SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

Device applications include inkjet-printer cartridges, accelerometer,

miniature robots, microengines, locks inertial sensors microtransmissions,
micromirrors, micro Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are small integrated
devices or systems that combine electrical and mechanical components. They range in
size from the sub micrometer level to the millimeter level and there can be any
number, from a few to millions, in a particular system. MEMS extend the fabrication
techniques developed for the integrated circuit industry to add mechanical elements
such as beams, gears, diaphragms, and springs to devices.

Examples of MEMS actuator (Mechanisms for activating process

control equipment by use of pneumatic, hydraulic, or electronic signals) optical
scanners, fluid pumps, transducer, pressure and flow sensors. New applications are
emerging as the existing technology is applied to the miniaturization and integration
of conventional devices.

These systems can sense, control, and activate mechanical processes on

the micro scale, and function individually or in arrays to generate effects on the macro
scale. The micro fabrication technology enables fabrication of large arrays of devices,
which individually perform simple tasks, but in combination can accomplish
complicated functions.

MEMS are not about any one application or device, nor are they defined
by a single fabrication process or limited to a few materials. They are a fabrication
approach that conveys the advantages of miniaturization, multiple components, and
microelectronics to the design and construction of integrated electromechanical
systems. MEMS are not only about miniaturization of mechanical systems; they are
also a new paradigm for designing mechanical devices and systems.

The MEMS industry has an estimated $10 billion market, and with a
projected 10-20% annual growth rate, it is estimated to have a $34 billion market in
2002. Because of the significant impact that MEMS can have on the commercial and
defense markets, industry and the federal government have both taken a special
interest in their development.

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SECTION 1.1 WHAT IS MEMS TECHNOLOGY?
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of
mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon
substrate through microfabrication technology. While the electronics are fabricated
using integrated circuit (IC) process sequences, the micromechanical components are
fabricated using compatible "micromachining" processes that selectively etch away
parts of the silicon wafer or add new structural layers to form the mechanical and
electromechanical devices.

Microelectronic integrated circuits can be thought of as the "brains" of a

system and MEMS augments this decision-making capability with "eyes" and "arms",
to allow microsystems to sense and control the environment. Sensors gather
information from the environment through measuring mechanical, thermal, biological,
chemical, optical, and magnetic phenomena. The electronics then process the
information derived from the sensors and through some decision making capability
direct the actuators to respond by moving, positioning, regulating, pumping, and
filtering, thereby controlling the environment for some desired outcome or purpose.
Because MEMS devices are manufactured using batch fabrication techniques similar
to those used for integrated circuits, unprecedented levels of functionality, reliability,
and sophistication can be placed on a small silicon chip at a relatively low cost.

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SECTION 1.2 WHAT ARE MEMS / MICROSYSTEMS?

MEMS is an abbreviation for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems. This

is a rapidly emerging technology combining electrical, electronic, mechanical, optical,
material, chemical, and fluids engineering disciplines. As the smallest commercially
produced "machines", MEMS devices are similar to traditional sensors and actuators
although much, much smaller. E.g. Complete systems are typically a few millimeters
across, with individual features devices of the order of 1-100 micrometers across.

MEMS devices are manufactured either using processes based on Integrated Circuit
fabrication techniques and materials, or using new emerging fabrication technologies
such as micro injection molding. These former processes involve building the device
up layer by layer, involving several material depositions and etch steps. A typical
MEMS fabrication technology may have a 5 step process. Due to the limitations of
this "traditional IC" manufacturing process MEMS devices are substantially planar,
having very low aspect ratios (typically 5 -10 micro meters thick). It is important to
note that there are several evolving fabrication techniques that allow higher aspect
ratios such as deep x-ray lithography, electrodeposition, and micro injection molding.

