MICROELECTROMECHANIC

AL SYSTEMS
( MEMS )

HARIKRISHNA SATISH.T
 Introduction:
• MEMS stands for Micro-electromechanical systems, a
manufacturing technology that enables the development of
electromechanical systems using batch fabrication techniques
similar to those used in integrated circuit (IC) design.
• They can range in size from micrometers to millimeters
• MEMS integrate mechanical elements, sensors, actuators and
electronics on a silicon substrate using a process technology
called micro fabrication.
• Micro electro mechanical System (MEMS) is making and
combining of miniaturized mechanical and electrical
components on a common silicon substrate through micro
fabrication technology.
How MEMS work?
• The sensors gather information by measuring
mechanical, thermal, biological, chemical, magnetic
and optical signals from the environment.

• The microelectronic Ic’s act as the decision-making

piece of the system, by processing the information
given by the sensors.

• Finally, the actuators help the system respond by

moving, pumping, filtering or somehow controlling the
surrounding environment to achieve its purpose.
Manufacturing process:
• The MEMS materials:
• Primarily silicon its compounds
• other materials are quartz crystal, glass, metals such as
aluminum, titanium, tungsten and copper
• polymers such as photo resist.

• What is Micromachining ?
• Micromachining is a parallel (batch) process in which dozens
to tens of thousands of identical elements are fabricated
simultaneously on the same wafer.
• Divided into three major categories: basic, advanced, and
nonlithographic processes.
• Basic process flow in micromachining:

Figure : Illustration of the basic process flow in micromachining: Layers are deposited; photoresist
is lithographically patterned and then used as a mask to etch the underlying materials. The
process is repeated until completion of the microstructure.
 > 800°C
°°

BASIC PROCESS TOOLS

Deposition Process
Epitaxy: Epitaxy is a deposition method to grow a crystalline
silicon layer over a silicon wafer, but with a differing dopant
type and concentration

Impurity dopants
Silicon Contain source gas High Temperature
[AsH3 ; PH3]
[SiH4/SiCl4/SiH2Cl2] ( > 800° C)
(Controlled) [Controlled]

Wafer Scale p-n junction for

Controlled electrochemical etching
 Oxidation: High-quality amorphous silicon dioxide is obtained
by oxidizing silicon in either
dry oxygen or in steam at elevated temperatures (850º–
1,150ºC)
850°C − 1150°C
Si + O2/ Steam SiO2

It is Depend on Temperature , Oxidizing environment and Time.

Sputter Deposition:
Evaporation
Al , Si, Ti,Cr , Al2O3

Heated at high Temperature

(Scanning at high voltage electronic
beam)
Evaporation

(Water cooling of the target and

shielding from X-ray)

Condenses on a substrate
to form a film
 CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition)
 Deposition Of Polysilicon :-
25 p.a -150 p.a
SiH4 In CVD Chamber Si + 2H2
600°C − 650°C

Polysilicon may be grown directly with doping.

 Deposition of Silicon300
dioxide
°C − 500°C
:-

SiH4 + O2 900°C SiO2 + 2H2

SiCl2H2 + 2N2O 650°C − 750°C SiO2 + 2N2 + 2HCl

Si(OC2H5)4 + 2N2O SiO2 + byproduct

High temperature
Oxide Doped Semiconductor
Impurity
P2O5
 Deposition of Silicon Nitrides

3SiH4 + NH3 Si3N4 + 12H2

3SiCl2H2 + 4NH3 Si3N4 + 6HCl + 6H2

2SiH4 + N2 2SiNH + 3H2

SiH4 + NH3 SiNH + 3H2

• Silicon nitride is common in the semiconductor industry for the

passivation of electronic devices because it forms an excellent
protective barrier against the diffusion of water and sodium ions
 Photolithography
Photosensitive material

Selectively expose to Light

Non-exposed part Exposed part

(remain same in physical properties) (physical property change)

Perform Etching

Deposition of metal or
other thin film deposition
 Etching: In etching, the objective is to selectively
remove material using imaged photoresist as a
masking template.
 Wet Etching :-

Anisotropic Wet Etching:

Dipped into Removal of material
Depending on the
Substrate Crystallographic orientation
KOH Solution
Electrochemical Etching
  Reactive Ion Etching ( RIE )

 Process of reactive ion etching.

Placed into

Substrate Reactor
contain
several
gas

Plasma is struck in the mixture

Gas molecule into ions

React with the surface

of the material and etched
 Deep Reactive Ion Etching ( DRIE )

SF6 isotopic Etching

(SF6 & O2 etches the substrate)

C4F8 deposition

SF6 anisotropic etching

for floor cleaning
 Using these processes some micromachining methods are
applied on silicon materials are:

• A) Bulk micromachining: Bulk micromachining designates

the point at which the bulk of the Si substrate is etched
away to leave behind the desired micromechanical
elements. The methods commonly used to remove excess
material are wet and dry etching, allowing varying degree of
control on the profile of the final structures.

• B) Surface Micromachining: The MEMS fabrication process

based on standard CMOS microelectronic processes. MEMS
structures are photo lithographically patterned in alternating
layers of deposited polysilicon and silicon dioxide, and then
are "released" by dissolving away the silicon dioxide layers.
Applications of MEMS :

• inkjet-printer cartridges,
• accelerometer,
• miniature robots,
• micro engines,
• inertial sensors,
• micro actuators,
• optical scanners,
• fluid pumps,
• chemical, pressure and flow sensors.
• Application in Radio frequency (RF)
Reference :-
• By Maluf Nadim and Williams Kirt .
An Introduction to Microelectromechanical
Systems Engineering.

• By committee on Advanced Material and

Fabrication.
Microelectromechanical Systems.

• The MEMS Handbook.

Thank You