MICRO-ELECTRO-MECHANICAL-SYSTEMS

(MEMS)
By: K.HARSHA
ECE 2-II
email: harsha.soni5@gmail.com

Abstract: sub micron) level to the millimeter level, and

there can be any number,from a few to millions,
Micro ElectroMecahnical Systems (MEMS) are in a particular system. MEMS extend the
integrated micro devices or systems combining fabrication techniques developed for the
electrical and mechanical components that can integrated circuit industry to add mechanical
sense, control, and actuate on the micro scale elements such as beams, gears, diaphragms, and
and function individually or in arrays to springs to devices.
generate effects on the macro scale. MEMS is
one of the most promising areas in future
computer and machinery, the next logical step
in the silicon revolution. Fabricated using
Integrated Circuit (IC) compatible batch-
processing techniques, the small size of MEMS
opens a new line of exciting applications,
including aerospace, automotive,
biological/medical, fluidics, military, optics, and
many other areas. Reliability is of concern if
MEMS machinery is used in ritical applications.
MEMS is usually a combination of circuits and
micro-machinery. The reliability aspect includes
both the electronic and the mechanical parts,
complicated by the interactions. Different from
mechanical systems, inertia is of little concern;
the effects of atomic forces and surface science
dominate. Wafer Level Reliability (WLR) has Technology has been pushed to the point
received increasing interest in recent years. We that we can build machinery so small that it can
still have limited knowledge on how MEMS not be seen by human eye. The typical size of
devices fail. Limited tools and models are MEMS devices is usually measured in
available. How to model the reliability of micrometers or even microns. Using similar
MEMS is a challenge. fabrication techniques as building
microprocessors, we are now able to build
sensors and actuators on the same microscopic
Introduction: level with the processor chip. Measured in
microns, thermal sensors, pressure sensors,
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensors, flow and viscosity sensors,
are small integrated devices or systems that resonators, levers, gears, transmission systems,
combine electrical and mechanical components. micro-mirrors, valves, pumps, motors, ... can be
They range in size from the sub micrometer (or batch produced together on the same chip with
the processing unit. They indeed compose a came into use to designate the fabrication of
"system on a chip". micromechanical parts (such as pressure-sensor
A whole new line of applications are diaphragms or accelerometer suspension
opened up by this fast developing technology, beams) for Si microsensors. Isotropic etching of
limited maybe only by imagination. We can now Si was developed in the early 1960s for
make medical and biomedical devices so small transistor fabrication. Anisotropic etching of Si
that they can be injected into humans' then came about in 1967.
bloodstream. They may selectively kill sick cells These techniques also form the basis of the bulk
or germs, leaving healthy body tissue intact. They micromachining processing techniques. Bulk
may intelligently monitor blood substance and micromachining designates the point at which the
release drugs whenever necessary. bulk of the Si substrate is etched away to leave
"Microsurgery" is assigned a new meaning by behind the desired micromechanical elements [3].
intelligent MEMS devices. Controlled by outside Among these is the sacrificial layer technique,
central computers, Controlled chemical reactions first demonstrated in 1965 by Nathanson and
at microscopic level are also possible with Wickstrom [15], in which a layer of material is
MEMS technology. Miniature valves, pumps deposited between structural layers for
make it possible to build a chemical plant on a mechanical separation and isolation. A layer is
chip. releasable when a sacrificial layer separates it
New substances can be made when from the substrate. Prior to 1987, these
needed and a very fine grain control can be micromechanical structures were limited in
achieved. These systems can sense, control, and motion.
activate mechanical processes on the micro scale, During 1987-1988, a turning point was
and function individually or in arrays to generate reached in micromachining when, for the first
effects on the macro scale. The micro fabrication time, techniques for integrated fabrication of
technology enables fabrication of large arrays of mechanisms on Si were demonstrated. During a
devices, which individually perform simple tasks, series of three separate workshops on
but in combination can accomplish complicated microdynamics held in 1987, the term MEMS
functions. was coined. Equivalent terms for MEMS are
Microsystems (preferred in Europe) and micro
Historical background: machines (preferred in Japan).

