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Mechanical shock and vibration testing of volatile and non-volatile nanoelectromechanical switches
CSEM SA, Jaquet-Droz 1, 2000, Neuchatel, Switzerland.
University of Bristol, BS8 1QU, Bristol, UK.
University of Bristol, BS8 1QU, Bristol, UK.
KTH, Skolan för elektroteknik och datavetenskap (EECS), Mikro- och nanosystem.ORCID-id: 0000-0002-6811-590X
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2026 (Engelska)Ingår i: Microelectronics and reliability, ISSN 0026-2714, E-ISSN 1872-941X, Vol. 176, artikel-id 115980Artikel i tidskrift (Refereegranskat) Published
Abstract [en]

Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches are promising for ultra-low-power electronics in harsh environments due to their zero leakage current and radiation hardness. However, their mechanical robustness under extreme loads remains insufficiently studied. This work investigates the performance of 3-terminal and 7-terminal NEM relays subjected to mechanical shocks up to 5000 g and vibrations up to 70 g. All tested devices retained mechanical functionality, confirming excellent structural integrity. Electrical characterisation revealed variations in pull-in and pull-out voltages and loss of programmed states in 7T relays, although their non-volatile capability remained intact. These instabilities are primarily attributed to the soft Au contact coating, which is prone to wear and deformation. The findings highlight the suitability of NEM technology for harsh environments and point to future improvements through more suitable contact materials and device miniaturization.

Ort, förlag, år, upplaga, sidor
Elsevier BV , 2026. Vol. 176, artikel-id 115980
Nyckelord [en]
Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays, MEMS/NEMS reliability, Non-volatile mechanical memory, Harsh environment electronics, Mechanical shock, Mechanical vibration
Nationell ämneskategori
Annan elektroteknik och elektronik
Identifikatorer
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-377574DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2025.115980ISI: 001649429800001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105043913704OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-377574DiVA, id: diva2:2046271
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QC 20260715

Tillgänglig från: 2026-03-16 Skapad: 2026-03-16 Senast uppdaterad: 2026-07-15Bibliografiskt granskad
Ingår i avhandling
1. Advances in Nanoelectromechanical Switch Integration: From Device-Level Fabrication to Circuit-Level Implementation
Öppna denna publikation i ny flik eller fönster >>Advances in Nanoelectromechanical Switch Integration: From Device-Level Fabrication to Circuit-Level Implementation
2026 (Engelska)Doktorsavhandling, sammanläggning (Övrigt vetenskapligt)
Abstract [en]

The rapid growth of data-intensive applications such as edge computing, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things is pushing the limits of conventional CMOS electronics. In these systems, static leakage currents increasingly dominate power consumption. Nanoelectro-mechanical (NEM) switches are promising candidates for beyond-CMOS electronics due to their near-zero off-state leakage, abrupt switching characteristics, and robustness under extreme operating conditions, offering a route to dramatically reduce static power dissipation in future integrated circuits. However, practical NEM-based systems require scalable device architectures, reliable switch contacts, and CMOS-compatible integration strategies. This thesis addresses these challenges through the realization and integration of a CMOS-compatible NEM switch device library within commercial CMOS foundry platforms. The work investigates three complementary NEM switch architectures for logic and memory applications: a volatile three-terminal (3-T) switch, a volatile four-terminal (4-T) switch with decoupled actuation and signal paths, and a non-volatile seventerminal (7-T) switch. Building upon concepts established in earlier research within our group, the 3-T and 7-T devices are miniaturized and optimized through systematic studies of beam geometry and contact materials for low-voltage operation and improved switching behavior. A major contribution of this thesis is the optimization and experimental realization of the 4-T architecture, enabling body-bias-assisted reduction of the pull-in voltage and advanced circuit configurations. Two CMOS-compatible integration approaches are developed and experimentally validated: (1) Monolithic integration within the IMEC iSiPP50G silicon photonics SOI foundry platform, and (2) heterogeneous 3-D integration within the X-FAB XI10 SOI CMOS process. The first method enabled co-fabrication of all three NEM switch architectures on a single commercial foundry chip for the first time. Electrical characterization confirms volatile switching in the 3-T and 4-T devices, pull-in voltage reduction in the 4-T switch through body biasing, and both volatile and nonvolatile operation in the 7-T switch through contact engineering. However, in this approach, circuit scalability is limited by routing density inherent to planar integration, while Au contact stiction constrains switch reliability. The second approach addresses these limitations by vertically integrating the NEM device layer above the completed back-end-of-line (BEOL) through heterogeneously 3-D integration. This architecture alleviates routing constraints and improves device reliability using Ruthenium (Ru) switch contacts. Ru-coated devices demonstrate substantially improved cycling endurance, and a complementary inverter implemented with Ru-coated 3-T switches validates the feasibility of functional BEOL-integrated NEM circuits.

Ort, förlag, år, upplaga, sidor
Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2026. s. 161
Serie
TRITA-EECS-AVL ; 2026:51
Nyckelord
Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches, CMOS foundry integration, nonvolatile memory, contact reliability, wafer bonding, beyond-CMOS logic circuits
Nationell ämneskategori
Elektroteknik och elektronik
Forskningsämne
Elektro- och systemteknik
Identifikatorer
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-382596 (URN)978-91-8106-616-6 (ISBN)
Disputation
2026-08-19, F3, Lindstedtvägen 26, Stockholm, 15:00 (Engelska)
Opponent
Handledare
Forskningsfinansiär
EU, Horisont 2020, 871740EU, Horisont 2020, 101092018
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QC 20260602

Tillgänglig från: 2026-06-02 Skapad: 2026-05-28 Senast uppdaterad: 2026-06-16Bibliografiskt granskad

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Li, YingyingBleiker, Simon J.Niklaus, Frank

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Li, YingyingBleiker, Simon J.Niklaus, Frank
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