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Introduction to MEMS Technology

Dr. S. L. Pinjare
slpinjare@gmail.com
9986940129

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What is MEMS
Why MEMS?
How are MEMS Made
The History of MEMS
Challenges of MEMS
MEMS Applications
MEMS markets
MEMS CAD
MEMS in Action
Summary

Topics

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What is MEMS?
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
Three MEMS blood pressure
sensors on a head of a pin [Photo
courtesy of Lucas NovaSensor,
Fremont, CA]

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MEMS?
MEMS - evolved from the Microelectronics revolution
MEMS or MST?
United States the technology is known as MicroElectroMechanical Systems - MEMS
In Europe it is called Microsystems Technology MST
In Japan, Micromachines

Working Definition:

What's in a name? ... A rose by any other

name would smell as sweet.
W. Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet

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MEMS?
MEMS is simultaneously a toolbox, a physical product, and a
methodology, all in one:
It is a portfolio of techniques and processes to design and create
miniature systems.
It is a physical product often specialized and unique to a final
applicationone can seldom buy a generic MEMS product at the
neighborhood electronics store.
MEMS is a way of making things,
reports the Microsystems Technology Office of the United States
DARPA [1].
These things merge the functions of sensing and actuation with
computation and communication to locally control physical
parameters at the microscale, yet cause effects at much grander
scales.

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MEMS?
A MEMS is a device made from extremely small parts (though a universal
definition is lacking).

MEMS products possess a number of distinctive features.

miniature embedded systems
involving one or many micromachined components or structures.
enable higher level functions,
By themselves they may have limited utility
integrate smaller functions together into one package for greater utility
merging an acceleration sensor with electronic circuits for self
diagnostics).
cost benefits
directly through low unit pricing or indirectly by cutting service and
maintenance costs.

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MEMS device and biological

material

Size Comparison

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MEMS Size

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MEMS as a MicroSystem
A microsystem might comprise
the following:
A sensor that inputs
information into the system;
An electronic circuit that
conditions the sensor signal;
An actuator that responds to
the
electrical
signals
generated within the circuit.
Both the sensor and the actuator
could be MEMS devices in
their own right.

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MEMS?
A
Micro-Electro-Mechanical
System (MEMS) contains both
electrical
and
mechanical
components with characteristic
sizes ranging from a few
nanometers to millimeters.
MEMS is the integration of

Mechanical Elements,
Sensors,
Actuators, and
Electronics

On a Common Substrate
through the Utilization of
Microfabrication Technology.

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MEMS? Microelectronics
The microelectronics act as the
"brain" of the system.
It receives data, processes it, and
makes decisions.
The data received comes from
the microsensors in the MEMS.

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MEMS? Microsensors
The microsensors act as the
arms, eyes, nose, etc.
They constantly gather data
from
the
surrounding
environment and pass this
information
on
to
the
microelectronics
for
processing.
These sensors can monitor
mechanical,
thermal,
biological, chemical, optical
and magnetic readings from the
surrounding environment.

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MEMS? Microactuators
A micro actuator acts as a switch or
a trigger to activate an external
device.
As
the
microelectronics
is
processing the data received from
the microsensors, it is making
decisions on what to do based on
this data.
Sometimes the decision will
involve activating an external
device.
If this decision is reached, the
microelectronics will tell the micro
actuator to activate this device.

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MEMS? Microstructures (Mechanical)

Due to the increase in
technology for micromachining,
extremely small structures can be
built onto the surface of a chip.
These tiny structures are called
micro structures and are actually
built right into the silicon of the
MEMS.
Among other things, these
microstructures can be used as
valves to control the flow of a
substance or as very small filters.

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MEMS?

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Why MEMS

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Why MEMS?
Small devices:
Fast mechanical response:
tend to move or stop more quickly due to low mechanical
inertia.
Ideal for precision movements and also for rapid actuation.
Encounter less thermal distortion and mechanical vibration due
to low mass.
Have higher dimensional stability at high temperature due to
low thermal expansion.
Are particularly suited for biomedical and aerospace
applications being minute in size.

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Why MEMS?
less space
This allows the packaging of more functional
components in a single device/system.

less material
Means low cost
transportation.

of

production

and

Low power budget, faster device,

increased selectivity and sensitivity,
wider dynamic range.
minimal invasive (e.g., microfabricated
needles)
Potential to integrate with circuits
The ability to fabricate array of devices
Batch fabrication

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MEMS-Fabrication

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MEMS-Fabrication
Microengineering refers to the technologies and practice of
making three dimensional structures and devices with
dimensions in the order of micrometers.
The two constructional technologies of microengineering are
Microelectronics:
producing electronic circuitry on silicon chips,
a very well developed technology.
Micromachining:
Techniques used to produce the structures and moving
parts of microengineered devices.

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MEMS-Fabrication
MEMS makes use of the
fabrication
techniques
developed for the integrated
circuit
industry
to
add
mechanical elements such as
beams, gears, diaphragms, and
springs to devices.