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 MEMS devices are typically fabricated onto a substrate (chip) that may
also contain the electronics required to interact with the MEMS device. Due to the
small size and mass of the devices, MEMS components can be actuated
electrostatically (piezoelectric and bimetallic effects can also be used). The position of
MEMS components can also be sensed capacitively. Hence the MEMS electronics
include electrostatic drive power supplies, capacitance charge comparators, and signal
conditioning circuitry. Connection with the macroscopic world is via wire bonding
and encapsulation into familiar BGA, MCM, surface mount, or leaded IC packages.

A common MEMS actuator is the "linear comb drive" (shown above) which consists
of rows of interlocking teeth; half of the teeth are attached to a fixed "beam", the other
half attach to a movable beam assembly. Both assemblies are electrically insulated.
By applying the same polarity voltage to both parts the resultant electrostatic force
repels the movable beam away from the fixed. Conversely, by applying opposite
polarity the parts are attracted. In this manner the comb drive can be moved "in" or
"out" and either DC or AC voltages can be applied. The small size of the parts (low
inertial mass) means that the drive has a very fast response time compared to its
macroscopic counterpart. The magnitude of electrostatic force is multiplied by the
voltage or more commonly the surface area and number of teeth. Commercial comb
drives have several thousand teeth, each tooth approximately 10 micro meters long.
Drive voltages are CMOS levels.

The linear push / pull motion of a comb drive can be converted into
rotational motion by coupling the drive to push rod and pinion on a wheel. In this
manner the comb drive can rotate the wheel in the same way a steam engine
functions!

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SECTION 3 MEMS DESCRIPTION

MEMS technology can be implemented using a number of different

materials and manufacturing techniques; the choice of which will depend on the
device being created and the market sector in which it has to operate.

SILICON

The economies of scale, ready availability of cheap high-quality

materials and ability to incorporate electronic functionality make silicon attractive for
a wide variety of MEMS applications. Silicon also has significant advantages
engendered through its material properties. In single crystal form, silicon is an almost
perfect Hookean material, meaning that when it is flexed there is virtually no
hysteresis and hence almost no energy dissipation. The basic techniques for producing
all silicon based MEMS devices are deposition of material layers, patterning of these
layers by photolithography and then etching to produce the required shapes.

POLYMERS

Even though the electronics industry provides an economy of scale for

the silicon industry, crystalline silicon is still a complex and relatively expensive
material to produce. Polymers on the other hand can be produced in huge volumes,
with a great variety of material characteristics. MEMS devices can be made from
polymers by processes such as injection moulding, embossing or stereolithography
and are especially well suited to microfluidic applications such as disposable blood
testing cartridges.

METALS

Metals can also be used to create MEMS elements. While metals do not
have some of the advantages displayed by silicon in terms of mechanical properties,
when used within their limitations, metals can exhibit very high degrees of reliability.
Metals can be deposited by electroplating, evaporation, and sputtering processes.
Commonly used metals include gold, nickel, aluminum, chromium, titanium,
tungsten, platinum, and silver

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SECTION 4 MEMS DESIGN PROCESS

There are three basic building blocks in MEMS technology, which are,
Deposition Process-the ability to deposit thin films of material on a substrate,
Lithography-to apply a patterned mask on top of the films by photolithograpic
imaging, and Etching-to etch the films selectively to the mask. A MEMS process is
usually a structured sequence of these operations to form actual devices.

SECTION 4.1 DEPOSITION PROCESSES

One of the basic building blocks in MEMS processing is the ability to

deposit thin films of material. In this text we assume a thin film to have a thickness
anywhere between a few nanometers to about 100 micrometer

MEMS deposition technology can be classified in two groups:

1. Depositions that happen because of a chemical reaction:

o Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
o Electrodeposition
o Epitaxy
o Thermal oxidation

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 These processes exploit the creation of solid materials directly from chemical
reactions in gas and/or liquid compositions or with the substrate material. The
solid material is usually not the only product formed by the reaction.
Byproducts can include gases, liquids and even other solids.

2. Depositions that happen because of a physical reaction:

o Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
o Casting

Common for all these processes are that the material deposited is physically
moved on to the substrate. In other words, there is no chemical reaction which
forms the material on the substrate. This is not completely correct for casting
processes, though it is more convenient to think of them that way.

