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MetaMEMS
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Welcome to MetaMEMS Corp. Where Reconfigurable Systems Physically
Come to Life
MetaMEMS Corp is investigating the formation of reconfigurable systems that promises to
hold potential for adjustable antennas, Laser to Fiber alignment, Fluid Analysis LOB (Lab On a Chip), accelerometers
and adaptive 3-D structures. Our firm is co-located in a state sponsored incubator called the EDC created
next to the New Jersey institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark, NJ. NJIT offers a MEMS based processing facility that
can be utilized to create some of the components that are required to generate these systems.
Background Reconfigurable systems are very useful and allow for a rapid change to the system to achieve the desired behavior in a short time period. There are situations where some systems that would desire the ability to be reconfigurable but currently are not able to do so. These systems contain a component that is a discrete element: inductor, capacitor or antenna. It is difficult to replace these discrete elements with switches formed from active circuitry since the circuitry introduces loss and degrades the characteristics of the discrete elements. An RF (Radio Frequency) switch is used to switch the antenna from the transmitter to the receiver and the switch itself unfortunately introduces a loss of about 0.5db. This is because it is difficult to replace metal with active components. In order to switch in a different value of an inductor, a first switch must disconnect the first inductor and a second switch must connect the new inductor. However, the switch introduces a loss and reduces the Q of the inductor; this is typically an undesirable effect. Finally, variable capacitors are currently formed by active devices; diodes or MOS gates, etc. These capacitors can behave nonlinearly and have a limited range of linear operation over a given voltage range. In addition, wireless systems are comprised of hardware such as transmitters, receivers, DSPs (Digital Signal Processor), memory, D/A (Digital to Analog), A/D, filters and antennas. Typically, the wireless communication channel in a system may operate in a new frequency band However, the system would perform better if the passive components could be changed to operate at that new frequency band. Since the hardware is physically soldered and bound in place in the system, it is very difficult to replace them with hardware that has been optimized to operate at this newer frequency band. One approach to this problem is to design the hardware so it operates over a larger frequency band. The consequences are a loss in gain and not being able to achieve the ultimate performance with an optimum design
MetaMEMS Corp. offers systems that can perform self-assembly
and re-assembly in real time. Such capabilities offer the possibily of creating reconfiguratble antennas.
In addition, the systems can be controlled to perform physical movement that would be beneficial to the analysis of biological
studies of fluid concentration and surface properties of liquids
A reconfigurable system is described that can optimize the performance of the system. Substrates can be detached, levitated, moved, dropped and reattached as desired by the use of Coulomb forces generate between Coulomb islands. Thus, a system using a first set of substrates for a given frequency range can be exchanged with a second set of substrates operable at a different frequency range by the use of Coulomb forces. Making this exchange in an RF system can improve the selectivity and decrease the power dissipation of the system. One of the exchanges can involve inductor to shift the frequency of oscillation, for example. A control unit can be used to control the movement and replacement of all substrates. The formation of minimal energy potentials of Coulomb forces are determined to move a substrate over an underlying substrate. |
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