Usually fabricated on Silicon

substrates
Source: Sandia National Laboratories

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MEMS Fabrication
Traditional mechanical means (e.g. machining, milling, drilling
etc.) can not be used to shape the MEMS components due to
their extremely small size.
Microfabrication techniques based on physical/chemical means
for IC are used as the principal fabrication techniques for
MEMS.
Photolithography for defining pattern on substrates;
Etching for removing substrate materials;
Deposition for building thin layers onto substrates;
Epitaxy for the growth of thin films of same substrate
material;
Diffusion for introducing foreign materials into substrates;

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Micromachining Techniques
Silicon micromachining generally involves adding layers of
material over a substrate with etching precise patterns in these
layers or the underlying substrate.
The substrate is typically a silicon wafer: a circular disk, 500 600 m
thick and 2-6 in dia.(!)
For ICs, silicon wafer is an integral part of the finished product.
For MEMS silicon wafer often acts as a mechanical anchor or support.
Silicon wafer bonding may also be required

Some processes have been developed exclusively for Silicon

Micromachining eg.
Aniosotropic chemical wet etching
Deep reactive ion etching
Wafer bonding

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Silicon Micromachining
Bulk Micromachining: Building
microstructure
by
Removing
materials by etching
Enable better control in Zdirection, with a loss in XY
flexibility.
Thus, they are useful in high
aspect ratio structures.
Surface micromachining: : Layer by
layer addition Depositing Thin films
onto the substrate one layer after
another to build the 3-dimensional
geometry.
Can produce planar structures (in
XY direction) with little
control in Z-direction
low aspect ratio devices.

Etched pit

Etched Pit
Silicon

Silicon

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Bulk Micromachining:
1. Anisotropic wet etch processes
2. Deep Reactive ion etching

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Bulk micromachining
is removal of a lot of material - almost the entire film thickness
- to create windows, membranes, various structures
How - by etching:
Wet etching:
isotropic and undercut appears, which can be used in
some devices
anisotropic: structures defined by crystal planes

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Anisotropic Wet etching

KOH - not compatible with ICs (alkali metal such as K
contaminates the transistors); high selectivity for vdifferent
crystal orientation: (100 : 111 = 400 : 1), silicon nitride is a very
good mask (selectivity 1000), silicon oxide (selectivity 100),
stops at p++ layers
EDP (ethylene diamnie purocatechol) - toxic, carcinogenic,
lower anisotropy: (100 : 111 = 35 : 1)
N2H4 - explosive
TMAH (tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide) - the etch
difference not so big: (100 : 111 = 25 : 1)

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Control of etch depth

in order to make structures with certain dimension, it is
important to etch the right depth; there are a few methods used
to control the etch depth:
Timing - it is the least accurate method, due to the fact that
etching rate varies very much with temperature,
concentration, etc
Anisotropic etching
of
v-grooves if only
small
rectangulars/windows are made, then in an anisotropic wet
etch, the etching stops when the two planes combine, making
a V-groove

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Control of etch depth

P++ doping - the etch rate is much lower in high doped
material, than in undoped material, therefore if implantation
occurs in the region where etching should end, an etch stop is
created .
explanation: electrons recombine with holes, limiting the
electrons number needed for etching.
Not IC-compatible, more process steps, lower
piezoresistive coefficient for high doping
SiO2 (or other material) can be used to stop the etching
Electrochemical etch stop - by biasing positive a n-silicon
part, the p silicon will be etched, the n-Si not

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Anisotrpic Back etching

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Anisotrpic Back etching

The pressure sensitive diaphragm is formed by silicon back-end
Bulk micromachining.

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Silicon Diaphragm
The
pressure
sensitive diaphragm
is formed by silicon
back-end
Bulk
micromachining.

Four piezoresistive sense

elements are placed on a
thin crystalline silicon
membrane in Wheatstone
bridge configuration to
measure stress.

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Deep Reactive Ion etching

Dry etching:
XeF2 , no plasma, rough surface
Plasma etch - 1:100 Deep trench etching (alternating passivation step and etching
step)
o Advantage: vertical features,
o Disadvantage: cost of equipment

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Bulk MEMS Fabrication: DRIE

start with unpatterned wafer stack a wafer-bonded SOI
(silicon on insulator)
photoresist

(1) Pattern photoresist sacrificial SiO2

(2) DRIE vertical etch

bulk silicon
substrate
wafer-bonded
Silicon

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Bulk MEMS Fabrication: DRIE

start with unpatterned wafer stack a wafer-bonded SOI
(silicon on insulator)

(3) SiO2 isotropic etch

(4) Gold evaporation

Narrow features released, Wide
features just undercut
Gold mirrors on top and potentially
sides

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Bulk Silicon MEMS Devices

Single-axis tilt-mirror photo

courtesy R. Conant, BSAC

Comb-drive switch photo courtesy

IMT (Neuchatel)

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Surface micromachining
What is it.
a sacrificial layer beneath another layer is etched (completely
removed from the final structure), thus releasing the upper
layer, which will remain connected to the wafer only in some
regions
It is called "surface" because it takes place on the wafer surface
(compared to bulk, where the whole wafer thickness is etched)
Why is it used?
Bulk micromachining requires bigger areas due to anisotropic
wet etching (the lateral etch is big)
Parts of the structure can be released and move laterally, thus it
is useful in making actuators
Can be integrated with IC