This is by no means an exhaustive list since technologies evolve continuously.

SECTION 4.1.1 CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD)

In this process, the substrate is placed inside a reactor to which a number

of gases are supplied. The fundamental principle of the process is that a chemical
reaction takes place between the source gases. The product of that reaction is a solid
material with condenses on all surfaces inside the reactor.

The two most important CVD technologies in MEMS are the Low
Pressure CVD (LPCVD) and Plasma Enhanced CVD (PECVD). The LPCVD process
produces layers with excellent uniformity of thickness and material characteristics.
The main problems with the process are the high deposition temperature (higher than
600°C) and the relatively slow deposition rate. The PECVD process can operate at
lower temperatures (down to 300° C) thanks to the extra energy supplied to the gas
molecules by the plasma in the reactor. However, the quality of the films tend to be
inferior to processes running at higher temperatures. Secondly, most PECVD
deposition systems can only deposit the material on one side of the wafers on 1 to 4
wafers at a time. LPCVD systems deposit films on both sides of at least 25 wafers at a
time. A schematic diagram of a typical LPCVD reactor is shown in the figure below.

7
Figure 1: Typical hot-wall LPCVD reactor.

WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE CVD?

CVD processes are ideal to use when you want a thin film with good
step coverage. A variety of materials can be deposited with this technology; however,
some of them are less popular with fabs because of hazardous by-products formed
during processing. The quality of the material varies from process to process, however
a good rule of thumb is that higher process temperature yields a material with higher
quality and less defects.

ELECTRODEPOSITION

This process is also known as "electroplating" and is typically restricted

to electrically conductive materials. There are basically two technologies for plating:
Electroplating and Electroless plating. In the electroplating process the substrate is
placed in a liquid solution (electrolyte). When an electrical potential is applied
between a conducting area on the substrate and a counter electrode (usually platinum)
in the liquid, a chemical redox process takes place resulting in the formation of a layer
of material on the substrate and usually some gas generation at the counter electrode.

In the electroless plating process a more complex chemical solution is

used, in which deposition happens spontaneously on any surface which forms a
sufficiently high electrochemical potential with the solution. This process is desirable
since it does not require any external electrical potential and contact to the substrate

8
during processing. Unfortunately, it is also more difficult to control with regards to
film thickness and uniformity. A schematic diagram of a typical setup for
electroplating is shown in the figure below.

WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE ELECTRODEPOSITION?

The electrodeposition process is well suited to make films of metals

such as copper, gold and nickel. The films can be made in any thickness from ~1µm
to >100µm. The deposition is best controlled when used with an external electrical
potential, however, it requires electrical contact to the substrate when immersed in the
liquid bath. In any process, the surface of the substrate must have an electrically
conducting coating before the deposition can be done.

Figure 2: Typical setup for electrodeposition.

EPITAXY

This technology is quite similar to what happens in CVD processes,

however, if the substrate is an ordered semiconductor crystal (i.e. silicon, gallium
arsenide), it is possible with this process to continue building on the substrate with the
same crystallographic orientation with the substrate acting as a seed for the
deposition. If an amorphous/polycrystalline substrate surface is used, the film will
also be amorphous or polycrystalline.

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 There are several technologies for creating the conditions inside a
reactor needed to support epitaxial growth, of which the most important is Vapor
Phase Epitaxy (VPE). In this process, a number of gases are introduced in an
induction heated reactor where only the substrate is heated. The temperature of the
substrate typically must be at least 50% of the melting point of the material to be
deposited.

An advantage of epitaxy is the high growth rate of material, which

allows the formation of films with considerable thickness (>100µm). Epitaxy is a
widely used technology for producing silicon on insulator (SOI) substrates. The
technology is primarily used for deposition of silicon. A schematic diagram of a
typical vapor phase epitaxial reactor is shown in the figure below.