Attention in this area was first focused on Fabrication technologies:

micro sensor (i.e., micro fabricated sensor)
development. The first micro sensor, which has The three characteristic features of MEMS
also been the most successful, was the Si pressure fabrication technologies are miniaturization,
sensor. In 1954 it was discovered that the multiplicity, and microelectronics.
piezoresistive effect in Ge and Si had the Miniaturization enables the production of
potential to produce Ge and Si strain gauges with compact, quick-response devices. Multiplicity
a gauge factor (i.e., instrument sensitivity) 10 to refers to the batch fabrication inherent in
20 times greater than those based on metal films. semiconductor processing, which allows
As a result, Si strain gauges began to be thousands or millions of components to be
developed commercially in 1958. The first high- easily and concurrently fabricated.
volume pressure sensor was marketed by Microelectronics provides the intelligence to
National Semiconductor in 1974. This sensor MEMS and allows the monolithic merger of
included a temperature controller for constant- sensors, actuators, and logic to build closed-loop
temperature operation. Improvements in this feedback components and systems. The
technology since then have included the successful miniaturization and multiplicity of
utilization of ion implantation for improved traditional electronics systems would not have
control of the piezoresistor fabrication. Si been possible without IC fabrication technology.
pressure sensors are now a billion-dollar Therefore, IC fabrication technology, or
industry . microfabrication, has so far been the primary
Around 1982, the term micromachining enabling technology for the development of
MEMS. Microfabrication provides a powerful film.
tool for batch processing and miniaturization of Etching: Next is the selective removal of
mechanical systems into a dimensional domain unwanted regions of a film or substrate for
not accessible by conventional (machining) pattern delineation. Wet chemical etching or dry
techniques. etching may be used. Etch-mask materials are
Furthermore, microfabrication provides an used at various stages in the removal process to
opportunity for integration of mechanical selectively prevent those portions of the material
systems with electronics to develop high- from being etched. These materials include SiO2,
performance closed-loop-controlled MEMS. Si3N4, and hard-baked photoresist.
Advances in IC technology in the last decade Dicing: The finished wafer is sawed or machined
have brought about corresponding progress into small squares, or dice, from which electronic
in MEMS fabrication processes. Manufacturing components can be made.
processes allow for the monolithic integration of Packaging: The individual sections are then
microelectromechanical structures with driving, packaged, a process that involves physically
controlling, and signalprocessing electronics. locating, connecting, and protecting a device or
This integration promises to improve the component. MEMS design is strongly coupled to
performance of micromechanical devices as well the packaging requirements, which in turn are
as reduce the cost of manufacturing, packaging, dictated by the application environment .
and instrumenting these devices .
B.Bulk micromachining and wafer bonding:
Bulk micromachining is an extension of IC
technology for the fabrication of 3D structures.
Bulk micromachining of Si uses wet- and dry-
etching techniques in conjunction with etch
masks and etch stops to sculpt micromechanical
devices from the Si substrate. The two key
capabilities that make bulk micromachining a
viable technology are:
1) Anisotropic etchants of Si, such as ethylene-
diamine and pyrocatechol (EDP), potassium
hydroxide (KOH), and hydrazine (N2H4). These
preferentially etch single crystal Si along given
crystal planes.
A.IC Fabrication: 2) Etch masks and etch-stop techniques that can
Film growth: Usually, a polished Si wafer is be used with Si anisotropic etchants to
used as the substrate, on which a thin film selectively prevent regions of Si from being
is grown. The film, which may be epitaxial Si, etched. Good etch masks are provided by SiO2
SiO2, silicon nitride (Si3N4), polycrystalline Si and Si3N4, and some metallic thin films such as
(polysilicon), or metal, is used to build both Cr and Au (gold).
active or passive components and
interconnections between circuits. A drawback of wet anisotropic etching is that
Doping: To modulate the properties of the device the microstructure geometry is defined by
layer, a low and controllable level of the internal crystalline structure of the substrate.
an atomic impurity may be introduced into the Consequently, fabricating multiple,
layer by thermal diffusion or ion implantation. interconnected micromechanical structures of
Lithography: A pattern on a mask is then free-form geometry is often difficult or
transferred to the film by means of a impossible Used in combination, anisotropic
photosensitive (i.e., light sensitive) chemical etching and wafer bonding techniques can
known as a photoresist. The process of pattern construct 3D complex microstructures such as
generation and transfer is called microvalves and micropumps [3].
photolithography. A typical mask consists of a
glass plate coated with a patterned chromium (Cr) C. Surface micromachining:
Surface micromachining enables the fabrication deposition of the structural material followed by
of complex multicomponent integrated etching to realize
micromechanical structures that would not be the final device geometry. After the structural
possible with traditional bulk micromachining. layer deposition, the mold is dissolved in a
This technique encases specific structural parts of chemical etchant that does not attack the
a device in layers of a sacrificial material during structural material. One of the most prominent
the fabrication process. The most widely used micromolding processes is the LIGA process.
surface micromachining technique, polysilicon LIGA is a German acronym standing for
surface micromachining, uses SiO2 as the lithographie, galvanoformung, und abformung
sacrificial material and polysilicon as the (lithography, electroplating, and molding).
structural material. This process can be used for the manufacture of
Fig shows the module of surface micromaching high-aspect-ratio 3D microstructures in a
wide variety of materials, such as metals,
polymers, ceramics, and glasses. Photosensitive
polyimides are also used for fabricating plating
molds. The photolithography process is
similar to conventional photolithography, except
that polyimide works as a negative resist
[3].

