Introduction to MEMS

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Prof. Tianhong Cui, Mechanical Engineering
ME 8254

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MEMS - evolved from the Microelectronics

Overview Revolution

z What is micromanufacturing and MEMS? IC Industry Timeline

z Why the interest in MEMS?
1947 1958 1999
z IC Fabrication Processes
z Bulk Micromachining Processes
z Surface Micromachining Processes
z Combined Processes
z References single transistor first IC 10 million transistors

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 So what exactly is MEMS? MEMS Examples

Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the

integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and pressure sensors
electronics on a common substrate through the utilization of accelerometers
microfabrication technology or “microtechnology”. flow sensors
inkjet printers
deformable mirror devices
gas sensors
micromotors
microgears
lab-on-a-chip systems

MEMS Timeline
1980
General MEMS Advantages
1999
z Batch fabrication
Bulk micromachined
– Reduced cost
pressure sensor z Reduced size
– Is everything better smaller?
z Reduced power
2030 z High precision

TI DMD
(1.3 million micro-mirrors)
? z New capabilities?
z Improved performance?

The MicroTechnology/MEMS Tool Set Micromachining Processes

z Standard Integrated Circuit (IC) Processes
Cleanroom plus
microfab processes – Identical to those used in IC fabrication
– Generally used for surface micromachining
+ z Surface Micromachining
– Additive processes
z Bulk Micromachining
– Subtractive Process
z Dividing line can become very blurry

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 Standard IC Processes Standard IC Processes

Source:
Photolithography Jaeger

Source:
CWRU
Source: Jaeger

Standard IC Processes Standard IC Processes

1) Deposit/Grow Thin Films 2) Pattern Thin Films

• Sputtering • Lithography
• Evaporation • Etching Techniques (wet, dry, RIE)
• Thermal Oxidation
• CVD
• Spinning
• Epitaxy

Standard IC Processes Micromachining Processes

3) Introduce Dopants (to form electrically-active Bulk Micromachining
regions for diodes, transistors, etc.)
• wet vs dry
• isotropic vs anisotropic
• Thermal Diffusion • subtractive process
• Ion Implantation

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 Micromachining Processes Micromachining Processes
Bulk Micromachining
Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)

Source: Madou
• high density ICP plasma
• high aspect ratio Si structures
• cost: $500K
Source: LucasNova

Source: Maluf Source: STS Source: STS Source: AMMI

Source: Maluf

Micromachining Processes Micromachining Processes

Surface Micromachining LIGA (lithographie, galvanoformung, abformtechnik)
• additive process • uses x-ray lithography (PMMA), electrodeposition and
• structural & sacrificial layers molding to produce very high aspect ratio (>100) micro-
structures up to 1000 um tall (1986)

Source: Sandia

Source: Madou Source: Kovacs

MEMS Examples Micromachining Processes

Micro-structures using LIGA Poor Man’s LIGA
• uses optical epoxy negative-resist (SU-8) developed by IBM
to produce high aspect ratio micro-structures (1995)

UofL Micro-reaction wells: 150 um wide,

120 um tall, 50 um wall thickness
Source: UW Source: Maluf

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 MEMS Examples
Micromachining Processes Source: NovaSensor
Pressure Sensor (conventional)
Wafer-Level Bonding
• glass-Si anodic bonding
• Si-Si fusion bonding
• eutectic bonding
• low temp glass bonding

60

50

Output Voltage (mV)

40

30

20

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Source: UofL
Source: Maluf Source: EV Pressure (PSI)

MEMS Examples MEMS Examples

Micromotors Optical MEMS (MOEMS)

Source: MIT and Berkeley Source: NIST, Simon Fraser, UCLA, and MCNC

MEMS Examples MEMS Examples

Pressure Sensor (ultra-miniature) Lab-on-a-Chip Systems
• separation
• dilution
• mixing and dispensing
• analysis

Source: NovaSensor Source: Caliper

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 Microreactor SU8 High AR Structures

PZT Cantilever BEAM Micropump

• Thickness
4.5μm, width
300μm, length
1000μm
•15μm under the
voltage of 10V
• OTS coating to
• Bimetallic Thermal actuation
prevent from
• Three-layer Silicon
stiction
• The middle layer has 2 check valves
• Flowrate 190 μl/min
• P 80 mm H2O

MEMS Examples
Integration Micromachined Tips for FEDs and AFMs

z Micromachining processes may be

integrated
z Both bulk and surface micromachining may
be performed on a single substrate
z Micromachined structures may be
integrated with ICs

Source: Micron (?) Source: IBM

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 MEMS Examples MEMS Examples
Neural Probes Neural Interface Chip

Source: Stanford
Source: Mich (K. Wise)

MEMS Examples MEMS Examples

Micro-Grippers Micro-Tweezers

Source: Berkeley Source: MEMS Precision Instruments

MEMS Examples MEMS Examples

Optical MEMS (MOEMS) Accelerometers

Source: IMC (Sweden), Maluf and TI

Sources: Analog Devices, Lucas NovaSensor, and EG&G IC Sensors

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 MEMS Examples MEMS References
Channels, Nozzles, Flow Structures, and Load Cells Fundamentals of Microfabrication; Marc J. Madou

Micromachined Transducers Sourcebook; G. Kovacs

An Introduction to MEMS Engineering; by Nadim Maluf

Silicon Micromachining; by Elwenspoek and Jansen

Microsensors; by Richard S. Muller, Roger T. Howe, Stephen

D. Senturia, R. Smith (Editors)

Micromechanics and Mems : Classic and Seminal Papers to

1990; by W. Trimmer (Editor)

MEMS WWW Bookstore: http://mems.isi.edu/bookstore/

Source: EG&G IC Sensors