Figure 3: Typical cold-wall vapor phase epitaxial reactor.

WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE EPITAXY?

This has been and continues to be an emerging process technology in

MEMS. The process can be used to form films of silicon with thicknesses of ~1µm to
>100µm. Some processes require high temperature exposure of the substrate, whereas
others do not require significant heating of the substrate. Some processes can even be
used to perform selective deposition, depending on the surface of the substrate.

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THERMAL OXIDATION

This is one of the most basic deposition technologies. It is simply

oxidation of the substrate surface in an oxygen rich atmosphere. The temperature is
raised to 800° C-1100° C to speed up the process. This is also the only deposition
technology which actually consumes some of the substrate as it proceeds. The growth
of the film is spurned by diffusion of oxygen into the substrate, which means the film
growth is actually downwards into the substrate. As the thickness of the oxidized
layer increases, the diffusion of oxygen to the substrate becomes more difficult
leading to a parabolic relationship between film thickness and oxidation time for films
thicker than ~100nm. This process is naturally limited to materials that can be
oxidized, and it can only form films that are oxides of that material. This is the
classical process used to form silicon dioxide on a silicon substrate. A schematic
diagram of a typical wafer oxidation furnace is shown in the figure below.

SECTION 4.2 ETCHING PROCESSES

In order to form a functional MEMS structure on a substrate, it is

necessary to etch the thin films previously deposited and/or the substrate itself. In
general, there are two classes of etching processes:

1. Wet etching where the material is dissolved when immersed in a chemical

solution
2. Dry etching where the material is sputtered or dissolved using reactive ions or
a vapor phase etchant

SECTION 4.2.1 WET ETCHING

This is the simplest etching technology. All it requires is a container

with a liquid solution that will dissolve the material in question. Unfortunately, there
are complications since usually a mask is desired to selectively etch the material. One
must find a mask that will not dissolve or at least etches much slower than the
material to be patterned. Secondly, some single crystal materials, such as silicon,
exhibit anisotropic etching in certain chemicals. Anisotropic etching in contrast to

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isotropic etching means different etches rates in different directions in the material.
The classic example of this is the <111> crystal plane sidewalls that appear when
etching a hole in a <100> silicon wafer in a chemical such as potassium hydroxide
(KOH). The result is a pyramid shaped hole instead of a hole with rounded sidewalls
with a isotropic etchant. The principle of anisotropic and isotropic wet etching is
illustrated in the figure below.

WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE WET ETCHING?

This is a simple technology, which will give good results if you can find
the combination of etchant and mask material to suit your application. Wet etching
works very well for etching thin films on substrates, and can also be used to etch the
substrate itself. The problem with substrate etching is that isotropic processes will
cause undercutting of the mask layer by the same distance as the etch depth.
Anisotropic processes allow the etching to stop on certain crystal planes in the
substrate, but still results in a loss of space, since these planes cannot be vertical to the
surface when etching holes or cavities. If this is a limitation for you, you should
consider dry etching of the substrate instead. However, keep in mind that the cost per
wafer will be 1-2 orders of magnitude higher to perform the dry etching

If you are making very small features in thin films (comparable to the
film thickness), you may also encounter problems with isotropic wet etching, since
the undercutting will be at least equal to the film thickness. With dry etching it is
possible etch almost straight down without undercutting, which provides much higher
resolution.

Figure 4: Difference between anisotropic and isotropic wet etching.

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SECTION 4.2.2 DRY ETCHING

The dry etching technology can split in three separate classes called
reactive ion etching (RIE), sputter etching, and vapor phase etching.

In RIE, the substrate is placed inside a reactor in which several gases are
introduced. Plasma is struck in the gas mixture using an RF power source, breaking
the gas molecules into ions. The ion is accelerated towards, and reacts at, the surface
of the material being etched, forming another gaseous material. This is known as the
chemical part of reactive ion etching. There is also a physical part which is similar in
nature to the sputtering deposition process. If the ions have high enough energy, they
can knock atoms out of the material to be etched without a chemical reaction. It is
very complex tasks to develop dry etch processes that balance chemical and physical
etching, since there are many parameters to adjust. By changing the balance it is
possible to influence the anisotropy of the etching, since the chemical part is isotropic
and the physical part highly anisotropic the combination can form sidewalls that have
shapes from rounded to vertical. A schematic of a typical reactive ion etching system
is shown in the figure below.