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Surface Mircomachining
Materials used
low-stress film polysilicon deposited by LPCVD
it is annealed because annealing changes the type of stress
from compressive to tensile due to crystallization
(contraction), giving the possibilty to obtain free of stress
material if the annealing time is chosen well
Si3N4 - increased hardness
sacrificial layer - removed without etching the structural
layer
Al, photoresist, SiO2
o SiO2 is prefered because of high temp deposition,
high selectivity for HF(polysilicon)

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Suraface MIcromachining
Applications: cantilever
used to sense chemicals
the cantilever is heated periodically, to create vibrations (due
to difference in thermal coefficient)
frequency of vibrations is measured and the mass of chemical
particles can be calculated

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Surface Micromachining
Starting from bare silicon wafer, deposit & pattern
multiple layers to form a MEMS wafer

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~ 10 mask steps

Completed MEMS wafer

From Cronos/JDSU MUMPS user guide at

www.MEMSRUS.com

Diced and released MEMS device

Release = isotropic chemical etch to remove oxides
Special techniques may be used to remove liquid
(e.g., critical point drying)
Assembly = mechanical manipulation of structures
(e.g., raising and latching a vertical mirror plate)
Various techniques used, some highly
proprietary

Texas
Instruments
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1st Optical
MEMSDigital
device Light
Projector
& DLP PROJECTOR
TM

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Wafer Bonding

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http://81.161.252.57/ipci/courses/technology/inde_378.htm

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Wafer bonding
is used to join irreversible two wafers together .
Bonding has to be leakproof
types of bonding:
Fusion bonding:
first
the
wafer
is
immersed
in
acid
to
create hydrophilic surfaces with O-H bonds
then the surfaces are put in contact and hydrogen bonds are
created, without pressure
at the end, a high temperature treatment (800oC) is
given and the bonds become permanent bonds (water is
desorbed and strong Si-O bonds are created)
surfaces such as Si/Si, SiO 2/SiO2, Si/Si3N4, etc. can be
bonded

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Anodic bonding - in this case temperature + bias are used to

form a strong bond between glass and silicon
The two wafers are placed on a heater and a bias is applied
between them (positive at silicon, negative at the Pyrex/glass
wafer)
Na+ ions are atracted and because they are mobile, they
travel through the the glass wafer to the electrode, both
wafers become conductive and the electric field is
concentrated
at
the high-resistance
area
at
the
interfacebetween the wafers

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Electrostatic attractive forces pull the wafers together

creating a strong contact, together with the temperature
(400oC), creates chemical bonds between glass and Si
(oxygen ions drift to the silicon, creating strong Si-O bonds)
Surfaces must be very clean and flat
advantage: lower temperature is needed, thus this method can
be used with wafers patterned with metal, for example

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eutectic bonding
one Si wafer has a layer of gold on top
when the two wafers are put in contact and tempereature
is raised until eutectic temperature, Au will diffuse in Si,
creating a strong alloy at the interface
Applications of bonding: creating a sealed cavity for a
capacitive pressure sensor, for example:

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History of MEMS
.Some historical stuff

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The inception of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS)

devices occurred in many places and through the ideas and
endeavors of several individuals. Worldwide, new MEMS
technologies and applications are being developed every day.
This unit gives a broad look at some of the milestones which
have contributed to the development of MEMS as we know
them today.
Objectives:
Name three major MEMS technology processes which have
emerged in MEMS history.
Name at least three major MEMS milestones which have
occurred throughout MEMS history.

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1940s
1939 PN-junction semiconductor (W. Schottky)
1947 Transistor (J. Bardeen, W.H. Brattain, W. Shockley)

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A transistor uses electrical current or a small

amount of voltage to control a larger change
in current or voltage.
Transistors are the building blocks of
computers, cellular phones, and all other
modern electronics.
In 1947, William Shockley, John Bardeen,
and Walter Brattain of Bell Laboratories
built the first point-contact transistor.
The first transistor used germanium, a
semiconductive chemical.
It demonstrated the capability of building
transistors with semiconductive materials.

First Point Contact

Transistor and Testing
Apparatus (1947)
[Photo Courtesy of The
Porticus Centre]

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1950s
1950: Silicon Anisotropic Etchants (KOH) in Bell
Lab

1954: Piezoresistive effect in Silicon and

Germanium (C.S. Smith)
The piezoresistive effect of semiconductor can be
several magnitudes larger than that in metals.
This discovery showed that silicon and germanium
could sense air or water pressure better than metal
Many MEMS devices such as strain gauges, pressure
sensors, and accelerometers utilize the piezoresistive
effect in silicon.
Strain gauges began to be developed commercially in
1958.
Kulite was founded in 1959 as the first commercial
source of silicon strain gages .

An Example of a
Piezoresistive Pressure
Sensor
[MTTC Pressure Sensor]

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1958 First integrated circuit

Prior to the invention of the IC there
were limits on the size of transistors.
They had to be connected to wires
and other electronics.
An IC includes the transistors,
resistors, capacitors, and wires.
If a circuit could be made all
together on one substrate, then the
whole device could be made smaller
In 1958, Jack Kilby from Texas
Instruments built a "Solid Circuit
on one germanium chip: 1 transistor,
3 resistors, and 1 capacitor.

Texas Instrument's First

Integrated Circuit
[Photos Courtesy of Texas
Instruments]

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Shortly after Robert Noyce from Fairchild Semiconductor made

the first "Unitary Circuit on a silicon chip.
The first patent was awarded in 1961 to Robert Noyce.

