MEMS Sensors and Actuators,

Examples: Gyroscopes and DMD

Introduction to MEMS lecture #7

Mark Bachman, UCI, Fall 2002

Gyroscopes

What is a gyroscope?
A device that can measure angular motion or displacement
Applications
Aerospace:
Inertial guidance systems
Automotive:
Angular rate sensors (for traction control, etc.)
Entertainment/consumer:
Virtual reality sensors, pointing devices, etc.
Industrial automation:
Motion control, robotics

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Gyroscopes

Principle of operation
The simplest gyroscopes use a high speed, rotating inertial disk that
is loosely coupled to the frame holding it.

A rotation in the frame imparts a torque (rotation) on the spinning disk, which
precesses (rotates) as a result. (Conservation of angular momentum.)
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Gyroscopes

Principle of operation
Practical uses usually limit the movement to measure only one axis
of rotation (roll, pitch or yaw).

The induced torque is monitored by a meter which counteracts the torque with
springs or a similar restoring force.
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Gyroscopes

MEMS limitations
MEMS processes cannot produce devices with large inertial masses,
nor can they produce freely “spinning” disks.

Even the best MEMS motors still quickly slow down and stop if not externally
actuated. The inertial mass of the wheels is very, very small. Furthermore,
they cannot be made so that they precess freely in 3D. 5

Gyroscopes

Coriolis effect
Motion in a rotating reference frame leads to “sideways” movement.

Desired path (as Ground Actual path (as seen

seen in local frame) speed in local frame)
changes To stay along original
along path! path requires
additional force:
Coriolis force.

Can’t walk a straight line in a rotating reference (merry-go-round) without

exerting a sideways force (or acceleration).
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Gyroscopes

Coriolis effect
This well known effect shows up on earth since we are in a rotating
reference frame.

Air moving in straight Focault demonstrated No: toilets and sinks

lines is forced sideways by the Coriolis effect (and do not show the
the fact that it is moving measured the rotation of Coriolis effect.
in a rotating reference the earth) using his (Geomerirc design
frame (the earth). The famous pendulum. of drain more
result is circular motion of important).
storms.
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Gyroscopes

Coriolis effect
Constrained motion means a force is imparted.

If path is constrained, For oscillating body,

the contraining device motion (oscillation)
will feel the Coriolis will be induced
force. sideways.

By measuring the imparted force (or its effect on an oscillator), we can directly
measure the angular velocity. Almost all MEMS gyroscopes use this feature.
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Gyroscopes

Tuning fork gyroscope

A tuning fork is simple example of the Coriolis effect and how it can
be used to monitor angular motion.

MALIF: Figure 4.19

By measuring the amplitude of oscillation in the sideways direction, the

angular motion can be deduced. Used in Daimler Benz AG MEMS gyroscope.
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Gyroscopes

Vibrating ring shell gyroscope

A ring is flexured back and forth in resonant mode. The Coriolis
effect induces flexure that is sideways (and out of phase) with the
driving flexure.

MALIF: Figure 4.20

The Coriolis force The result is an

always pushes effective rotation of the
sideways to the motion ring oscillation mode.
of the ring.

Since the Coriolis force vibrates the ring sideways, it produces a second mode
of vibration which adds to the first. The result is a “rotation” of the mode
pattern of the ring. Most MEMS gyros use this method in closed-loop mode. 10

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Gyroscopes

Example device: Delco Electronics Corp.

Vibrating ring assembly electroformed on CMOS substrate.

Device is freestanding metal. High precision capacitance circuits monitor ring

vibration and provide electrostatic actuation for closed loop operation.
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Gyroscopes

Example device: Silicon Sensing Systems

(Formerly British Aerospace Systems) VSG ring sensor.

MALIF: Figure 4.21

Device is freestanding metal silicon with metal traces. External magnetic field
is applied and current loops pass through the device initiating movement.
Other metal loops are used to measure induced current. 12

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Gyroscopes

Example device: Daimler Benz AG

Tuning fork sensor.

MALIF: Figure 4.22, 4.23

Device is fabricated from silicon with piezoelectric actuator (Al Nitride) and
piezoresistive (diffused) sensor. Resistor detects torsional shear in the neck
induced by Coriolis effect. Made by wafer bonding methods. 13

Gyroscopes

Example device: Daimler Benz AG

Tuning fork sensor (process flow).

