Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, Army STTR, Phase I
Metamaterials Based on Magnetic Shape Anisotropy for K-Band Microwave Applications
Objective
Vendors must develop a metamaterial using magnetic shape anisotropy of ferromagnetic nanoparticles for the operation of ultracompact antenna in the K frequency band of the microwave spectrum.
Description
The Army desires metamaterials demonstrating resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave Ku (12 GHz to 18 GHz) and K (18 GHz to 26.5 GHz) bands for multiple applications, including ultracompact microwave antennae, radar detection and frequency-selective wireless heating.
The availability of ferromagnetic materials with high saturation magnetization and low magnetic damping, combined with recent advances in nanolithography, enable the development of such metamaterials based on arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles, where the magnetic shape anisotropy of nanoparticles determines the resonance frequency of the metamaterial.
The shape anisotropy enables fabrication of devices with a selection of operation frequencies via lithography. For example, arrays of ultracompact antennae covering a wide band of the microwave spectrum, where each antenna tunes to its own resonance frequency via control of the fabricated nanoparticle shape, can provide ultrafast monitoring of the electromagnetic environment.
An important advantage of a magnetic metamaterial is the independence of its resonance frequency on the antennae dimensions. This enables ultracompact antennae for communications with miniature devices. The metamaterial antenna gain can be further boosted via magneto-electric or magneto-resistive effects in nanoparticle-based heterostructures. This can result in record levels of sensitivity to microwave signals.
The Army wants to develop magnetic metamaterials based on arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that show resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation tunable by the nanoparticle shape. The metamaterial must operate at room temperature without a bias magnetic field and must show tunability of its frequency via shape anisotropy in the 2 GHz – 26.5 GHz frequency range (covering S, C, X, Ku and K bands).
The metamaterial must exhibit resonant responses to the frequency of incident electromagnetic radiation while offering a quality factor exceeding 100. To enable commercial applications, the metamaterial must be fabricated from a polycrystalline or amorphous ferromagnetic film deposited at room temperature by a high-throughput technique such as sputtering or electrodeposition. The vendor must demonstrate the operation of a K-band ultracompact microwave antenna based on the shape-anisotropy. The overall antenna dimensions must not exceed 5 millimeters.
Phase I
Vendors must develop a magnetic metamaterial defined by arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that show resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave Ku band (12 GHz – 18 GHz). It must also have zero magnetic field and offer scalability of the concept to the K frequency band.
Phase II
Businesses need to determine the optimal combination of high saturation magnetization and low magnetic damping to demonstrate a resonant response of the metamaterial in the K frequency band (18 GHz to 26.5 GHz). The resonance quality factor must exceed 100 throughout that frequency band. The metamaterial fabrication process must be compatible with standard high-throughput film deposition. Vendors need to demonstrate control of the resonance frequency via shape anisotropy while fabricating metamaterial samples operating in the S, C, X and Ku microwave bands.
Vendors should design, implement and test an ultra-compact (dimension below 5 mm) K-band antenna based on the shape-anisotropy metamaterial. Businesses must demonstrate the possibility of higher antenna gain using magneto-electric or magneto-resistive effects. Vendors should also provide a sample of the metamaterial and the K-band antenna to the Army for further testing.
Phase III
The ultracompact microwave antennae based on shape-anisotropy magnetic metamaterial can act as receivers in miniature autonomous vehicles. An array of such ultracompact microwave antennae enables the continuous monitoring of the electromagnetic spectrum over a wide microwave band, which can rapidly detect threats with known electromagnetic signatures.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
STTR Help Desk: usarmy.rtp.devcom-arl.mbx.sttr-pmo@army.mil
References:
- M. A. W. Schoen, D. Thonig, M. L. Schneider, T. J. Silva, H. T. Nembach, O. Eriksson, O. Karis, J. M. Shaw, Ultra-low magnetic damping of a metallic ferromagnet. Nat. Phys. 12, 839–842 (2016).
- N. Ji, X. Liu, J.-P. Wang, Theory of Giant Saturation Magnetization in α-Fe16N: Role of Partial Localization in Ferromagnetism of 3d Transition Metals, New J. Phys. 12, 063032 (2010).
- C. Bayer, J. Jorzick, B. Hillebrands, S. O. Demokritov, R. Kouba, R. Bozinoski, A. N. Slavin, K. Y. Guslienko, D. V. Berkov, N. L. Gorn, M. P. Kostylev, Spin-Wave Excitations in Finite Rectangular Elements of Ni80Fe20, Phys. Rev. B 72, 064427 (2005).
- Y. Malallah, K. Alhassoon, D. Venkatesh, A. S. Daryoush, C. Chinnasamy, M. Marinescu, and H. Gundel, Gain Improved Stacked Antenna Tuned Using Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles and Ferroelectrics Films, in 2016 46th European Microwave Conference (EuMC) (2016), pp. 1007–1010.
- B. Fang, M. Carpentieri, X. Hao, H. Jiang, J. A. Katine, I. N. Krivorotov, B. Ocker, J. Langer, K. L. Wang, B. Zhang, B. Azzerboni, P. Khalili Amiri, G. Finocchio, Z. Zeng, Giant Spin-Torque Diode Sensitivity in the Absence of Bias Magnetic Field, Nature Commun. 7, 11259 (2016).
