An Investigation of Electrical Contact Materials for Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Switching

About the Project

Supervisory Team: Dr. Thomas Bull, Professor John McBride and Dr. Yoshishige Tsuchiya

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

Entry requirements

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

You must have a good mechanical engineering background with expertise in materials, computational modelling, and instrumentation systems.

Fees and funding

We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students. Horizon Europe fee waivers automatically cover the difference between overseas and UK fees for qualifying students.

Competition-based Presidential Bursaries from the University cover the difference between overseas and UK fees for top-ranked applicants.

Competition-based studentships offered by our schools typically cover UK-level tuition fees and a stipend for living costs for top-ranked applicants.

Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

For more information, please visit our postgraduate research funding pages.

How to apply

You need to:

• choose programme type (Research), 2026/27, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• select Full time or Part time
• search for programme PhD Engineering & the Environment (7175)
• add name of the supervisor in section 2 of the application

Applications should include:

• your CV (resumé)
• 2 academic references
• degree transcripts and certificates to date
• English language qualification (if applicable)

Contact us

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

If you have a general question, email: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

Project leader

For an initial conversation, T.Bull@soton.ac.uk.