Nanomechanical Switch-Based Logic and Non-Volatile Memory for Robust Ultra-Low Power Circuits

Project Information

ZeroAMP

Grant agreement ID: 871740

DOI

10.3030/871740

Project closed

EC signature date 5 December 2019

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 30 June 2024

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 3 481 243,75

EU contribution

€ 3 481 243,75

Coordinated by

MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY CALDICOT LIMITED
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ZeroAMP (Nanomechanical Switch-Based Logic and Non-Volatile Memory for Robust Ultra-Low Power Circuits)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ZeroAMP project has aimed its NEM Switch Technology to go “where no intelligent computing device has been before” and to do so at half the power consumption of conventional CMOS electronics. Our ambition is for it to create entirely new fundamental microelectronic devices and their “eco system”, that will benefit European businesses and society by facilitating lower energy usage and by creating products with unique data processing capabilities for extreme environments. In the future, our technology may enable cakes to be baked with less heat energy or allow satellites to get closer to the sun.
NEM Switches are based on MEMS wafer manufacturing processes which are used for example to produce the microphones in our mobile phones. NEM Switches are tiny electrostatically operated relays, their contacts are separated by a gap of around 1000th the size of a hair (less than a tenth of a micron). Compared to conventional transistors, these switches can work at much higher temperatures and radiation levels. They also work at lower power because their switch contacts snap shut abruptly and, as a results of their microscopic size, can stay held shut by subatomic forces (in a similar fashion to magnets). They neither need power to stay shut nor leak energy when open. These properties of NEM Switches are expected to allow data collection, processing and transmission from very harsh environment (temperatures to 325°C and high radiation levels of over 1 MRad absorbed dose).
MEMS devices are normally a single product sensor that has to be supported by a CMOS chip. We have demonstrated the potential for NEM Switches to work unsupported, to be scalable into circuits, and therefore to be multi-purpose and intelligent. Further, we have shown that our switches can improve the architecture of common electronic components (such as ADCs, FPGAs and NVM) to substantial reduce their internal component count and our NEMS die costs. Finally, the ZeroAMP project has developed the manufacturing technology for NEM Switch technology and identified a pathway for the technology’s commercial production. As a result, the project has laid solid foundations for NEM Switches to be taken forward by the ZeroAMP team’s follow-on project, i-EDGE. i-EDGE plans to grow on ZeroAMP’s “shoulders” by developing exploitation plans and products that are suitable for a new business.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project has developed the core switches for NEM Switch technology (called 3T, 4T and 7T switches), reduced their size and operating voltage and proved their ability to withstand severe shock and vibration.
We have developed a software design system (or PDK) for NEM Switch technology. This PDK has software models of its switches, primitive cells such as logic (eg AND, NOR, MUX), memory and an FPGA computing cell. Also embedded in our PDK, is our previously mentioned work of using the unique characteristics NEM Switches to simplify the architecture of common components, such as by using 4T switches to reduce ADC size. Finally, our PDK has enabled quick circuit designs and die layouts, has been extensively used and tested in ZeroAMP, and could be available for future customers to design NEM Switch products.
The project has optimised its high-density integration method. It has used its PDK to design a proof-of-concept wafer containing a range of devices from the core NEM switches all the way up to more complex devices such as FPGA. It has now fabricated these wafers at one of XFAB’s wafer foundries.
ZeroAMP has developed a range of packaging solutions from tiny silicon lids bonded on top of the dies, to a multi-die assembly on a PCB (or System-in-Package) capable of 250oC.
Using all this technology, we have designed NEM Switch circuits, laid out these circuits for wafer production, developed assembly processes, and manufactured the component parts for a demonstrator that will record temperatures in a conveyor oven that will show case NEM Switch capabilities.
The project has developed exploitation plans, created product specifications, developed a cost model and a “Lab to Fab” roadmap for its future supply chain. This information has provided clearer goals for future NEM Switch commercial development. The project has also advertised its technology by many dissemination activities, such as scientific conferences, LinkedIn posts, and our website.
In summary, the project has carried out novel scientific work to develop a new class of microelectronic devices, developed plans to commercially exploit this work and disseminated its work to a wide audience.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

ZeroAMP has had the technical impact of laying the foundations of an entirely new nanoscale switch that can mimic a FET transistor and yet improve on the difficulties for normal FET transistors at temperature or in radiation. NEM Switches’ unique zero standby current and lower power operation allows it to sit idle and waiting for very long periods or to operate in energy deprived situations and use unusual low power energy sources. Unlike other MEMS devices which are normally individual components supported by a CMOS interface chip, we have shown the potential for NEM Switches to work unsupported, to be scalable into circuits, and therefore to be multi-purpose and intelligent.
Through its exploitation research and many interviews, ZeroAMP has developed the concept of a wireless capable high harsh environment sensor platform which would be the first of its kind by functioning at 180oC – 325oC without heat shielding. This will make measuring the actual temperature of a component in an oven easier, rather than relying on excess time or excess oven air temperature.
Additional to prototyping this wireless sensor platform, ZeroAMP’s follow on Horizon project i-EDGE has the objective of creating the conditions for a new start-up business. Such a new start-up should achieve impact through its high temperature and radiation tolerant products which will support IIoT sensing and provide intelligence and communication in impossible environments, such as industrial ovens and nuclear reactors. This potential future impact of NEM Switch Technology is summarised in the attached figure presenting the Future expected impact of NEM Switch Technology.
The achievement of all of these actions will lead to an economic impact through a new type of fundamental microelectronic device which extends European microelectronics capabilities, provides new jobs, improves sustainability (eg by enabling more efficient oven usage), all resulting in an overall gain for the EU’s society.

Future expected impact of NEM Switch Technology