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Dr. Toms SALGADO 1

MEMs
MicroElectroMechanical System
Dr. Toms Salgado
Investigador
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Tecnologa de los circuitos integrados
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MEMs
Proceso de fabricacin
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MEMs
MicroElectroMechanical Systems
Escalas y dimensiones
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MEMs
Productos
Engranes Sensores
Motores Grippers
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Video MEMs
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Ejemplo de productos:
Acelermetros
Girmetros
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Sensor principle
Acceleration sensors principally function as spring-mass-systems.
An external acceleration causes a movement of the mass, which is
detected by a appropriate sensing principle.
The dynamic properties of the acceleration sensor are determined by
the resonance frequency of the spring-mass-system
The spring returns the mass back to its zero position. The linear force-
path characteristic of the spring causes the deflection of the mass to
be proportional to the external acceleration to be sensed.
The damping of the moving mass, e.g. by the air in the sensor
package.
Acelermetros
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Accordingly the behavior of an acceleration sensor
can be mathematically described by a 2nd order
differential equation:
where x is the deflection of the proof mass m, k the
spring constant and c the damping constant of the
system. The external acceleration to be measured is
described by the function a(t).
) ( ) (
2
2
t ma t F kx
dt
dx
c
dt
x d
m = = + +
Sensor principle
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A similar type of piezoresistive acceleration sensor is shown in the cross
sectional view of the follow Fig.
The sensor chip is fabricated from two separate silicon wafers.
The sensor chip is bonded to a glass substrate (Si-Si Bond line), which also
acts a overload protection stop for downward movements of the test mass.
For upwards movements an additional stop has been integrated into the bulk
micromachined sensor structure.
The gap between the test mass and the pyrex substrate is also being used to
provide a controlled air damping of the test mass.
Micro-machined acceleration sensors
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Surface micromachined capacitive acceleration sensors
The Fig. shows the schematic design of the first surface micromachined
acceleration sensor ADXL50 of Analog Devices.
Very typical for almost all surface micromachined acceleration sensors is the
comb-like (peine) inertial mass, which is suspended by thin tethers
approximately 1 m above the substrate wafer.
The capacitive read-out structure consists of three sets of fingers, two of which
are stationary, while the third is part of the inertial mass.
All fingers and the inertial mass have a structural height of only 2 m and
consist of polycristalline silicon.
The stationary and the moving fingers together form a differential capacitor, i.e.
when an acceleration acting parallel to the central axis leads to a deflection
of the inertial mass and the moving electrodes, one capacitance increases,
while the other decreases.
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Surface micromachined capacitive acceleration sensors
The ADXL 50 uses a feedback mechanism to improve linearity and increase the
usable measuring range.
The output voltage is proportional to the deflection and consequently to the
acceleration.
The Two phase square wave signals with a frequency of about 1 MHz are
supplied by the two capacitances.
Due to the small structural heights the total capacitance of surface
micromachined accelerometers, e.g. 100 fF(f femto 10
-15
) and consequently
also the changes in capacitance which need to be detected are quite small
e.g. 100 aF (a atto 10
-18
) for an acceleration of 1 g.
The small signal levels in conjunction with the comparatively small masses lead
to a much larger noise level. These sensors definitely require an on-chip
detection electronics.
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Surface micromachined capacitive acceleration sensors
The in-plane configuration of the sensitive axis of surface micromachined
acceleration sensors allows for an easy integration of two separate
orthogonal accelerometers on one chip.
The optical micrographs show the ADXL 202 sensor, one can clearly see the
single inertial mass and the two orthogonal sets of combs. The mass is
suspended by a two suspension spring, which allows only movements in two
orthogonal directions. The advantage of this type of design is the larger
inertial mass, leading to a more sensitive sensor with a better signal-to-noise
ratio.
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Airbag deployment
Crash detection systems
typically include a number
of different sensors, like:
- Sensitive sensors (precrash
sensor), located in the front
and
- Side impacts sensor.
