MEMS enabled microsystems have demonstrated
the potential to revolutionize the architecture of modern communications,
sensors, and signal processing systems. To date, their exploitation in
commercial and military capabilities has been hindered by the lack of
understanding of the fundamental multi-physics phenomena that govern MEMS
device functionality and impact its performance degradation, especially
when subjected to operating conditions imposed by the heterogeneous, integrating
microsystems environment.
In order to address this requirement, The
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Purdue
University, The Georgia Institute
of Technology, Lehigh
University, MEMtronics and
their affiliated industrial partners have teamed up to propose an aggressive
and innovative fundamental and applied research effort through the establishment
of the DARPA
IMPACT Center for Advancement of MEMS/NEMS VLSI.
The mission and objectives of the proposed Center are:
• To develop and enhance the understanding of experimentally observed,
fundamental principles and processes governing MEMS/NEMS performance
• To develop experiments and demonstrate validated multi-physics/multi-scale
models to describe the thermoelectromechanical and fluidic interrelations
and their impact on MEMS/NEMS device operation and performance
• To experimentally demonstrate validated lifetime predictive models
for reliable device designs and system designs
• To demonstrate order reduced models and parameter extraction
procedures for complex but realistic system level designs
• To demonstrate innovative design methodologies with hardware
fabrication that take into consideration multi-physics/multi-scale physical
principles and apply them to the design of reliable largescale integrated
MEMS/NEMS based Microsystems
The ultimate goal is to develop the physics based knowledge needed to
enhance the lifetime performance and functionality of highly integrated
MEMS/NEMS based micro and nanosystems, and proliferate their insertion
in military and commercial applications.
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