Overview of MEMS and Microsystems

1. MEMS & Microsystems:

What is MEMS?
Abbreviation of MicroElectro Mechanical System.
Contain components of sizes in 1 micrometer (m) to 1 millimeter (mm).
se the litho!raphic an" other microfabrication technolo!ies to create
miniat#rize" sensors$ act#ators$ an" str#ct#res.
%n fabrication processes$ the a""ition$ s#btraction$ mo"ification$ an"
patternin! of materials are typically "one #sin! techni&#es ori!inally
"evelope" for the inte!rate" circ#it (%C$ ) in"#stry.
Two principal components of MEMS:
A sensin! or act#atin! element an" a si!nal trans"#ction #nit.
MEMS as a microsensor'
( E)ample' a press#re sensor
* %np#t si!nal' press#re
* Microsensin! element' a silicon "iaphra!m
* +rans"#ction #nit' piezoresistors (for resistance chan!e)$ pl#s a
,heatstone bri"!e circ#it
* -#tp#t si!nal' volta!e chan!e
( an aneroid pressure sensor:
The basic operating principle is to couple the pressure to-be measured to one
surface of a membrane and to measure its deflection (knowing the pressure-to-
deflection transfer function). (.ovacs$ /000)
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MEMS as a microact#ator'
( E)ample' a micro!ripper
Microsystems:
1*/
A microsystem is an en!ineerin! system that contains MEMS components
that are "esi!ne" to perform specific en!ineerin! f#nctions.
1 components (Ma"o#$ 1223)' micro sensors$ act#ators$ an" a processin!
#nit.
E)ample' an airba! "eployment system
An intellient microsystem:
%ncorporate si!nal processin! an" close"*loop fee"bac4 control systems into
a microsystem.
!. MEMS & Microsystem "rod#cts:
/.1 Micro!ears
5%6A toothe" 7heel (8#precht et al.$ 1223)
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p.s. 5%6A' come from the 6erman terms 5itho!raphy (5itho!raphie)$ electroformin!
(6alvanoform#n!)$ an" mol"in! (Abform#n!).
/./ Micro mi)er
9olymer micro mi)er (9rotron Mi4rotechni4)
/.1 %n4*:et 9rintin! ;ea"

9rinciples of %n4*:et 9rintin!'
< =rops are shot o#t from !enerator G.
< =rops receive a char!e in char!in! #nit C .
< +he electic fiel" E "eflects the motion of the "rop.
< +he "rop lan"s at the position on the paper.
>i!. +he essential feat#res of an in4*:et printer. (;alli"ay et al.$ /000)
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A thermal*b#bble*act#ate" "roplet !enerator (Allen et al.$ 12@A)'

An improve" "roplet !enerator (+sen! et al.$ 122@)'

Comparison of printing results:
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HP 51626A Printhead Microinjector (Tseng, !!")
/.? Micro*lens
micro*lens (;ec4ele et al.$ 122@)
/.A Micromirrors (

)
1*B
(a)
(b)
>i!. Electrostatic Comb"rive*Act#ate" Micromirrors (

) for 5aser*Ceam
Scannin! an" 9ositionin! (.ian! et al.$ 122@)
$. Microfa%rication
1.1 =efinition
+he technolo!ies #se" to pro"#ce min#te components is calle" microfabrication
technolo!ies$ or micromachinin!.
1./ Material removal D "eposition
8emoval'
+he 1*"imensional microstr#ct#res can be pro"#ce" by removin! part of
the base material by a physical or chemical etchin! process.
=eposition'
+hin*film "eposition techni&#es are #se" to b#il" layers of materials on
the base material.
1.1 Evol#tion
+he si!nificant amo#nt of microfabrication processes 7ere "evelope"
for the microelectronics in"#stry in the past A0 years.
* %n 12?3$ transistors () 7ere invente".
* %n 12AA$ a monolithic ( ) circ#it (i.e.$ #sin! !ermani#m or
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silicon to b#il" an entire circ#it) 7as pro"#ce" at 8CA.
* %n 12A@$ the first %C 7as pro"#ce" by Eac4 .ilby at +e)as
%nstr#ments.
* +o"ay$ #ltra lar!e scale inte!ration (5S%) can contain 10 million
transistors an" capacitors on a chip.
&. Microsystems and Microelectronics
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'. The M#ltidisciplinary (at#re of Microsystem )esin and Man#fact#rin
3 nat#ral science areas are involve"'
%. Electrochemistry ()' e). electroplatin! (F in the
5%6A process)F f#el cell ().
%%. Electrohy"ro"ynamics
%%%. Molec#lar biolo!y ()
%G. 9lasma physics ()
G. Scalin! la7s
G%. H#ant#m physics ()
G%%. Molec#lar physics ()' molec#lar "ynamics (
)
p.s.' 1. H#ant#m physics' for e)ample$ st#"y the movement of electrons in
semicon"#ctor materials.
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/. Electrohy"ro"ynamics involves the "rivin! of an ionize" fl#i" by the
application of electric fiel"s.
A en!ineerin! areas'
%. Mechanical en!ineerin!
%%. Electrical en!ineerin!
%%%. Chemical en!ineerin!
%G. Material en!ineerin!
G. %n"#strial en!ineerin!
*. Microsystems and Miniat#ri+ation
Cenefits of miniat#rization'
%. +en" to move faster.
%%. Enco#nter fe7 problems in thermal "istortion an" vibration.
%%%. Ma4e them more s#itable for applications in me"icine an"
s#r!ery an" in microelectronic assemblies.
%G. =esirable in satellites an" spacecraft en!ineerin!.
G. S#itable for telecomm#nication systems.
E)amples'
* Comp#ters' a"vance" in A0 years from the vac##m*t#be technolo!y to
the %C technolo!y. smaller size$ b#t better performance.
* Cio*chips' shorter time for "isease or vir#s "etection (pl#s m#ch less
samples re&#ire").
,eference:
1. ;alli"ay$ =.$ 8esnic4$ 8.$ an" ,al4er. E.$ >#n"amentals of 9hysics' E)ten"e"
Gersion Bth e"$ ,iley$ Eohn D Sons %ncorporate"$ /000.
/. ;s#$ +ai*8an$ MEMS D Microsystems =esi!n an" Man#fact#rin!$ Mc6ra7*;ill$
/00/.
1. .ian!$ M.*;.$ Sol!aar"$ -.$ 5a#$ ..I.$ an" M#ller$ 8.S.$ 122@$ Electrostatic
comb"rive*act#ate" micromirrors for laser*beam scannin! an" positionin!$
Eo#rnal of Microelectromechanical Systems$ Gol. 3$ %ss#e 1$ pp. /3 <13.
?. .ovacs$ 6eor!e +. A.$ Micromachine" +rans"#cers So#rceboo4$ Ma6ra7*;ill
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Companies$ %nc.$ /000.
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