Applications of MEMS:
Commercial applications include:
· I nkjet printers, which use piezoelectrics or
thermal bubble ejection to deposit ink on
One way to do this is to dope the film with paper.
boron, phosphorus, or arsenic. However, a · A ccelerometers in modern cars for a large
doped polysilicon film is conductive, and this number of purposes including airbag deployment
property may interfere with the mechanical in collisions.
devices incorporated electronics. Another · Accelerometers in consumer electronics devices
problem with doped polysilicon is that it is such as game controllers (Nintendo Wii), personal
roughened by hydrofluoric acid (HF), which is media players / cell phones (Apple iPhone )[9]
commonly used to free sections of the and a number of Digital Cameras (various Canon
final mechanical device from the substrate. Digital IXUS models). Also used in PCs to park
Rough polysilicon has different mechanical the hard disk head when free-fall is detected, to
properties than smooth polysilicon. Therefore, the prevent damage and data loss.
amount of roughening must be taken · Silicon pressure sensors e.g. car tire pressure
into account when designing the mechanical parts sensors, and disposable blood pressure sensors.
of the micro device. Deposition temperature and · D isplays e.g the DMD chip in a projector based
post annealing can control silicon dioxide (SiO2) on DLP technology has on its surface several
film stress. Because it is difficult to control the hundred thousand micromirrors.
stress of SiO2 accurately, SiO2 is typically not · O ptical switching technology which is used for
used as a mechanical material by itself, but as switching technology and alignment for data
electronic isolation or as a sacrificial layer under communications.
polysilicon. · B io-MEMS applications in medical and health
related technologies from Lab-On- Chip to
D. Micromolding: MicroTotalAnalysis (biosensor, chemosensor).
In the micromolding process, microstructures are
fabricated using molds to define the deposition of Companies with strong MEMS programs
the structural layer. The structural material is come in many sizes The successful small firms
deposited only in those areas constituting the provide value in innovative solutions and absorb
microdevice structure, in contrast to bulk and the expense of custom fabrication with
surface micromachining, which feature blanket high sales margins. In addition, both large and
small companies work in R&D to explore inertial mass suspended by springs is acted
MEMS technology upon by acceleration forces that cause the mass to
be deflected from its initial position.
This deflection is converted to an electrical
signal, which appears at the sensor output.
The application of MEMS technology to
accelerometers is a relatively new development.
Here are some examples of MEMS technology: One such accelerometer design is discussed by
A. Pressure Sensors: DeVoe and Pisano (2001) [8]. It is a
surface micromachined piezoelectric
accelerometer employing a zinc oxide (ZnO)
active
piezoelectric film, then, a 2.0-micron layer of
phosphosilicate glass (PSG) is deposited by
LPCVD and patterned to define regions where the
accelerometer structure will be
anchored to the substrate. This layer also acts as
the lower electrode for the sensing film A thin
Fig shows the module of pressure sensor layer of silicon nitride is next deposited by
MEMS pressure microsensors typically have a LPCVD, and acts as a stresscompensation
flexible diaphragm that deforms in the layer for balancing the highly compressive
presence of a pressure difference. The residual stresses in the ZnO
deformation is converted to an electrical signal film A ZnO layer is then deposited on the order of
appearing at the sensor output. A pressure sensor 0.5 micron, followed by sputtering of
can be used to sense the absolute air a 0.2-micron layer of platinum (Pt) deposited to
pressure within the intake manifold of an form the upper electrode. A rapid
automobile engine, so that the amount of fuel thermal anneal is performed to reduce residual
required for each engine cylinder can be stresses in the sensing film. Afterwards,
computed. In this example, piezoresistors are the Pt, Si3N4, and ZnO layers are patterned in a
patterned across the edges of a region where a single ion milling etch step, and the
silicon diaphragm will be micromachined. devices are then released by passivating the ZnO
The substrate is etched to create the diaphragm. film with photoresist, and immersing
The sensor die is then bonded to a glass the wafer in buffered hydrofluoric acid, which
substrate, creating a sealed vacuum cavity under removes the sacrificial PSG layer [8].
the diaphragm.. The change in ambient pressure
forces the downward deformation of the C. Inertial Sensors:
diaphragm, resulting in a change of
resistance of the piezoresistors
B. Accelerometers:

The module of accelerator

Inertial sensors
Accelerometers are acceleration sensors. An
 improved systems .