A special subclass of RIE which continues to grow rapidly in popularity

is deep RIE (DRIE). In this process, etch depths of hundreds of microns can be
achieved with almost vertical sidewalls. The primary technology is based on the so-
called "Bosch process", named after the German company Robert Bosch which filed
the original patent, where two different gas compositions are alternated in the reactor.
The first gas composition creates a polymer on the surface of the substrate, and the
second gas composition etches the substrate. The polymer is immediately sputtered
away by the physical part of the etching, but only on the horizontal surfaces and not
the sidewalls. Since the polymer only dissolves very slowly in the chemical part of the
etching, it builds up on the sidewalls and protects them from etching. As a result,
etching aspect ratios of 50 to 1 can be achieved. The process can easily be used to
etch completely through a silicon substrate, and etch rates are 3-4 times higher than
wet etching. Sputter etching is essentially RIE without reactive ions. The systems
used are very similar in principle to sputtering deposition systems. The big difference
is that substrate is now subjected to the ion bombardment instead of the material
target used in sputter deposition.

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 Vapor phase etching is another dry etching method, which can be done
with simpler equipment than what RIE requires. In this process the wafer to be etched
is placed inside a chamber, in which one or more gases are introduced. The material
to be etched is dissolved at the surface in a chemical reaction with the gas molecules.
The two most common vapor phase etching technologies are silicon dioxide etching
using hydrogen fluoride (HF) and silicon etching using xenon diflouride (XeF 2), both
of which are isotropic in nature. Usually, care must be taken in the design of a vapor
phase process to not have bi-products form in the chemical reaction that condense on
the surface and interfere with the etching process.

WHEN DO WE WANT TO USE DRY ETCHING?

The first thing you should note about this technology is that it is
expensive to run compared to wet etching. If you are concerned with feature
resolution in thin film structures or you need vertical sidewalls for deep etchings in
the substrate, you have to consider dry etching. If you are concerned about the price
of your process and device, you may want to minimize the use of dry etching. The IC
industry has long since adopted dry etching to achieve small features, but in many
cases feature size is not as critical in MEMS. Dry etching is an enabling technology,
which comes at a sometimes high cost.

Figure 5: Typical parallel-plate reactive ion etching system.

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SECTION 5 FABRICATION TECHNOLOGIES

The three characteristic features of MEMS fabrication technologies are

miniaturization, multiplicity, and microelectronics. Miniaturization enables the
production of compact, quick-response devices. Multiplicity refers to the batch
fabrication inherent in semiconductor processing, which allows thousands or millions
of components to be easily and concurrently fabricated. Microelectronics provides the
intelligence to MEMS and allows the monolithic merger of sensors, actuators, and
logic to build closed-loop feedback components and systems. The successful
miniaturization and multiplicity of traditional electronics systems would not have
been possible without IC fabrication technology. Therefore, IC fabrication
technology, or microfabrication, has so far been the primary enabling technology for
the development of MEMS. Microfabrication provides a powerful tool for batch
processing and miniaturization of mechanical systems into a dimensional domain not
accessible by conventional techniques. Furthermore, microfabrication provides an
opportunity for integration of mechanical systems with electronics to develop high-
performance closed-loop-controlled MEMS.

Advances in IC technology in the last decade have brought about corresponding

progress in MEMS fabrication processes. Manufacturing processes allow for the
monolithic integration of microelectromechanical structures with driving, controlling,
and signal-processing electronics. This integration promises to improve the
performance of micromechanical devices as well as reduce the cost of manufacturing,
packaging, and instrumenting these devices.

