Welcome to YODA – Open Digital Archive for CSEM
The YODA archive gives access to CSEM's publications, such as its annual reports and brochures. For technical papers such as scientific publications, bibliographic information is provided, along with the full paper where this is possible.
This comprehensive database is part of CSEM's Open Access Publishing policy. For further information refer to the YODA support guide or contact repository@csem.ch.
Recent Submissions
Item Field demonstration of a scalable predictive energy management approach for multi-family buildings with heat pumps and PV(2026-06-04)The OPERA project demonstrates a predictive energy management strategy designed for multi-family buildings equipped with heat pumps (HPs) and photovoltaic (PV) systems. The project, implemented in a renovated 20-apartment building in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, aimed to develop, deploy, and validate a model predictive control (MPC) strategy that optimizes heat pump operation. It leverages the building’s thermal inertia to minimize electricity costs while preserving comfort. Communication with the heating and domestic hot water (DHW) subsystems is standardized via SmartGridReady (SGR) functional profiles. Across a full heating season (2024–2025), the predictive control achieved an 11.5% reduction in HP electricity costs, primarily by shifting consumption to low-tariff periods and increasing self-consumption. The project confirms the technical and economic feasibility of predictive control for collective housing in a renovation context and puts a strong emphasis on replicability, by 1) providing a blueprint for replication to similar buildings with a communication and control approach relying on standardized interfaces to the heat pump and home automation system to control the valves, and 2) integrating in a commercial energy management system (EMS) with no additional hardware investment required; and 3) formulating recommendations related to design, control and operation drawn from that campaign.Item Robustness of nano-electromechanical switches against mechanical shock and vibration loads(2025)Nano-electromechanical (NEM) switches offer significant potential for future computing and memory applications due to their low power consumption and ability to operate in high-temperature and radiation-harsh environments. However, there is a lack of studies on the robustness of NEM switches under mechanical loads. In this study, we investigated the performance of 3- and 7-terminal NEM relays under mechanical shocks up to 5000 g and vibrations up to 70 g. The results demonstrate that devices maintain mechanical functionality, with some variations in the electrical characteristics. These findings underscore the potential of NEMS technology for reliable operation in harsh environments, paving the way for their possible integration into next-generation electronic devices.Item Mechanical shock and vibration testing of volatile and non-volatile nanoelectromechanical switches(2025)Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches are promising for ultra-low-power electronics in harsh environments due to their zero leakage current and radiation hardness. However, their mechanical robustness under extreme loads remains insufficiently studied. This work investigates the performance of 3-terminal and 7-terminal NEM relays subjected to mechanical shocks up to 5000 g and vibrations up to 70 g. All tested devices retained mechanical functionality, confirming excellent structural integrity. Electrical characterisation revealed variations in pull-in and pull-out voltages and loss of programmed states in 7T relays, although their non-volatile capability remained intact. These instabilities are primarily attributed to the soft Au contact coating, which is prone to wear and deformation. The findings highlight the suitability of NEM technology for harsh environments and point to future improvements through more suitable contact materials and device miniaturization.Item Bi-parameter thermal-mechanical reliability of miniaturised electromechanical RF relays for space applications(2023)Reliability assessment of the miniaturised RF electromechanical relays under the simultaneously applied thermal and mechanical stresses was studied. This combination of stress factors, commonly overseeing by the existing reliability standards and testing procedures, does occur in certain operation conditions, such as during the spacecraft launch phase. It was demonstrated that the relay robustness for the mechanical vibration is not affected by high temperature up to the maximum device operation T of 100 °C. However, a progressive deterioration of the device performance under mechanical shocks with the temperature increase was observed. The relay exhibits state flipping events at lower shock accelerations under high temperatures. The relay's destruction limits are also lower at the maximum device operation temperature. The observed degradation is not large, and the device performance stays within the required specifications even at the highest operation temperature.Item Reliability assessment and failure mode analysis of MEMS accelerometers for space applications(2018)In the present work, the reliability assessment of capacitive MEMS accelerometers of 3 different suppliers (codenamed A, B, and C) for their use in space applications was performed. The developed reliability assessment testing program addressed specific severities of space missions, such as mechanical shocks and vibrations during take-off and rocket stages separation, high temperature gradients and radiation endurance during in-orbit operation. The main aim of the testing was to evaluate the robustness and reliability limits of MEMS devices by overstressing their specific properties through dedicated tests. Typical failures modes were analyzed and rootcauses identified on the devices' subsystem level: MEMS structure, ASIC, interconnecting wires, and package. Overall results of the performed reliability assessment tests and failure mode analyses suggest that the most specific MEMS components, namely the microstructures, do not themselves constitute the failure causes. Following the observations, other components, e.g. interconnects, ASIC or packaging, exhibit lower reliability limits to the specific stresses of the space harsh conditions. Comparative analysis of three accelerometers from various suppliers (designs A, B, and C) suggests the design A (in a hermetic ceramic package) to exhibit the best overall reliability for space-specific application conditions. Design B also shows good robustness. However, its non-hermetic packaging makes it unsuitable for the direct use for space applications in the current state. Utilization of a hermetic package and improvement of the wire-bonding temperature resistance would significantly improve this design. Accelerometers of supplier C (in a hermetic ceramic package) have a trend of occasional “infant mortality” early failures. It is therefore very important to perform burn-in and initial prescreening for these devices. Another strong weak point for this design is related to a low radiation endurance, which shall be significantly improved.
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