Device is fabricated from silicon with piezoelectric actuator (Al Nitride) and
piezoresistive (diffused) sensor. SOI wafers are fusion bonded together to form
final device. 14

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Gyroscopes

Example device: Rober Bosch GmbH

Tuning fork with lateral accelerometer

MALIF: Figure 4.24, 4.25

Device is fabricated from silicon using surface and bulk micromachining

methods. On top of large bulk micromachined oscillator is surface
micromachined accelerometer similar to the ADXL series. Actuation is by 15
external magnetic field and inductive current loops.

Gyroscopes

Example device: Rober Bosch GmbH

Process flow

MALIF: Figure 4.24, 4.25

Device is fabricated from silicon using surface and bulk micromachining

methods. Deep silicon etch processes and MEMS level packaging.
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 Digital Micromirror Device
Texas Instruments
DLP: “Digital Light Processing”
Projection display technology

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Digital Micromirror Device

Overview
Inventor: Dr. Larry Hornbeck, TI fellow
First patent: 1986. Release to public: 1996.
One of the most successful and complex MEMS actuators developed
Winner of many awards
Large growing markets in
Display systems
Digital movies
Home entertainment systems
High resolution imaging systems

Silicon micromachined device containing over one million moving parts. It may
well contain the most moving parts of any other single device in history.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Projection display systems applications

DMD based business projection devices tend to outperform LCD devices in

resolution and color quality.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Digital movies and large format TV

DMD based devices are being produced for use in cinemas and home
entertainment systems. IMAX is preparing DLP based devices for its large
screen cinemas. 20

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Digital Micromirror Device

High resolution imaging

DLP technology is capable of producing high resolution imaging. Unlike laser or

CRT technology,it can direct any kind of light source onto imaging paper.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Basic operation

DMD consists of an array of thousands of movable mirrors. Each mirror is

addressable and reflects light in and out of a focusing assembly.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Basic design

Each mirror is 16 µm wide and sits atop a torsional spring. Electrostatic

actuation, via 24 V, tips the mirror to +10 or -10 degrees.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Basic design, cont.

Grain of salt in DMD surface Leg of an ant on DMD surface

Mirrors are made on top of CMOS defined circuitry and built using surface
micromachining of aluminum layers. Fill factor is 90%.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Basic design, cont.

Actuation cannot control precise position of mirror. Operates only in “digital”

mode. Completely ON or completely OFF. Mechanical switching time is 16 µs.
Fast switching allows grays to be emulated.3 DMD arrays are used for color. 25

Digital Micromirror Device

Basic processing, cont.

A CMOS substrate is patterned with three layers of aluminum. Most critical is

the deposition of a low stress torsion hinge. A landing pad is also critical to the
operational success of the device. Sacrificial material is organic and removed
by O2 plasma etch.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Yield issues

Rai-Choudhury/Mignardi:
Figure 4.22

Major failure mechanisms are surface contamination and “hinge memory”

caused by metal creep. Mean time between failures is more than 100,000 h.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Packaging issues (partial saw technique)

DMD completed superstructure

Protective layer spun on
Wafer is partially sawed
Wafer is wet cleaned
Sacrificial material removed
Electro-optical test (wafer level)
Die separation (break the wafer)
Die pick
Wire bond

Many custom built packaging, testing, and placement tools were developed for
TI’s DMD devices. Cost of chips is $100’s, so justifies tricky packaging efforts.
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Digital Micromirror Device

Remarks
The Texas Instruments DMD represents one of the most successful
and most complex MEMS devices ever built.
Huge R&D effort was required before final product delivered. (First
patent 1985. First product ten years later.)
Specialized packaging and
handling equipment is required
and was developed.
Chips cost $100’s, allowing this
high tech device to be profitable.

Texas Instruments now reaping the benefits of DMD in their DLP products!

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Reminder

Quiz #2
The second quiz will be given in NEXT WEEK, on Tuesday. The quiz
will cover the last three lectures (#5,6,7) on sensors and actuators:
• Basics and physical phenomena
• Pressure sensors and transducers
• Accelerometers, gyroscopes, and DMD
The quiz will also cover chapter 4 in Maluf.

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