1959: Theres Plenty of Room at the

Bottom

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Richard Feynmans Theres Plenty of Room at

the Bottom was presented at a meeting of the
American Physical Society in 1959.
The talk popularized the growth of micro and nano
technology.
Feynman introduced the possibility of manipulating
matter on an atomic scale.
He was interested in denser computer circuitry, and
microscopes which could see things much smaller
than is possible with scanning electron microscopes.
He challenged his audience to design and build a an
electrical motor smaller than 1/64th of an inch or to
write the information from a page of a book on a
surface 1/25,000.
For each challenge, he offered prizes of $1000.

Richard Feynman
on his bongos
Photo credit: Tom
Harvey

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1960s
1962: Silicon integrated piezo actuators (O.N. Tufte,
P.W.Chapman and D. Long)
1964: Harvey Nathanson from Westinghouse produced the first
batch fabricated MEMS device: a resonant gate transistor
(RGT).
This device joined a mechanical component with electronic elements
The RGT was a gold resonating MOS gate structure.
It was approximately one millimeter long and it responded to a very
narrow range of electrical input signals.
It served as a frequency filter for ICs.
The RGT was the earliest demonstration of micro electrostatic actuators.
It
was
also
the
first
demonstration
of
surface
micromachingtechniques.

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1965: Invention of surface

micromachining;
Surface
micromachined
FET
accelerometer
(H.C.
Nathanson,
R.A.
Wickstrom)
1967: Anisotropic deep
silicon
etching
(H.A.
Waggener et al.)
1968 The Resonant Gate
Transistor Patented
Resonant Gate Transistor

1971 The Invention of the

Microprocessor

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1971, Intel publicly introduced the world's first single chip

microprocessor -The Intel 4004
It powered the Busicom calculator
This invention paved the way for the personal computer

The Intel 4004 Microprocessor

Photo Courtesy of Intel Corporation

Busicom calculator
Photo Courtesy of Intel Corporation

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1960 and 70s

1960's and 1970s Bulk-Etched Silicon Wafers as Pressure Sensors

"Electrochemically Controlled Thinning of Silicon" by H. A. Waggener
illustrated anisotropic etching of silicon (removes silicon selectivity).
This technique is the basis of the bulk micromachining process.
Bulk micromachining etches away the bulk of the silicon substrate
leaving behind the desired geometries.
Fabricating these micromechanical elements requires selective etching
techniques such as bulk etching.
In the 1970's, a micromachined pressure sensor using a silicon diaphragm
was developed by Kurt Peterson from IBM research laboratory.
Thin diaphragm pressure sensors were proliferated in blood pressure
monitoring devices .
Considered to be one of the earliest commercial successes of
microsystems devices.

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1970s
Seventies
First capacitive pressure sensor (Stanford)
1977 Silicon electrostatic accelerometer (Stanford)
1979 Integrated gas chromatograph (S.C. Terry, J.H. Jerman and
J.B. Angell)
1979 HP Micromachined Inkjet Nozzle

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1979 HP Micromachined Inkjet Nozzle

Hewlett Packard developed the Thermal Inkjet Technology
(TIJ).
The TIJ rapidly heats ink, creating tiny bubbles.
When the bubbles collapse, the ink squirts through an array of
nozzles onto paper and other media.
MEMS technology is used to manufacture the nozzles.
The nozzles can be made very small and can be densely packed
for high resolution printing.
New applications using the TIJ have also been developed, such
as direct deposition of organic chemicals and biological
molecules such as DNA

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Schematic of an array of
inkjet nozzlesClose

nozzlesClose-up view of a
commercial inkjet printer head
illustrating the nozzles [Hewlett
Packard]

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1980s
Early 1980s,

1982
Silicon
as
a
Mechanical Material (K.
Petersen)
Rebirth
of
surface
micromachining. Polysilicon
structural layers and oxide
sacrifical
layers,.
(Berkeley and Wisconsin)
1982 LIGA Process (W. Ehrfeld
et al.)
Disposable
transducer

blood

pressure

1983 Integrated pressure

sensor (Honeywell)

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1982 LIGA Process Introduced

LIGA is a German acronym for X-ray
lithography
(X-ray
Lithographie),
Electroplating
(Galvanoformung),
and
Molding (Abformung).
In the early 1980s Karlsruhe Nuclear
Research Center in Germany developed
LIGA.
It allows for manufacturing of high aspect
ratio microstructures.
High aspect ratio structures are very
skinny and tall.
LIGA structures have precise dimensions
and good surface roughness.