SECTION 5.1 IC FABRICATION

Any discussion of MEMS requires a basic understanding of IC

fabrication technology, or microfabrication, the primary enabling technology for the
development of MEMS. The major steps in IC fabrication technology are:

 Film growth: Usually, a polished Si wafer is used as the substrate, on which a

thin film is grown. The film, which may be epitaxial Si, SiO 2, silicon nitride
(Si3N4), polycrystalline Si, or metal, is used to build both active or passive
components and interconnections between circuits.

15
 Doping: To modulate the properties of the device layer, a low and controllable
level of an atomic impurity may be introduced into the layer by thermal
diffusion or ion implantation.

 Lithography: A pattern on a mask is then transferred to the film by means of

a photosensitive (i.e., light sensitive) chemical known as a photoresist. The
process of pattern generation and transfer is called photolithography. A typical
mask consists of a glass plate coated with a patterned chromium (Cr) film.

 Etching: Next is the selective removal of unwanted regions of a film or

substrate for pattern delineation. Wet chemical etching or dry etching may be
used. Etch-mask materials are used at various stages in the removal process to
selectively prevent those portions of the material from being etched. These
materials include SiO2, Si3N4, and hard-baked photoresist.

 Dicing: The finished wafer is sawed or machined into small squares, or dice,
from which electronic components can be made.

 Packaging: The individual sections are then packaged, a process that involves
physically locating, connecting, and protecting a device or component. MEMS
design is strongly coupled to the packaging requirements, which in turn are
dictated by the application environment.

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Figure6: Typical packaging

SECTION 6 CURRENT CHALLENGES

MEMS and Nanotechnology is currently used in low- or medium-

volume applications. Some of the obstacles preventing its wider adoption are:

LIMITED OPTIONS

Most companies who wish to explore the potential of MEMS and

Nanotechnology have very limited options for prototyping or manufacturing devices,
and have no capability or expertise in microfabrication technology. Few companies
will build their own fabrication facilities because of the high cost. A mechanism
giving smaller organizations responsive and affordable access to MEMS and Nano
fabrication is essential.

PACKAGING

The packaging of MEMS devices and systems needs to improve

considerably from its current primitive state. MEMS packaging is more challenging
than IC packaging due to the diversity of MEMS devices and the requirement that
many of these devices be in contact with their environment. Currently almost all
MEMS and Nano development efforts must develop a new and specialized package
for each new device. Most companies find that packaging is the single most expensive
and time consuming task in their overall product development program. As for the
components themselves, numerical modeling and simulation tools for MEMS
packaging are virtually non-existent. Approaches which allow designers to select
from a catalog of existing standardized packages for a new MEMS device without
compromising performance would be beneficial.

FABRICATION KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

Currently the designer of a MEMS device requires a high level of

fabrication knowledge in order to create a successful design. Often the development
of even the most mundane MEMS device requires a dedicated research effort to find a

17
suitable process sequence for fabricating it. MEMS device design needs to be
separated from the complexities of the process sequence.

SECTION 7 APPLICATIONS
PRESSURE SENSORS

MEMS pressure microsensors typically have a flexible diaphragm that

deforms in the presence of a pressure difference. The deformation is converted to an
electrical signal appearing at the sensor output. A pressure sensor can be used to sense
the absolute air pressure within the intake manifold of an automobile engine, so that
the amount of fuel required for each engine cylinder can be computed.

ACCELEROMETERS

Accelerometers are acceleration sensors. An inertial mass suspended by

springs is acted 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.

Accelerometers in consumer electronics devices such as game

controllers (Nintendo Wii), personal media players / cell phones (Apple iPhone ) and
a number of Digital Cameras (various Canon Digital IXUS models). Also used in PCs
to park the hard disk head when free-fall is detected, to prevent damage and data loss.
iPod Touch: When the technology become sensitive. MEMS-based sensors are ideal
for a wide array of applications in consumer, communication, automotive and
industrial markets.

