voltages vary based on the device dimensions and surface adhesion force. We then carry out an experimental parametric study of relays with a critical dimension of ≈80 nm to characterise the surface adhesion force, and derive guidelines for how a NEM relay should be dimensioned for a given contact surface force, feature size constraints and operating requirements. We carry out a scaling study to show that voltages of ≈1 V and a footprint under ≈2 μm² can be achieved with a critical dimension of ≈10 nm, with this device architecture. [2021-0138] IEEE
AB - Diverse areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), aerospace and industrial electronics increasingly require non-volatile memory to work under high-temperature, radiation-hard conditions, with zero standby power. Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays uniquely have the potential to work at 300°C and absorb high levels of radiation, with zero leakage current across the entire operational range. While NEM relays that utilise stiction for non-volatile operation have been demonstrated, it is not clear how to design a relay to reliably achieve given programming and reprogramming voltages, an essential requirement in producing a memory. Here, we develop an analytical, first-principle physics-based model of rotational NEM relays to provide detailed understanding of how the programming and reprogramming voltages vary based on the device dimensions and surface adhesion force. We then carry out an experimental parametric study of relays with a critical dimension of ≈80 nm to characterise the surface adhesion force, and derive guidelines for how a NEM relay should be dimensioned for a given contact surface force, feature size constraints and operating requirements. We carry out a scaling study to show that voltages of ≈1 V and a footprint under ≈2 μm² can be achieved with a critical dimension of ≈10 nm, with this device architecture. [2021-0138] IEEE
KW - Bending
KW - Fasteners
KW - Force
KW - high-temperature.
KW - Logic gates
KW - microelectromechanical devices
KW - Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) systems
KW - Nanoelectromechanical systems
KW - nanofabrication
KW - Nonvolatile memory
KW - nonvolatile memory
KW - Relays
KW - Adhesion
KW - Internet of things
KW - Nanotechnology
KW - Stiction
KW - High-temperature.
KW - Highest temperature
KW - Nano-electromechanical
KW - Non-volatile memory
KW - Relay
KW - Nonvolatile storage
U2 - 10.1109/JMEMS.2021.3138022
DO - 10.1109/JMEMS.2021.3138022
M3 - Journal article
VL - 31
SP - 283
EP - 291
JO - Journal of Micromechanical Systems
JF - Journal of Micromechanical Systems
SN - 1057-7157
IS - 2
ER -