LIGA-micromachined
gear for a mini
electromagnetic
motor[Courtesy of
Sandia National
Laboratories]

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1980s
Late 1980s
Berkeley and Bell Labs demonstrate
poly-silicon surface micro-mechanism;
1986 Silicon wafer bonding (M.
Shimbo)
The Beginning of MEMS CAD
Analog Devices begins accelerometer
project
1986 Invention of the AFM

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1986 Invention of the AFM

In 1986 IBM developed a microdevice called the atomic force
microscope (AFM).
The AFM maps the surface of an atomic structure by
measuring the force acting on the tip (or probe) of a
microscale cantilever.
The cantilever is usually silicon or silicon nitride.
It is a very high resolution type of scanning probe
microscope with a resolution of fractions of an Angstrom
Cantilever on an Atomic
Force Microscope

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1980s
Late 1980s
Berkeley and Bell Labs demonstrate
poly-silicon surface micro-mechanism;
1986 Silicon wafer bonding (M.
Shimbo)
The Beginning of MEMS CAD
Analog Devices begins accelerometer
project
1988 Batch fabricated pressure sensors
via wafer bonding(Nova Sensor)
Rotary electrostatic side drive motors
(Berkeley)
Lateral comb drive (Tang, Nguyen,
Howe,
Berkeley)
The motors stimulating major interest
in Europe, Japan, and U.S

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1990s
Early Nineties:
MEMS rapidly extending to the whole world.
Research on Fabrication techniques,Design technology, CAD tools and
Devices are developing quickly.
CAD Tools:
MIT, S. D. Senturia, MEMCAD1.0
Michigan, Selden Crary, CAEMEMS1.0
Techniques:
1992: Bulk micromachining (SCREAM process, Cornell)
MCNC starts the Multi User MEMS Process (MUMPS),
Sandia SuMMit Technology
Bosch Process for DRIE is Patented
Devices:
Grating light modulator invented at Stanford University (Solgaard,
Sandejas, Bloom)
First micromachined hinge

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1992 Grating Light Modulator

The deformable grating light
modulator (GLM) was introduced
by Solgaardin 1992.
It is a Micro OptoElectro
Mechanical System (MOEMS).
It has been developed for uses in
various applications: Display
technology, graphic
printing,
lithography
and
optical
communications

Grating Light Valve

1993 Multi-User MEMS Processes

(MUMPs) Emerges

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In 1993 Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC)

created MUMPs:
A foundry meant to make microsystems processing highly
accessible and cost effective for a large variety of users
A three layer polysilicon surface micromachining process
For a nominal cost, MUMPs participants are given a 1 cm2
area to create their own design.
In 1998, Sandia National Labs developed SUMMiT IV (Sandia
Ultra-planar, Multi-level MEMS Technology 5)
This process later evolved into the SUMMiT V, a five-layer
polycrystalline silicon surface micromachining process

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Two simple structures using the MUMPs

process [MCNC]

A MEMS device built using SUMMiT IV

[Sandia National Laboratories]

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Mid. 1990s
Devices
1993: Digital mirror display (Texas
Instruments)
BioMEMS rapidly development
1994:Commercial surface micromachined
accelerometer (ADXL50)(Analog Devices)
MEMS Design
MEMCAD2.0
Microcosm Inc. for MEMCAD
Intellisense Inc. for IntelliSuite
ISE for TCAD, SOLIDIS and ICMAT

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1993 First ManufacturedAccelerometer

In 1993 Analog Devices were the first to produce a surface
micromachined accelerometer in high volume.
The automotive industry used this accelerometer in
automobiles for airbag deployment sensing.
It was sold for $5 (previously, TRW macro sensors were
being sold for about $20).
It was highly reliable, very small, and very inexpensive.
It was sold in record breaking numbers which increased the
availability of airbags in automobiles.

1994 Deep Reactive Ion Etching is

Patented

In 1994, Bosch, a company from

Germany, developed the Deep
Reactive-Ion Etching (DRIE)
process.
DRIE is a highly anisotropic etch
process used to create deep, steepsided holes and trenches in wafers.
It was developed for micro devices
which required these features.
It is also used to excavate trenches
for high-density capacitors for
DRAM (Dynamic random-access
memory).

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Trenches etched with DRIE[SEM

images courtesy of Khalil Najafi,
University of Michigan]]

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Later 1990s
Devices
Bio-MEMS: Microfluidics starts
with capillary electrophoresis.
-TAS
(Micro-total-analysis
System) vision for diagnosis,
sensing and synthesis
Optical MEMS booming and bust
from 1998-2002 (Lucent)

1999 Optical network switch

(Lucent)
RF MEMS from 2000
Commercialization of inertial
sensors (AD, Motorola) by each
company by 2002

Late 1990's, Early 2000's Optics

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In 1999 Lucent Technologies developed the first optical network

switch.
Optical switches are optoelectric devices.
They consist of a light source and a detector that produces a
switched output.
The switch provides a switching function in a data
communications network.
These MEMS optical switches utilize micro mirrors to switch or
reflect an optical channel or signal from one location to another.
There are several different design configurations.
Growth in this area of technology is still progressing.

Late 1990's, Early 2000's BioMEMS

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Scientists are combining sensors and actuators with emerging

biotechnology.
Applications include
drug delivery systems
insulin pumps (see picture)
DNA arrays
lab-on-a-chip (LOC)
Glucometers
neural probe arrays
Insulin pump [Debiotech, Switzerland]
microfluidics

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2006 Akustica introduces world's first digital microphone the AKU2000

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2000-till today
MEMS Microphone 2005
2015: Dissolvable Micro Medical Devices
11/18/15
Thinking back to the late 1960s when scientific
researchers were envisioning using a tube made out of metal
(stent) to open up an artery, they would never have imagined we
are on the verge of stents that dissolve in the body over time!

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Massive industrialisation and commercialisation.