The consumer market has been a key driver for MEMS technology
success. For example, in a mobile phone, MP3/MP4 player or PDA, these sensors
offer a new intuitive motion-based approach to navigation within and between pages.
In game controllers, MEMS sensors allow the player to play just moving the
controller/pad; the sensor determines the motion.

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Micro Engines

A three-level polysilicon micromachining process has

enabled the fabrication of devices with increased degrees
of complexity. The process includes three movable levels
of polysilicon, each separated by a sacrificial oxide layer,
plus a stationary level. Microengines can be used to drive
the wheels of microcombination locks. They can also be
used in combination with a microtransmission to drive a
pop-up mirror out of a plane. This device is known as a
micro mirror.

HOMELAND SECURITY

 Homeland Security refers to protection of territory,

domestic population and critical infrastructure
against external threats and aggression.

 September 11 attacks and the bio-terrorism threats

have made Department of Homeland Security a
focal point in defending the nation against terrorist
attacks.

Military Applications of MEMS

 Development of agile and advanced military

warfare

 Faster access to information in all domains –

AIR, SEA & LAND

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Figure 7: block model
Multisensor Microcluster

• This system includes micro-sensors for

measurement of temperature, pressure, humidity
and position.

• Applications :

 Environmental Monitoring
 Health Monitoring

MEMS POLYCHROMATOR

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Figure 8: Typical mems polychromator

MEMS MAGNETOMETER

 MEMS magnetometer coupled with wireless

systems can detect tanks, trucks or terrorists with
weapons hiding in caves upto depths of 100 feet.

 MEMS Magnetometer sense change in earths

Magnetic field without any drive current

21
Figure 9: Typical mems magnetometer

Biometric Identification

 Reliable, low cost and convenient method of

uniquely identifying individuals by measuring
certain physical and behavioral characteristics
 This sample is then compared with the template or
signature, based on the same characteristics
established as unique identity of that individual
and stored in the security system
 Characteristics: Finger prints, Palm prints, Retina
and iris patterns, face patterns, voice, gait.

Electronic Tongue

• MEMS Sensors act as “TASTE BUDS” to identify

chemical Components in Liquids
• Incorporates number of chemical sensors generating an
electronic fingerprint of the tastes.

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Figure 10: Typical electronic tongue

Some Other Commercial applications include:

 Inkjet printers, which use piezoelectrics or thermal
bubble ejection to deposit ink on paper.
 Accelerometers in modern cars for a large number
of purposes including airbag deployment in
collisions.
 MEMS gyroscopes used in modern cars and other
applications to detect yaw; e.g. to deploy a roll
over bar or trigger dynamic stability control.
 Silicon pressure sensors e.g. car tire pressure
sensors, and disposable blood pressure sensors.
 Displays e.g. the DMD chip in a projector based on
DLP technology has on its surface several hundred
thousand micromirrors.
 Optical switching technology which is used for
switching technology and alignment for data
communications.
 Bio-MEMS applications in medical and health
related technologies from Lab-On-Chip to
MicroTotalAnalysis (biosensor, chemosensor).
 Interferometric modulator display (IMOD)
applications in consumer electronics. Used to
create interferometric modulation - reflective
display technology as found in mirasol displays.

MEMS IC fabrication technologies have also

allowed the manufacture of advanced memory devices
(nanochips/microchips).

23
 Figure 11: Typical structure of mems based
advanced memory device

As a final example, MEMS technology has

been used in fabricating vaporization microchambers for
vaporizing liquid microthrusters for nanosatellites. The
chamber is part of a microchannel with a height of 2-10
microns, made using silicon and glass substrates

ADVANTAGES OF MEMS
DISADVANTAGES OF MEMS

 Minimize energy  Improved

and materials use accuracy and
in manufacturing reliability
 Cost/performance
 Increased
advantages
selectivity and
 Improved sensitivity
reproducibility
 Farm
establishment

24
 requires huge  Design includes
investments very much
complex
 Micro-
procedures
components are
Costly compare  Prior knowledge
to macro- is needed to
components integrate MEMS
devices

SECTION 8 THE FUTURE

Each of the three basic microsystems

technology processes we have seen, bulk micromachining,
sacrificial surface micromachining, and
micromolding/LIGA, employs a different set of capital
and intellectual resources. MEMS manufacturing firms
must choose which specific microsystems manufacturing
techniques to invest in.

