Scientists at the University of Oxford and the University of Pennsylvania Suggested Frequency tuning technology that is unstable in receiving and transmitting nodes of radio communication equipment. This is similar to the invention of unstable flash memory, which is found only in radio engineering. The proposed solution would not only reduce the consumption of communication equipment, but also pave the way for the use of materials that change mechanical properties in response to an electrical signal.
Image Source: Nature Communications
A few years ago, the authors of a study gave the award Publications One of the most popular publications – Natural communication, Thought about the practical application of the controlled and inverse mechanical properties of materials that change with the phase state of matter. Such materials have long been used to build PRAM memory (or PCRAM). An important example of such memory is the Intel 3D XPoint memory and Optane drives. In fact, the scientists took the material from the same group ChalcogenidesIt is used in 3D XPoint and other variants of PRAM memory.
Under the influence of heating and cooling, chalcogenides can change their atomic structure – becoming amorphous conductors or conductive crystals. Rewritable optical CDs, DVDs, and other discs use the same property of chalcogenides, relying solely on optics. Researchers have created nanostrings from germanium telluride chalcogenide in frequency resonators, and short-term heating altered their physical properties.
Under the action of short pulses, the nanostrings transition from the amorphous state to a crystalline state with many intermediate states. Thus, they changed the modulus of normal elasticity (Young modulus). As a result, the resonance frequencies also change. After reconstruction, power is not required to maintain the set resonant frequency, while for all modern implementations of such solutions in the transceiver paths of radio equipment, power is always required. Moreover, the rearrangement of the atomic structure of resonators occurs 10-100 times faster than modern solutions.
“This research creates a new basis for the use of functional materials whose fundamental mechanical properties can be altered by an electrical impulse. This is very exciting and we hope it will inspire further development of new materials optimized for these applications. – Said one of the main authors of the work.
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