2001 Triaxis accelerometers appear on the market.
2002 First nanoimprinting tools announced.
2003 MEMS microphones for volume applications introduced.
2003 Discera start sampling MEMS oscillators.
2004 TIs DLP chip sales rose to nearly $900 million.
2005 Analog Devices shipped its two hundred millionth MEMSbased inertial sensor.
2006 Packaged triaxis accelerometers smaller then 10 mm3 are
becoming available.
2006 Dual axis MEMS gyros appear on the market.
2006 Perpetuum releases vibration energy harvester.

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RF MEMS
RF switch,
OPTICAL MEMS
Micromirror array for optical switching,
BIOMEMS
Lab on a chip, Capillary Electrophoresis Analysis
MiniMed Paradigm 522 insulin pump

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Retina array:
[Courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories]

Micro-pump for insulin

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MiniMed Paradigm 522 insulin pump

The MiniMedParadigm522 insulin
pump, with sensor, transmitter and
infusion line is one of a few devices on
the market that can not only monitor a
persons glucose levels 24/7, but can
deliver insulin on an as needed basis. Its
components are
(A) an external pump and computer,
(B) a soft cannulathat delivers the insulin,
(C) an interstitial glucose sensor, and
(D) a wireless radio device that
communicates with the

Micro-pump for insulin

[Printed with permission
from DebiotechSA]

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computer.The sensor (C) is placed under

the skin. The sensor continuously
measures glucose levels in the interstitial
fluid (the fluid between body tissues).
The measurements from the sensor are
received in real time by the wireless
radio device (D). This device sends the
readings to the computer (A) which
determines the amount of insulin
needed. The pump (A) administers that
amount into the patient via the cannula
(B). The Mini-Med Paradigm
computer also stores all the data.

MiniMed Paradigm 522

insulin pump, with
MiniLinkTM] transmitter
and infusion set. [Printed
with permission from
Medtronic Diabetes]

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A therapeutic bioMEMS device

currently being tested is the artificial
retinal prosthesis called the Argus
Retinal Prosthesis System.
Artificial RetinaThe heart of the
system is an artificial retina -an
electrode array placed directly on the
retina at the back of the eye. This
array duplicates the task of the
photoreceptor cells in the retina.
These cells are destroyed in retinal
diseases such as age-related macular
degeneration
and
retinitis
pigmentosa(RP).

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The Rapid, Automated Point-of-Care System

(RapiDx) developed by Sandia National
Laboratories is a portable diagnostic
instrument that uses mere microlitersof a
sample to measure large panel of
biomarkers.
RapiDxquickly
measureswith
high
sensitivitydisease and toxin biomarkers in
human biological samples (e.g., blood,
saliva, urine) so that patient ailments can be
quickly diagnosed and treated.
RapiDxis an ideal instrument for point-ofcare diagnostics of disease and toxin
detection in health clinics and on the field.

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Summary
Since the invention of the transistor, scientists have been trying
to improve and develop new micro electro mechanical systems.
The first MEMS devices measured such things as pressure in
engines and motion in cars. Today, MEMS are controlling our
communications networks
MEMS are saving lives by inflating automobile air bags and
beating hearts.
MEMS are traveling through the human body to monitor blood
pressure.
MEMS are even getting smaller. We now have nano electro
mechanical systems (NEMS).
The applications and growth for MEMS and NEMS are endless

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Challenges of MEMS

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Challenges of MEMS
The complexity of MEMS design.
Typical MEMS devices, even simple ones, manipulate
energy (information) in several energy domains. The
designer must understand, and find ways to control, complex
interactions between these domains.
Parallel processing
does not lend it self to step-by step optimization of a design.
The high tooling costs.
A state-of-the-art silicon foundry cost the better part of $1B.

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Challenges
Packaging
usually need to interact with the environment in some way
(e.g., pressure sensor, chemical sensor)
very diversified no standard packaging method
Testing:
involves multiple energy domains
Power sources
CAD tools (interdisciplinary, usually involves several energy
domains, mechanical, electrical, thermal, etc.)
Multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary collaboration

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MEMS Standards (?)

Standards are generally driven by the needs of high-volume
applications.
MEMS has roots in integrated circuit industry
But, the two market dynamics differ.
The major difference is the lack of standards in MEMS.

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The Multi-discipline nature of

MEMS technology

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Natural Science:
Physics & Chemistry
Electromechanical
-chemical Processes
Electrical Engineering
Power supply.
Electric systems
design in electrohydrodynamics.
Signal transduction,
acquisition, conditioning and processing.
Electric & integrated
circuit design.
Electrostatic & EMI.

Quantum physics
Solid-state physics, Scaling laws
Mechanical Engineering
Machine components design.
Precision machine design.
Mechanisms & linkages.
Thermomechanicas:
solid & fluid mechanics, heat
transfer, fracture mechanics.
Intelligent control.
Micro process equipment
design and manufacturing.
Packaging and assembly design.

Process Engineering
Design & control of
micro fabrication processes.
Thin film technology.

Material
Science

Materials Engineering
Materials for device
components & packaging.
Materials for signal
transduction.
Materials for fabrication
processes.

Industrial Engineering
Process implementation.
Production control.
Micro packaging & assembly.

