MEMS Sensors for Biomedical Applications

Yu-Chong Tai Professor of EE Member of NSF/CNSE California Institute of Technology

(NSF/ERC Industry Day, May 16-17, 2001)

What is MEMS?
A Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) is a batch-fabricated (microfabricated) system that contains both electrical and mechanical components with characteristic sizes ranging from nanometers to millimeters.

Other Names
In US: Microdynamics In Europe: Micro Systems (Technology) In Japan: Micromachines, MicroRobots

Machine Size
Quantity Micromachines (MEMS) Molecular (Nano) Machines Conventional Machines

nm

mm

km

Pressure Sensors
200 m

Nitride diaphragm

Poly strain gauges

Schlumberger Oil-Well Pressure Sensor

Polysilicon thermistor
4 nitride Diaphragms

0.65

output voltage (V)

0.6

0.55

10,000 2 psi design Multi-diaphragm configuration

0.5

0.45 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

P ressu re (p si)

MEMS Pressure Sensor Probe for Intraocular Pressure Measurement

Wafer with flexible pressure sensor skins Flexible ribbon

Pressure sensor
Sensor Tip

Vacuum-Insulated Shear Stress Sensor

Polysilicon Wire (3 x 150 x 0.5 m3) Vacuum Cavity (200 x 200 x 2 m3)

Metal lead

Polysilicon wire Nitride diaphragm Vacuum cavity

Metal lead

Si substrate

Cross-section Photograph

Successful Test on NASAF 15

Shear-stress Sensor Imager
1 cm

2.86 cm
Shear Stress (Pa)

M=0.9

Stanton Sensor
M=0.5 M=0.3

M=0.7

Micro Sensor Time

Multi-sensor chip: Pressure, Temperature and Flow

2 mm 1 mm

1 cm

200 m Shear stress sensor

Pressure sensor

Temperature sensor

2 cm

Five sensor clusters with a pitch of 2 mm.

MEMS Mass Flow Meter

N2 Channel chip Inlet

Bonding wires Multi-sensor array chip PCB

picture of a packaged device

Schematic of packaged device

6.5

P (mW)

Channel width: 2.5 mm Channel height: 0.2 mm Channel length: 18 mm

6.0

5.5

5.0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5

Q1/2.2

Calibration of the thermal flowmeter

7.5 7.0

Power (mW)

6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 0

Laminar flow Turbulent flow

10

Q (SLPM)

Non-linear output

Measurement of channel flow

1
26

0.15

p (psig)

25.5

V/ V0
1 2 3 4 5

0.5

T (oC)

0.1

25 24.5

0.05

0 1 2 3 4 5

24

0 1 2 3 4 5

Positon

Position

Position

(a) Pressure distribution

(b) Temperature distribution

(c ) Relative output change of shear stress sensors

Measurement of fully developed incompressible channel flow (Mach number = 0.2 )

16

27 26.5 26 25.5 25 1 2 3 4 5

V/ V0+ (V/ V0)2/2

0.35

p (psig)

T (oC)

0.25

11

0.15 1 2 3 4 5

6 1 2 3 4 5

Position

Position

Position

(a) Pressure distribution

(b) Temperature distribution

(c ) Relative output change of shear stress sensors

Measurement of fully developed compressible channel flow (Mach number = 0.6 )

Microflow (l) Sensor

Bottom View

Top View

Flow Rate Data

0 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 -0.001

Water Saline

-0.002

V [V]

-0.003

-0.004

-0.005

-0.006

-0.007

30 mA 36 mW
Q [ul/min]

Measures flow rates up to 10 l/min

0.7590

Flow Sensor Transient Data

0.7585

Voltage [V]

0.7580

0.7575

0.7570

0.7565 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 Time [sec]

No Flow & Intermittent Power

Nanoflow (nl) Sensors

Poly-Si Sensors Micro Channel Suspended Micro 200 m Channel
100100 m m

50 m

20 m Nitride Si

lightly B doped polysilicon 2 m

heavily B doped polysilicon

Cavity

~100 m

Temperature Change vs. Flow Rate

0 -1 T(oC) -2 -3 -4 -5 0 100 200 Q (nL/min) 300
Suspended channel ST 0.026 oC/(nL/min) Power 140W Top 10 oC Channel on substrate ST 0.0071oC/(nL/min)

Sensor Resolution
14 12
Frequency
Histogram

Measurement

Gausian

10 8 6 4 2 0 2.034 2.035 2.036 2.037 Sensor Output (V) 2.038

Time-averaged Resolution nL/min

Monocyte Attachment through Molecular Recognition

lipids trapped in arterial wall flow lipids stimulate EC Endothelial cells (EC)
Versatile Test Facility

monocyte attachment

ow l F

monocytes
sec 0 1 2 0 1 sec 2

Monocyte Attachment

Monocytes/Field

Control

Ox-PAPC

Ox-PAPC + Ox-PAPC + Ox-PAPC + High slew Rate Low Slew Rate Oscillating Flow

Other MEMS Applications

Micromachined Neurowell
neuron trapping canopy grillwork neurite growing in micro-tunnel

30 m

gold electrode
54 36 18

full-grown cell in neuron well

Spontaneous Spike Recording

Voltage (V)

0 -18 -36 -54 -72 -90

10

Recorded Data Hand-Fitted Curve

-108

Background 60 Hz averaged away.

time (msec)

Traditional ESI for Mass Spectrometry

particle filter air flow MS Inlet Vacuum inside MS Glass capillary 1-4 kV
Silica Capillary

Spray stability depends on: flow rate voltage distance

Caltech Micromachining Group

MS inlet hole

Taylor Cone

ESI Nozzle for Protein Mass Spectrometry

SEM of Capillary Tips

16+ 15+

2.5 mm
20+ Relative Abundance 19+ 21+ 22+ 23+

17+ 18+ 14+

13+ 24+

25+

12+

600

800

1000

1200

1400 m/z

Taylor Cone Formation

800 V

950 V

1250 V

15 m

15 m

15 m

Solution: 1% Acetic Acid 49.5% Methanol 49.5% Water Voltage: 800 V~ 1250 V Distance: 500 m from electrode

15 m

Caltech Micromachining Group

On the Microbat ...

Flying Onithopter
Transceiver Antenna MEMS Wings Wing Control Actuators

Acoustic Sensor Arrays CMOS Imaging Array Autopilot Computer

Gearbox and Transmission Power Management Electronics

Electric Motor

Battery

New MAV Design Specifications

Weight: 12.5 g Wing span: 9 inch Flapping amp.: 65 deg Flapping freq.: 20 Hz Flight velocity: 4 m/s Power required: 2 W Power source: Battery Propulsion: Flapping Wings