The PETMEM project will involve the building of single or small arrays of PETMEM devices with off-chip electronics to energize and test the performance of the devices. The primary goal of PETMEM is to demonstrate that the basic concept of a piezoelectric driven, 2 state, piezoresistive memory cell works.
The PETMEM device consists of 2 main active components the PE (piezoelectric) layer and the PR (piezoresistive) layer. A voltage is applied across the PE layer by using a bottom gate contact and a common contact located at the interface between the PE and the PR layers. A top sense contact allows for the resistance of the PR layer to be measured. The basic principle of the device is that the PR layer displays a hysteretic transition between a high resistance state (OFF) and a low resistance state (ON) that is driven by pressure.
Technical:
- The materials and device specifications have been determined.
- New PR materials have been investigated and deposited
- PE materials have been investigated and deposited.
- We have developed the first set of test structures for piezoelectric (PE) devices and testing has been undertaken.
- The vital structural parameters of the PETMEM device have been determined via finite element analysis.
- Successful metrology experiments have been undertaken, providing unparalleled understanding of this little investigated materials.
- The integration and use of new metrology and characterization tools has yielded new insights and data, which has proven critical in the development of the PET device.
- Significant progress on the determination of material and device reliability, study of residual stress, device design, yoke structure and process flows, down-selection.
- process flow of the PETMEM device has been validated resulting in the first PET device structure, testing is ongoing through partner commitments post project
Project Dissemination:
- 18 publications have been published in peer reviewed journals and all are available to the public in gold or green open access models. Many more publications are planned for publication post PETMEM too.
- Six newsletters, with highlights of the project to date, has been disseminated.
- PETMEM project has been widely disseminated at international conferences with invited talks and post presentations.
- A regularly updated website and an intranet depository (SharePoint).
- Two public outreach musical and poetry events have engaged with the public about the context and problem PETMEM aims to solve, raising awareness and exploring new ways of public outreach, furthermore an interactive AR experience was created to further engage members of the public at events and meetings.
Strategy/ Market Exploitation:
- Analysis of target markets and the development of a relevant industrial strategy have been completed.
- Overseen the creation and nurturing of an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), which has informed market strategy and analysis. Furthermore feedback from the IAB members supports our plans and priority activities both for the memory element and short-term RF switching applications.
- The consortium is already planning for the use and dissemination of expected foreground IP's (PETMEM, tools, software, and materials).
- Sales of new tools and process have resulted from the project, generating revenue and increasing market share of SME's involved in the project
- New collaborations have been built.
Administration:
- All deliverables and milestones are now complete
- As at Month 42, all risks have been controlled and contingency/mitigation plans created, in place and updated regularly. We now consider all risks relevant to the project to be derisked or mitigated by ongoing commitments by partners post project.