- magnetic metamaterial, shape anisotropy, microwave antenna, nanolithography, magnetic resonance
Objective
Vendors must develop a metamaterial using magnetic shape anisotropy of ferromagnetic nanoparticles for the operation of ultracompact antenna in the K frequency band of the microwave spectrum.
Description
The Army desires metamaterials demonstrating resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave Ku (12 GHz to 18 GHz) and K (18 GHz to 26.5 GHz) bands for multiple applications, including ultracompact microwave antennae, radar detection and frequency-selective wireless heating.
The availability of ferromagnetic materials with high saturation magnetization and low magnetic damping, combined with recent advances in nanolithography, enable the development of such metamaterials based on arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles, where the magnetic shape anisotropy of nanoparticles determines the resonance frequency of the metamaterial.
The shape anisotropy enables fabrication of devices with a selection of operation frequencies via lithography. For example, arrays of ultracompact antennae covering a wide band of the microwave spectrum, where each antenna tunes to its own resonance frequency via control of the fabricated nanoparticle shape, can provide ultrafast monitoring of the electromagnetic environment.
An important advantage of a magnetic metamaterial is the independence of its resonance frequency on the antennae dimensions. This enables ultracompact antennae for communications with miniature devices. The metamaterial antenna gain can be further boosted via magneto-electric or magneto-resistive effects in nanoparticle-based heterostructures. This can result in record levels of sensitivity to microwave signals.
The Army wants to develop magnetic metamaterials based on arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that show resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation tunable by the nanoparticle shape. The metamaterial must operate at room temperature without a bias magnetic field and must show tunability of its frequency via shape anisotropy in the 2 GHz – 26.5 GHz frequency range (covering S, C, X, Ku and K bands).
The metamaterial must exhibit resonant responses to the frequency of incident electromagnetic radiation while offering a quality factor exceeding 100. To enable commercial applications, the metamaterial must be fabricated from a polycrystalline or amorphous ferromagnetic film deposited at room temperature by a high-throughput technique such as sputtering or electrodeposition. The vendor must demonstrate the operation of a K-band ultracompact microwave antenna based on the shape-anisotropy. The overall antenna dimensions must not exceed 5 millimeters.
Phase I
Vendors must develop a magnetic metamaterial defined by arrays of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that show resonant responses to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave Ku band (12 GHz – 18 GHz). It must also have zero magnetic field and offer scalability of the concept to the K frequency band.
Phase II
Businesses need to determine the optimal combination of high saturation magnetization and low magnetic damping to demonstrate a resonant response of the metamaterial in the K frequency band (18 GHz to 26.5 GHz). The resonance quality factor must exceed 100 throughout that frequency band. The metamaterial fabrication process must be compatible with standard high-throughput film deposition. Vendors need to demonstrate control of the resonance frequency via shape anisotropy while fabricating metamaterial samples operating in the S, C, X and Ku microwave bands.
Vendors should design, implement and test an ultra-compact (dimension below 5 mm) K-band antenna based on the shape-anisotropy metamaterial. Businesses must demonstrate the possibility of higher antenna gain using magneto-electric or magneto-resistive effects. Vendors should also provide a sample of the metamaterial and the K-band antenna to the Army for further testing.
Phase III
The ultracompact microwave antennae based on shape-anisotropy magnetic metamaterial can act as receivers in miniature autonomous vehicles. An array of such ultracompact microwave antennae enables the continuous monitoring of the electromagnetic spectrum over a wide microwave band, which can rapidly detect threats with known electromagnetic signatures.
Submission Information
All eligible businesses must submit proposals by noon ET.
To view full solicitation details, click here.
For more information, and to submit your full proposal package, visit the DSIP Portal.
STTR Help Desk: usarmy.rtp.devcom-arl.mbx.sttr-pmo@army.mil
References:
- M. A. W. Schoen, D. Thonig, M. L. Schneider, T. J. Silva, H. T. Nembach, O. Eriksson, O. Karis, J. M. Shaw, Ultra-low magnetic damping of a metallic ferromagnet. Nat. Phys. 12, 839–842 (2016).
- N. Ji, X. Liu, J.-P. Wang, Theory of Giant Saturation Magnetization in α-Fe16N: Role of Partial Localization in Ferromagnetism of 3d Transition Metals, New J. Phys. 12, 063032 (2010).
- C. Bayer, J. Jorzick, B. Hillebrands, S. O. Demokritov, R. Kouba, R. Bozinoski, A. N. Slavin, K. Y. Guslienko, D. V. Berkov, N. L. Gorn, M. P. Kostylev, Spin-Wave Excitations in Finite Rectangular Elements of Ni80Fe20, Phys. Rev. B 72, 064427 (2005).
- Y. Malallah, K. Alhassoon, D. Venkatesh, A. S. Daryoush, C. Chinnasamy, M. Marinescu, and H. Gundel, Gain Improved Stacked Antenna Tuned Using Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles and Ferroelectrics Films, in 2016 46th European Microwave Conference (EuMC) (2016), pp. 1007–1010.
- B. Fang, M. Carpentieri, X. Hao, H. Jiang, J. A. Katine, I. N. Krivorotov, B. Ocker, J. Langer, K. L. Wang, B. Zhang, B. Azzerboni, P. Khalili Amiri, G. Finocchio, Z. Zeng, Giant Spin-Torque Diode Sensitivity in the Absence of Bias Magnetic Field, Nature Commun. 7, 11259 (2016).
- magnetic metamaterial, shape anisotropy, microwave antenna, nanolithography, magnetic resonance