Publications

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This project developed prototype germanium telluride switches, which can be used in RF applications to improve SWAP (size, weight, and power) and signal quality in RF systems. These switches can allow for highly reconfigurable systems, including antennas, communications, optical systems, phased arrays, and synthetic aperture radar, which all have high impact on current National Security goals for improved communication systems and communication technology supremacy. The final result of the project was the demonstration of germanium telluride RF switches, which could act as critical elements necessary for a single chip RF communication system that will demonstrate low SWAP and high reconfigurability

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This report details results of a one-year LDRD to understand the dynamics, figures of merit, and fabrication possibilities for levitating a micro-scale, disk-shaped dielectric in an optical field. Important metrics are the stability, positional uncertainty, and required optical power to maintain levitation. Much of the results are contained in a publication written by our academic alliance collaborators. Initial structures were grown at Sandia labs and a test fabrication flow was executed. Owing to our strength in VCSEL lasers, we were particularly interested in calculations and fabrication flows that could be compatible with a VCSEL light source.

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State of the art grating fabrication currently limits the maximum source energy that can be used in lab based x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) systems. In order to move to higher source energies, and image high density materials or image through encapsulating barriers, new grating fabrication methods are needed. In this work we have analyzed a new modality for grating fabrication that involves precision alignment of etched gratings on both sides of a substrate, effectively doubling the thickness of the grating. We have achieved a front-to-backside feature alignment accuracy of 0.5 µm demonstrating a methodology that can be applied to any grating fabrication approach extending the attainable aspect ratios allowing higher energy lab based XPCI systems.

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The ability to track nuclear material is a challenge for resiliency of complex systems, e.g., harsh environments. RF tags, frequently used in national security applications, cannot be used for technological, operational, or safety reasons. Magnetic Smart Tags (MaST) is a novel tag technology based on magnetoelastic sensing that circumvents these issues. This technology is enabled by a new, cost-effective, batch manufacturing electrochemical deposition (ECD) process. This new advancement in fabrication enables multi-frequency tags capable of providing millions of possible codes for tag identification unlike existing theft deterrent tags that can convey only a single bit of information. Magnetostrictive 70% Co: 30% Fe was developed as the base alloy comprising the magnetoelastic resonator transduction element. Saturation magnetostriction, S , has been externally measured by the Naval Research Laboratory to be as high as 78 ppm. Description of a novel MEMS variable capacitive test structure is described for future measurements of this parameter.

Amorphous titania thin films were examined for use as the active material in a polarimetry based HF sensor. The amorphous titania films were found to be sensitive to vapor phase HF and the reaction product was identified as a hydronium oxofluorotitanate phase, which has previously only been synthesized in aqueous solution. The extent of reaction varied both with vapor phase HF concentration, relative humidity, and the exposure time. HF concentrations as low as 1 ppm could be detected for exposure times of 120 h.

We have developed a method for performing light-sheet microscopy with a single high numerical aperture lens by integrating reflective side walls into a microfluidic chip. These 45° side walls generate light-sheet illumination by reflecting a vertical light-sheet into the focal plane of the objective. Light-sheet illumination of cells loaded in the channels increases image quality in diffraction limited imaging via reduction of out-of-focus background light. Single molecule super-resolution is also improved by the decreased background resulting in better localization precision and decreased photo-bleaching, leading to more accepted localizations overall and higher quality images. Moreover, 2D and 3D single molecule superresolution data can be acquired faster by taking advantage of the increased illumination intensities as compared to wide field, in the focused light-sheet.

A method for patterning on vertical silicon surfaces in high aspect ratio silicon topography is presented. A Faraday cage is used to direct energetic reactive ions obliquely through a patterned suspended membrane positioned over the topography. The technique is capable of forming high-fidelity pattern (100 nm) features, adding an additional fabrication capability to standard top-down fabrication approaches.

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Pyrolyzed carbon as a mechanical material is promising for applications in harsh environments. In this work, we characterized the material and developed novel processes for fabricating carbon composite micro-electromechanical systems (CMEMS) structures. A novel method of increasing Young's modulus and the conductivity of pyrolyzed AZ 4330 was demonstrated by loading the films with graphene oxide prior to pyrolysis. By incorporating 2 wt.% graphene stiffeners into the film, a 65% increase in Young's modulus and 11% increase in conductivity were achieved. By reactive ion etching pyrolyzed blanket AZ 50XT thick film photoresist, a high aspect ratio process was demonstrated with films >7.5um thick. Two novel multi-level, volume-scalable CMEMS processes were developed on 6" diameter wafers. Young's modulus of 23 GPa was extracted from nanoindentation measurements of pyrolyzed AZ 50XT films. The temperature-dependent resistance was characterized from room temperature to 500C and found to be nearly linear over this range. By fitting the results of self-heated bridges in an inert ambient, we calculated that the bridges survived to 1000C without failure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed the film to be largely amorphous, containing some sub-micrometer sized graphite crystallites. This was consistent with our Raman analysis, which also showed the film to be largely sp 2 bonded. The calculated average density of pyrolyzed AZ 4330 films was 1.32 g/cm 2 . Thin level of disorder and the conductivity of thin film resistors were found to unchanged by 2Mrad gamma irradiation from a Co 60 source. Thin film pyrolyzed carbon resistors were hermetically sealed in a nitrogen ambient in 24-pin dual in-line packages (DIP's). The resistance was measured periodically and remained constant over 6 months' time.

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The human brain (volume=1200cm3) consumes 20W and is capable of performing > 10^16 operations/s. Current supercomputer technology has reached 1015 operations/s, yet it requires 1500m^3 and 3MW, giving the brain a 10^12 advantage in operations/s/W/cm^3. Thus, to reach exascale computation, two achievements are required: 1) improved understanding of computation in biological tissue, and 2) a paradigm shift towards neuromorphic computing where hardware circuits mimic properties of neural tissue. To address 1), we will interrogate corticostriatal networks in mouse brain tissue slices, specifically with regard to their frequency filtering capabilities as a function of input stimulus. To address 2), we will instantiate biological computing characteristics such as multi-bit storage into hardware devices with future computational and memory applications. Resistive memory devices will be modeled, designed, and fabricated in the MESA facility in consultation with our internal and external collaborators.

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Carbon composite micro-electromechanical systems (C-MEMS) incorporating 2 wt.% graphene stiffeners show a 65% increase in Young's modulus and 11% increase in conductivity. An improved reduced graphene oxide (iRGO), is blended into pyrolytic carbon beams prepared for resonant frequency testing. Designed around a 10:1 (length: width) aspect ratio, the linearity of wt.% iRGO in the cantilevers as a function of resonant frequencies is evaluated. The collection of the 1st through 3rd bending modes using laser doppler velocimetery (LDV) of the graphene filled cantilevers shows an increase in frequency response with nanomaterial loading (wt.%). A model was developed using the 3-bending modes and correlated with cross sectional geometry and density to extract a Young's modulus. © 2012 The Electrochemical Society.

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