US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Design and Implementaion of RF MEMS Components for Wireless Application

Ohio State University Research Foundation -Do Not Use, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

0220352 Elnaggar Description: This award is to support a collaborative project between Dr. Mohammed I. El-Naggar, Department of Electrical Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio and Dr. Hamed El-Simary, Electronics Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt. The two investigators will focus their research on the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and their interface circuit. They aim to integrate passive components permitted by MEMS technology to implement an integrated RF system on a chip, including the integration of sensors and the electronics circuits on the same chip. The deliverables from the various work-packages of this project will have an application in the area of RF circuits, which is important for industrial purposes. Scope: MEMS technology permits the fabrication of complex mechanical shapes on a micron scale, and it allows production of capacitive sensors, high-Q (Quality factor) resonant structures for oscillators, mixers, and filters. It also allows fabrication of variable capacitors and suspended inductor for high frequency tuned oscillators. The US PI has the facilities and expertise to develop such devices. The project will involve design activities by the Egyptian team and fabrication and testing by the U.S. team. It will facilitate transfer of technical know-how to Egypt and also intellectual transfer to the U.S. The two teams have already done some work in this area. Participation by industry is expected in assessing the degree of improvement of components. The project will involve one U.S. graduate student and exchanges of visits by the Egyptian and the U.S. investigators. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.