MEMS

MICROELCETROMECHANICALSYSTEMS

GUIDE TECHNICAL SEMINAR

Mr. DEEPAK N.A. E. RAM KUMAR
(1BY05EC015)
Agenda
 History

 Definition

 Overview

 Applications

 Futures

 Conclusion
Microelectronics- Historical Perspective

 Point contact Transistor

invented in 1947 by
Bardeen, Brattain, Schokly
at Bell Telephone
laboratory.
 Nobel Prize in 1956

 Oxidation demonstrated in
1953 at Bell Telephone
Laboratory
Microelectronics- Historical Perspective

 Jack S. Kilby invented Monolithic Integrated

Circuit in 1958.
 US Patent Filed on Feb 6th,1959.
U.S. Patent #3138743
 Noble Prize in 2000
Microelectronics- Historical Perspective

 IC’s in early 1960s  IC’s in early 1990s

with for BJTs and with over 1million
several Resistive Transistors (MOS).
elements.
Silicon ICs Status And Trends
 Silicon ICs Status And Trends

 MOORE’S LAW:
The number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on
an integrated circuit has increased exponentially, doubling
approximately every two years.
 Silicon Microelectronics

 Silicon Wafer size

(~4 – 12 inches)
 Silicon chip size
(~2 inches)
 Currently>100M
transistors/chip
 Projection in 2014: 20B
transistors/chip
Size does matters…
What are MEMS?

 Micro - Small size, microfabricated structures

 Electro - Electrical signal/control

 Mechanical - Mechanical functionality

 Systems - Structures, Devices, systems

- Control
Cont...
 Integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and
electronics on a common silicon substrate through micro
fabrication technology.
 Components between 1 to 100 micrometers in size (i.e. 0.001
to 0.1 mm).
 They are fabricated by Batch processing techniques to sense,
control and actuate on micro scale.
 Micromachining techniques were adapted for precision of
structures from micrometers to nanometers
 MEMS can transform whole of electronics and mechanical
devices to micro scale.
 Multidisciplinary
Micro-Probing
(STM,AFM)
Micro-optics
Micro-Fluids

Pressure,
Bio-MEMS
MEMS Force, Inertia,
sound etc

Micro-Scale Actuation
and Motion RF-MEMS Micro- magnetics
History of MEMS technology
 Richard Feynman- “There’s plenty of room at the bottom”
- Presentation given at California Institute Of technology, 26th
Dec 1959.
-Tries to spur innovative miniature fabrication techniques for
micromechanics

 Westinghouse creates the “Resonant Gate FET” in 1969.

 Bulk-etched silicon wafers used as pressure sensors in 1970s.

 Early surface micromachined polysilicon in 1980s.

 Micromachining leverages and microelectronics industries in

late 1990s.
Micromachining
 Process to remove excess or unwanted stock by the use of
machine tools.
 Micromachining techniques were originally developed for IC
indusrty(1960s).
 Micromachining distinguish:

1. Surface micromachining: use deposited thin films.

2. Bulk micromachining: use (silicon) substrate.

Surface micromachining Bulk micromachining
Scaling
 To design micromechanical actuators, it is helpful to
understand how forces scale.

 In building small actuating systems, one cannot easily combine

small motor, gears or screw together.

 Size of a system depends on magnitude of integrations and

complexity.

 Scaling by a variable S that represents linear scale system.

Water bug
 Weight of water bug scales as
volume(S3).
 Surface tension (S1).
 Force on bug’s foot(S2).

 When scale size decreases, weight

decreases rapidly than surface
tension.

 Changing weight from 2m to 2mm

causes a weight decrease a billion
factor than the surface tension.
Hence, the bug walks on water.
 First Aerospace Device

Bi-Directional Micro Thruster

Place: Under the Aerospace Corporation, NASA-

JPL, MIT, and Lewis Research center with in July,
1998.
Specifications:
Mass flow rate = 5 x 10-8 kg/s.
Thrust = 1 mN
Thruster are a gas plenum 1 mm deep by 36 mm2
Commercially available at EG & GIC sensor corp…
Micro Nozzle

1. A supersonic nozzle for

space propulsion
application.
2. Specification
• Throat diameter = 100 μm
• Expansion range = 10:1
• Length = 1 mm
MEMS Picosat
 The primary goal of picosasts mission
is to validate microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS) radio frequency
switches designed by Rockwell
Science Center, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
 The two orbiting picosats are to be
tethered because they will communicate
via micro power radios
 The tether contains thin strands of
gold wire to facilitate radar tracking
by U.S. Space Command.
 Concepts for the future involve optical
communication via fiberoptic tethers
and other cluster architectures for
miniature satellites for which
experience with tethers is useful.
Accelerometer
 These are the devices used
to measure acceleration.

 These are used for airbag

sensors.

 MEMS version of
accelerometer are
miniature in size.

 They are low cost, smaller

and light in weight.
Goals for Accelerometer
Specifications
Through experiments we intend to determine:

 Required bandwidth to detect meaningful acceleration.

 Analog outputs of accelerometer were used.

 Range of accelerations generated from impact and foot slip

Required accelerometer sensitivity.
`
Futures
MEMS is an enabling technology that will be part of both macro
and micro systems.

MEMS array can be used to change the geometry of the system.

MEMS exploration in space in coming years will emphasize cost

effectiveness and exploration of robust, ultra-miniaturized,
cost-effective and functionality focused smart air planes.

Use of MEMS robot for repairing and house-keeping the main

satellite.
 Conclusion
• Reduction of cost for a given performance.
• Extreme miniaturisation possible.
• Microtechnology allows production of multiple types of microdevices.
• Possibility of enabling new functions.
• Improve performance of existing functions.
• Shorter development time.
• Controlled risk.
Thank you!!!