(Multidiscipline of MEMS.Slide presentation)HSU

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MEMS Applications
Automotive industry
Medical
Digital Light Projection Technology
Printing Technology
SMART Phone

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MEMS Applications
Where can
MEMS?
in your car

you

find

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Applications in Automotive Industry

Every new car sold has micromachined sensors on-board. They
range from
MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) engine sensors,
Accelerometers for active suspension systems,
Automatic door locks, and antilock braking and airbag
systems.

http://www.analog.com/library/techArticles/mems/xlbckgdr4.html

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Applications in Automotive Industry

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Applications in Automotive Industry

Micro-accelerometer
ADXL-50:
surface
micromachined,
integrated BiCMOS (Analog Devices, 1995)

Analog Devices' ADXL50 accelerometer

Surface micromachining capacitive sensor
2.5 x 2.5 mm die incl. electronic controls
Cost: $30 vs ~$300 bulk sensor (93)
Cut to $5/axis by 1998
Replaced by 3-axis ADXL150

Analog Devices

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Acceleration Sensors

Elastic hinge

Proof Mass

Spacer

Silicon substrate

Capacitive Accelerometer

Force

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Applications in Automotive Industry

Inertia Sensor for Air Bag Deployment System
Micro inertia sensor (accelerometer)

(Analog Devices, Inc)

Pressure Sensors
Pext
Measure
RC time

Force

Pint

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Membrane
Spacer

Silicon substrate

Capacitive Pressure Sensor

Piezo-resistive pressure sensor

High-pressure gas sensor

(ceramic surface-mount)
NovaSensors piezo-resistive pressure sensors

Disposable medical sensor

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Applications-Medical

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Applications-Medical
Micropump
Lower 2 wafers bonded via silicon fusion bonding. Top
wafer later glued.
Piezo ceramic driven by high voltage (-40V, +90V)
At 100Hz, no back pressure, average flow rate
1600l/min.
Dead volume = pump chamber volume 800nl.
Average stroke volume = 260nl.
Bubble tolerant and self-priming.

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Applications-Medical
BioMEMS:

Applications-Digital Light Projection

Technology

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DMD- 1st Optical MEMS device

Texas Instruments

Digital Light Projector

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TM

& DLP PROJECTOR

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Applications-Printing Technology
Inkjet Printers

Computer read/write heads

Ink jet print head

Magnetic disk read/write head

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Applications:Communications
Micro Switches for Fiber Optical Network

(Lucent Technology, Murray Hill, NJ)

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Applications:Communications
MEMS Optical Switch Lucent micromirror
16X16 Array
Size of Each mirror:~ head of a pin
Tilts to steer lightwave signals from
one optical fiber to another

Part of Lucent
Technologies'
WaveStartm
LambdaRouter

(Lucent, 1999)

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Communications
MEMS Resonators, filters, Phase shifters, Reconfigurable
antennae

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Consumer Electronics
Smart Phones, Cameras
Micromachined
accelerometer sensors are
now being used in seismic
recording,
machine
monitoring, and diagnostic
systems - or basically any
application where gravity,
shock, and vibration are
factors.
The field is also widening
considerably
in
other
markets.

ME 505

MEMS Market
$ 7 billion at the component
level Enable $ 100 billions
market
Akustika: MEMS-based speakers
(Audiopixels)

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MEMS Market
Automotive industry:
manifold air pressure sensor (Honeywell, Motorola) nearly 40 million
units per year.
Air bag sensor (accelerometer:50 million units per year).
Anolog Devices: Accelerometer, Gyroscopes.

Medical
Disposable blood pressure sensors at 20 million units per year.

Digital Light Projection Technology:

TI digital mirror display (DMD) video projection system (development
cost ~ $1B)

Printing Technology:
Inkjet nozzles (HP, Canon, Lexmark)up to 1600 x 1600 resolution(~ 30M
units per year)

MEMS Microphones

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CAD For MEMS

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MEMS Design Tools

Example: Pressure Sensor Design
The design involves: Designing
the pressure sensor membrane geometry:
maximizing the sensitivity by optimizing the
membrane dimensions.The pressure sensor
membrane
the signal conditioning circuit
a suitable package for the device

Layout design using MEMS PRO

Simulation using ANSYS software.
Coventerware
COMSOL
MEMS+
Intellisuite

Eg.The pressure sensor Model

in MEMSPRO

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Meshed Model

Meshed in Hypermesh 5.0

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The deflection analysis

Maximum Deflection:3.5 micron

In micron

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Stress analysis

Maximum Stress: 424 MPa

In MPa

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The Schematic of Piezoresistive Pressure

sensor

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Voltage Sensitivity Simulation

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TOP Ten Products

As for areas of opportunity, VDC's market attractiveness index
identifies the top 10 near term opportunities in the MEMS / MST
market:

Micro-fluidic biochips for medical diagnostics and drug discovery

Glucose micro-fluidic monitoring sensors
Tire pressure sensors
Hard disk drive heads
Consumer print heads for inkjet printers
Over the counter micro-fluidic testing devices for detecting medical
conditions
Large format print heads
Devices that enable advanced automotive functions
ABS accelerometers and gyroscopes
Automobile mass airflow sensors
Microphones
RF antennas

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The Pressure Sensor

Silicon Cap Wafer
Silicon
Membrane

Silicon Substrate
Glass Plate
for support
Fig.3. Cross section of a typical sensor die
Piezoresistors

Conductor
Pattern

Bonding pads

Fig.5. TOP VIEW : Silicon Membrane wafer

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MEMS Pressure Sensor

These are based on the deflection of Silicon Membrane.
Silicon Cap Wafer
Silicon Substrate
Glass Plate
for support

The sensing is of two types

Cross section of a typical sensor die
Capacitive
Piezoresistive

Silicon
Membrane

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Fabrication
Bulk micro machining in single crystal silicon and
Surface micromachining in polysilicon.

