About the project
This project aims to overcome the long‑standing reliability limitations of MEMS switches by enabling robust low‑voltage hot switching under load conditions.
The advent of 6G, Super-IoT (Internet of Things), and the Tactile Internet (TI) is ushering in new application paradigms that will heavily rely on Artificial Intelligence (AI) deployed in compact, smart devices at the network edge, also known as Edge Intelligence (EI). These advanced technologies require miniaturised, high linearity broadband signal and power switching devices, and a fundamental hardware component must be enhanced.
The Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) switch is a miniaturised relay manufactured using microfabrication techniques; however, despite more than three decades of research, the realization of power-handling MEMS relays capable of reliably performing low-voltage "hot switching" (switching while carrying a load current) remains a critical challenge. The main obstacle is reliability, rooted in issues such as the physical characteristics of electrical contact surfaces and the dynamics of actuation mechanisms.
Currently, while cold switching (without current) is achievable, devices tend to fail prematurely under hot switching conditions. This project aims to advance the state of the art by directly addressing the hot-switching reliability problem, contributing essential breakthroughs toward the practical deployment of MEMS switches in future intelligent edge infrastructures.
The project will have three phases:
- Phase 1: You further develop an In-situ Contact Evaluation (ICE) system, used to investigate and test MEMS surfaces. The ICE system was created in 2015 and requires modification to include new instrumentation and to test under a controlled atmosphere (i.e. nitrogen)
- Phase 2: You will develop and test new material combinations that enable hot switching of surfaces
- Phase 3: the surfaces developed will be integrated into a MEMS platform
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