MEMS technology has the potential to

change our daily lives as much as the computer has.
However, the material needs of the MEMS field are at a
preliminary stage. A thorough understanding of the
properties of existing MEMS materials is just as important
as the development of new MEMS materials.

Future MEMS applications will be driven by

processes enabling greater functionality through higher
levels of electronic-mechanical integration and greater
numbers of mechanical components working alone or

25
together to enable a complex action. Future MEMS
products will demand higher levels of electrical-
mechanical integration and more intimate interaction with
the physical world. The high up-front investment costs for
large-volume commercialization of MEMS will likely
limit the initial involvement to larger companies in the IC
industry. Advancing from their success as sensors, MEMS
products will be embedded in larger non-MEMS systems,
such as printers, automobiles, and biomedical diagnostic
equipment, and will enable new and improved systems.

SECTION 9 CONCLUSIONS

The automotive industry, motivated by the

need for more efficient safety systems and the desire for
enhanced performance, is the largest consumer of MEMS-
based technology. In addition to accelerometers and
gyroscopes, micro-sized tire pressure systems are now
standard issues in new vehicles, putting MEMS pressure
sensors in high demand. Such micro-sized pressure
sensors can be used by physicians and surgeons in a
telemetry system to measure blood pressure at a stet,
allowing early detection of hypertension and restenosis.
Alternatively, the detection of bio molecules can benefit most
from MEMS-based biosensors. Medical applications include the
detection of DNA sequences and metabolites. MEMS

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biosensors can also monitor several chemicals simultaneously,
making them perfect for detecting toxins in the environment.

Lastly, the dynamic range of MEMS based

silicon ultrasonic sensors have many advantages over existing
piezoelectric sensors in non-destructive evaluation, proximity
sensing and gas flow measurement. Silicon ultrasonic sensors
are also very effective immersion sensors and provide improved
performance in the areas of medical imaging and liquid level
detection.

The medical, wireless technology, biotechnology,

computer, automotive and aerospace industries are
only a few that will benefit greatly from MEMS.
This enabling technology allowing the
development of smart products, augmenting the
computational ability of microelectronics with the
perception and control capabilities of microsensors
and microactuators and expanding the space of
possible designs and applications.
MEMS devices are manufactured for
unprecedented levels of functionality, reliability,
and sophistication can be placed on a small silicon
chip at a relatively low cost.
MEMS promises to revolutionize nearly every
product category by bringing together silicon-
based microelectronics with micromachining
technology, making possible the realization of
complete systems-on-a-chip.
MEMS will be the indispensable factor for
advancing technology in the 21st century and it
promises to create entirely new categories of
products.

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SECTION 10 REFERENCES

Online Resources

• BSAC http://www-bsac.eecs.berkeley.edu/
• DARPA MTO http://www.darpa.mil/mto/
• IEEE Explore
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/DynWel.jsp
• Introduction to Microengineering
http://www.dbanks.demon.co.uk/ueng/
• MEMS Clearinghouse http://www.memsnet.org/
• MEMS Exchange http://www.mems-exchange.org/
• MEMS Industry Group
http://www.memsindustrygroup.org/
• MOSIS http://www.mosis.org/
• MUMPS
http://www.memscap.com/memsrus/crmumps.html
• Stanford Centre for Integrated Systems http://www-
cis.stanford.edu/
• USPTO http://www.uspto.gov/
• Trimmer http://www.trimmer.net/
• Yole Development
http://www.yole.fr/pagesAn/accueil.asp

Journals

• Journal of Micromechanical Systems

• Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
• Micromachine Devices
• Sensors Magazine

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