Microsystems:

The Power of SMAL

Rosemary L. Smith
MicroInstruments & Systems Laboratory (MISL) Dept. Electrical & Computer Engineering UCDavis
L

Microsystems
What are they? Microfabricated Systems the integration of microfabricated sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common substrate or in a single package.
a.k.a.

MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS)

Optical MEMS RF MEMS BioMEMS

Biological System
brain eyes, ears, nose arms, legs, fingers heart & circulation lungs & digestive track vocal cords

Microsystem
microprocessor microsensors microactuators microfluidics power source display

Why Microsystems?
Mechanical, optical, magnetic, chemical, and electronic devices are manufactured using silicon integrated circuit fabrication technology Paradigm shift new way of thinking! Batch Fabrication: low-cost, small size, sophisticated electronics : vacuum tubes to Pentium ! Photolithographic patterning: dimensional precision, reproducibile Millions of components : High functionality.

IC Manufacturing Process
Design IC Simulation Mask Layout
(1 of n masks)

Mask Fabrication

Etching

Photolithography

Film Deposition

Repeat Cycle n times

Test

Dicing

Assembly

Packaging

Photopatterning
photoresist spun on wafer

UV light Film Substrate Apply Photoresist Photomask Photoresist

Remove Photoresist

Etch Film

Develop

Fabrication is independent of the complexity of the pattern.

Mass production:
many chips per wafer many wafers per batch many batches per day

Microfabrication
Improved manufacturing

The Promise

Batch fabrication Precise dimensional control Well established IC technology New materials New structures, by micromachining Integration Auto-reconfiguring Swarms

New types of sensors and structures

New Sytems capabilities

Lower Cost Better Performance More Function per unit volume

Invest NOW !

Microelectronic Devices as Sensors

Resistors Capacitors Diodes Transistors Circuits .Strain Displacement Optical pH Temperature
T3 T4 I2 T1 (A1) T2 (A2) R I PTAT I1

Proportional To Absolute Temperature (PTAT) circuit AD590

R= 1 A/K , - 55 C <T< 150 C

Ion Selective Field Effect Transistor

MOSFET Ion Selective Membrane

S. D. Collins, UCDavis

Micromachining

Collection of technologies that create 3D microstructures on or within a substrate.

Surface Micromachining Bulk Micromachining

wet chemical etching dry plasma etching: Reactive Ion Etching

LIGA electroforming MicroMolding SU-8 Photocured epoxy

Surface Micromachining
Structural Layers
Polysilicon (Silicon) Polymers Metals

Sacrificial Layers
Silicon Dioxide Metals Organics

Etchant
HF Metal Etches Solvents

Bridge

Cantilever

Multiple Levels => Complex Structures

Multiple Structural Layers Multiple Sacrificial Layers

Substrate Etch Sacrificial Layers Anchored Joints

Free Standing Joints

Substrate

Surface Micromachines

http://mems.sandia.gov/scripts/images.asp

Bulk Micromachining

Anisotropic Etching

(Silicon in KOH) All crystal planes etch much faster than 111

(100)/(111) plane intersection= 54.7o

Micromachined Sensors

Pressure Sensor

Thin Silicon Membrane deforms with pressure Piezoresistors change with strain induced by bending membrane Packaging requires sealing to maintain pressure differential

Photo of a packaged pressure sensor

Motorola, Inc.

Accelerometer

Accelerometer for automobile air bag

Surface micromachined, capacitive sensor Sensor + Electronics on same substrate= smart

Analog Devices ADXL-50

C1 C2

Actuators
C. Keller MEMS Precision Instruments http://www.memspi.com

Micro light-bulb Micro Switch

UCDavis

K. Petersen, IBM

Pump + Flow Sensor

Flow

Flow Sensor

differential pressure across an integrated channel. piezo-electric disk sitting on top of a thin, silicon membrane.

Pump

Combined assembly

measures 6.0x2.5x9 cm.

Piezo-electric Pump
B. Van der Schoot and M. Boillat University of Neuchatel, Switzerland

Microthruster
UCDavis
Resistive Heater Contact Pads Nozzle

Average Force vs. Heater Power

0.5 0.45
0.21 ml/min 0.53 ml/min Vaporization starts

Average Force (mN)

Glass Si
VIA HOLE

0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 3

1/2 w

w
EXIT NOZZLE

Vaporization starts

100% Vaporization

HEATER

CONTACT

100% Vaporization
Inlet water Temperature = 82.5 C 15 samples/point

5.5

8 Power (W)

10.5

Micromotors
MCNC Electrostatic Micromotor

Motors, engines and turbines all have been made in and on silicon.

Nickel LIGA gear

Sandia National Labs

UCDavis Si Bulk micromachined

Linear Synchronous Motor

Microfluidics
Qui ckTi me and a GIF de comp re ssor a re n eed ed to see thi s p ictu re .

Micro droplet manipulated by electrowetting of electrodes

C. J. Kim, UCLA

http://cjmems.seas.ucla.edu

Fluid transport from needles to microchannel by capillary force

E. Mukerjee, UCDavis

Micro Power Sources

Micro Fuel Cell

J. Morse, LLNL

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories

http://www-eng.llnl.gov/explo_resear/mems_pg2.html

MicroInstruments & Systems Laboratory, MISL

UCDavis

Surface Plasmon Resonance Microsystem

UCDavis
A multi- layer, assembly of microfabricated components:
Mechanical Torsional Micromirror

Optical GRIN Lens & Optical Fiber

Position Sensitive PhotoDiode Alumina Hybrid Electronic Substrate

Operation: Polarized optical beam reflects

off a thin metal film. At the resonance angle, the optical energy is completely converted into a surface plasmon (zero reflection). The SPR angle is a strong function of the surface dielectric. http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/misl/Homepage.htm

MicroInstruments & Systems Laboratory, MISL

UCDavis

SPR Response
Reflected Intensity(%)
1

Typical SPR Signature

Biotinylate d Gold 5% BSA + Av idin 5% BSA

Response of SPR to avidin adsorption on a biotynilated gold surface

5

Angle (degrees

0.5

Avidin Adsorption 4 3 2 1 0 0 2 1 Avidin Concentration ( g/L)

0 70 72 74 76 78 80

Optical Beam Incident Angle

Micro-ALPS?
Number of sensors
information

Functions
capability

2 mm

pressure

pH O2 flow

Lifetime
Reduction in power redundancy

If MEMS can fly, then why shouldnt they swim?

K. Pister, BSAC
http://robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu/~pister/smartdust