Relationship to other topics:

D. Microengines: MEMS technology is a fast enabling technology
and a cross-disciplinary subject that has
relationships to many areas.
Electronic/Electrical Reliability:
Traditional reliability theory and
electronic/electrical reliability theory still apply to
MEMS reliability analysis. Above that more
issues also have to be considered, such as the
interactions between electronic, electric and
mechanical components.
Mechanical Reliability:
The mechanical reliability of MEMS
device is of great concern. First Polysilicon is the
Microengines major material used for mechanical parts. More
study has to be done on how it performs and fails
in MEMS devices. Second it is not a direct
FUTURE OF MEMS TECHNOLOGY: analogy from the real-world mechanical
reliability, because assumptions used in macro
Each of the three basic microsystems scale may not hold in micro scale. Other forces
technology processes we have seen, bulk and factors become dominant.
micromachining, sacrificial surface Architecture Approaches:
micromachining, and micromolding/LIGA, MEMS itself is a miniature embedded
employs a different set of capital and intellectual system itself, a "system on a chip". It gives new
resources. MEMS manufacturing firms must architecture choices for old applications as well
choose which specific microsystems as opens a new line of applications.
manufacturing techniques to invest in [14].
MEMS technology has the potential to change Limitations:
our daily lives as much as the computer
has. However, the material needs of the MEMS
field are at a preliminary stage. A thorough Limited Options:
understanding of the properties of existing Most companies who wish to explore the
MEMS materials is just as important as the potential of MEMS have very limited options for
development of new MEMS materials. prototyping or manufacturing devices, and have
Future MEMS applications will be driven no capability or expertise in microfabrication
by processes enabling greater functionality technology. Few companies will build their own
through higher levels of electronic-mechanical fabrication facilities because of the high cost. A
integration and greater numbers of mechanical mechanism giving smaller organizations
components working alone or together to enable a responsive and affordable access to MEMS and
complex action. Future MEMS products will Nano fabrication is essential.
demand higher levels of electrical-mechanical Packing:
integration and more intimate interaction with the packaging of MEMS devices and systems
physical world. The high up-front investment needs to improve considerably from its current
costs for largevolume commercialization of primitive state. MEMS packaging is more
MEMS will likely limit the initial involvement to challenging than IC packaging due to the
larger companies in the IC industry. Advancing diversity of MEMS devices and the requirement
from their success as sensors, MEMS products that many of these devices be in contact with their
will be embedded in larger non-MEMS systems, environment. Currently almost all MEMS and
such as printers, automobiles, and biomedical Nano development efforts must develop a new
diagnostic equipment, and will enable new and
and specialized package for each new device. typically related to contacting or rubbing
Most companies find that packaging is the single surfaces: Stiction and friction-related wear.
most expensive and time consuming task in their Corresponding measures to minimize those
overall product development program. As for the failures can be taken to improve MEMS
components themselves, numerical modeling and reliability. Chemical surface treatments are
simulation tools for MEMS packaging are effective against sticking after drying of
virtually non-existent. Approaches which allow liquid echant. Model-based operational methods
designers to select from a catalog of existing [Miller98] can minimize parasitic forces,
standardized packages for a new MEMS device eliminate overstress and wear-out of critical parts.
without compromising performance would be Clever design modifications will rule
beneficial. out some common failures observed.
MEMS technology is still in its infancy, like IC
Fabrication Knowledge Required technology 30 years ago. Focus has been
Currently the designer of a MEMS device put in wafer level reliability, the same path taken
requires a high level of fabrication knowledge in in the IC technology. Presently how
order to create a successful design. Often the MEMS fail is still not well understood. Available
development of even the most mundane MEMS tools and techniques are mostly
device requires a dedicated research effort to find improvised versions from IC tools. Reliability
a suitable process sequence for fabricating it. models are scarce.
MEMS device design needs to be separated from
the complexities of the process sequence. REFERENCES:

Conclusions : https://www.memsnet.org/news/

http://mems.sandia.gov/about/design.html
MEMS technology will merge the
functions of compute, communicate and power
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/mems/ove
together with sense, actuate and control to change
rview.php
completely the way people and machines interact
with the physical world. Using an ever-expanding
set of fabrication processes and materials, MEMS
will provide the advantages of small size, low
power, low mass, low cost and high functionality
to integrated electromechanical systems both
on the micro as well on the macro scale. [DARPA
vision] The market is booming.

Micromachined accelerometers are now being

used as sensors for airbag actuation in over
50% of the new cars being built [Payne98]. Texas
Instruments has commercialized its Digital
Micromirror Device (DMD) which is being used
in tens of thousands of bright projection displays
worldwide. [Miller98a] MEMS will open up a
broad new array of cost-effective solutions only if
they prove to be sufficiently reliable. [Miller98a]
In order to rapidly take advantage of this
technology, reliability must be considered
concurrently with technology development.
Current research shows that failures induced by
deficiencies in material/mechanical properties are
not the majority, such as fracture strength or
fatigue-related fracture. Failure causes are