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Pressure Sensor Range

vacuum,
Low pressure (0.02 to 0.1 Atm),
Medium pressure (0.25 to 10 Atm),
High pressure (60 to more than 500 Atm).

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Capacitive pressure sensors

high sensitivity
small dynamic range
because the gap between the capacitor plates must be very
small to obtain a large capacitance.
A thin silicon diaphragm is employed with a narrow capacitive
gap and a vacuum cavity for reference pressure.
The silicon diaphragms have better mechanical properties,
including freedom from creep, resulting in better repeatability
than metal diaphragms.

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Capacitive pressure sensors

The sensor is formed from two glass substrates and a silicon
wafer.
The silicon wafer is sandwiched between the two glass wafers
by anodic bonding, simultaneously forming a sealed reference
cavity.
An alloy of Zn-V-Fe is used as a Non Evaporable Getter (NEG)
to maintain the reference cavity at high vacuum. After bonding
in vacuum, the NEG can absorb the remaining gas in the
reference cavity.

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Capacitive pressure sensors

Use of a P++ (heavily doped boron) etch stop layer provides
accurate control of diaphragm thickness.

Structure of a capacitive absolute pressure sensor

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Pressure range 0-100mTorr

Can be extended to about 500 mtorr.

1.

A Ultra-Sensitive, High-Vacuum Absolute Capacitive Pressure Sensor;

Technical Digest of the 14th IEEE International Conference On Micro Electro
Mechanical Systems (MEMS 2001), pp. 166-169, Interlaken, Switzerland,
Jan. 21-25, 2001.

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Working of piezoresistive sensor

The sensing material
diaphragm formed on a silicon substrate,
which bends with applied pressure. The
membrane defection is typically less than 1
m.
A deformation occurs in the crystal lattice of the
diaphragm because of that bending.
This deformation causes a change in the
resistivity of the material. This change can be
an increase or a decrease according to the
orientation of the resistors.

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Working of piezoresistive sensor

The Piezoresistive sensor utilizes silicon strain gauges
configured as a Wheatstone bridge in which one or more
resistors change value when strained.
The output normalized to input pressure is known as sensitivity
(mV/V/Pa), and is related to the piezoresistive coefficients.
These sensors require an applied current and signal-conditioning
electronics for operation.
Due to the simple construction and their large output signal,
Piezoresistive sensors take a primacy within pressure sensors.
Piezoresistive pressure sensors are available for different
nominal pressure ranges from 10mbar up to 1000 bar and can
therefore be used for different applications.

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piezoresistive silicon Pressure Sensor

Mature processing technology.
Different pressure levels can be achieved according to the
application.
Also, various sensitivities can be obtained.
Read-out circuitry can be either on-chip or discrete
Low-cost

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Diaphragm
The pressure sensitive diaphragm is formed
by silicon back-end bulk micromachining.
Silicon diaphragms are formed by
Anisotropically etching the back of a
silicon wafer. Usually a square membrane
can be formed by wet etching in KOH or
TMAH (TriMethyl Ammonium Hydroide)
solution.
The circular membranes can be obtained by
dry etch process.
The silicon diaphragms 5-50 microns 1
micron and area 1- 100 square mm.
The size and thickness of the finished
diaphragm depend on the pressure range
desired.

The SEM (Scanning

Electron Microscope)
view of the back-side of
one of the sensor

diaphragm

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Typical Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor

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The piezoresistive elements (i.e., the diffused resistors) are

located on an n-type epitaxial layer of typical thickness 2-10
micron. The epitaxial layer is deposited on a p-type substrate.
The aluminum conductors join the semiconductor resistors in a
bridge configuration and are attached to the bond pads for
circuit interconnection.

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The resistors are placed on the

diaphragm such that two experience
mechanical tension in parallel and the
other two are perpendicular to the
direction of current flow.
Thus, the two pairs exhibit resistance
changes opposite to each other. These
pairs are located diagonally in the bridge
such that applied pressure produces a
bridge imbalance.
Deformation by applied pressure causes
high levels of mechanical tension at the
edges of the diaphragm. Positioning the
resistors in this area of highest tension
increases sensitivity.

The pressure
sensor chip

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Alumina substrates are used for the packaging of the sensor

The alumina substrate has a hole at

the middle. This is required for
differential pressure measurements
and the air pressure is always applied
to the back side of the sensor via this
hole.

Here the sensor is bonded on the

substrate .The wire bonding is
also done.

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The packed pressure sensor

A cap is made for the input pressure port. The electrical
connections are covered with epoxy for electrical isolation.

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MEMS in ACTIONS

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MEMS in Action

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MEMS in Action

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MEMS in Action

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MEM GYRO

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MEMS Directional Microphone

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Summary
We have learnt:
What is MEMS why do we need mems , how do we
fabricate, what are the challenges in design, fabrication,
packaging and testing MEMS
We have reviewed current MEMS market and a few
applications

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