- A main acceleration sensor
located in the passenger
cabin.
- In order to avoid the
unnecessary firing of an
airbag modern airbag
systems also include seat
occupation sensors.
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Girmetros
Functional principles of angular rate sensors
6.2.3 Angular rate sensors based on the Coriolis effect
The Coriolis effect was used by Foucault
to demonstrate the rotation of the earth
by means of a pendulum (see Fig.). In an
inertial reference frame the plane of
oscillation of the pendulum stays
constant if no other force besides gravity
act on the pendulum. However, when
seen from the rotating reference frame of
the earth, the plane of oscillation slowly
turns. The rate of turn depends on the
position of the pendulum on the earth.
The effect is largest at the poles and
vanishes at the equator.
This can be seen directly from the
following equation for the Coriolis force
acting on a point-like mass m moving
with velocity v in a reference frame
rotating with angular velocity :
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6.4 Bulk micromachined angular rate sensors
A micromachined automotive angular rate sensor, which also uses a
tuning fork structure, is shown in Fig.
It consists of two bulk micromachined silicon chips bonded together by
silicon fusion bonding. The tines oscillate out of the plane of the chips.
The excitation is achieved by thin piezoelectric films deposited on the
planar tines. Rotation of the sensor around the stem of the tuning fork
causes a common torsional movement of the tines, which is detected
via measuring the resulting shear stress on the surface of the stem by
diffused piezoresistors.
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6.4 Miniaturized piezoelectric angular rate sensors
The angular rate sensor developed by Bosch shown in the Fig. employs
completely different excitation and detection principles.
It consists of two bulk micromachined proof masses suspended by
springs from an outer frame. The two masses are coupled by an additional
spring.
They can be excited to vibrate by means of Lorentz forces acting on
current carrying conductors on the surface of the chip (red lines in
Fig.) in an external magnetic field, which is generated by a permanent
magnet mounted underneath the sensor chip.
The two proof mass structures each carry a surface micromachined
acceleration sensor on their top surface.
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6.4 Miniaturized piezoelectric angular rate sensors
A rotation of the sensor around an axis normal to the plane of the chip
results in Coriolis forces acting on the two masses in opposite directions,
but orthogonal to the oscillation direction.
These forces are detected by means of the two capacitive acceleration
sensor. It is possible to differentiate linear accelerations from rotations
acting on the sensor chip, since the two masses always have opposite
velocities. The difference of the two acceleration sensor signals is a
measure of the angular rate.
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6.4 Miniaturized piezoelectric angular rate sensors
This yaw-rate sensor has a sensitivity of 18 mV/(/s) over a measuring
range of +/- 100 /s.
Without external temperature compensation schemes, the temperature
dependence would cause an offset amplitude of 0.5 /s over a
temperature range from - 40 C to 85 C.
The figure show a wafer with the Bosch yaw rate sensor and a detail.
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In the automotive sector the most important axis is the yaw axis angular
rate.
One example is in active suspension systems and anti-skidding (anti-
derrape) systems, like the ESP system (Electronic Stability Program) for
automobiles.
The heart of the ESP system is a yaw rate sensor, whose signal is
compared with the theoretical yaw rate calculated from the steering angle
of the wheels and the velocity of the car. If the two yaw rates differ, the car
must be skidding. The ESP system then uses the ABS system to brake
individual wheels in order to get the car back in a controlled motion mode.
6.1 Introduction
( )
( )
l
r
r
V
i d
i d
2
2

=
+
=
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Angular rate sensors are also used for roll-over detection
in cars in order to activate safety systems, like active
seat-belt fasteners, lateral airbags.
6.1 Introduction
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Navegacin inercial en un solo circuito integrado
Estructura de sensores distribuidos.
Sistemas embebidos (Sensor, electrnica, actuador,
etc).
Sistema de almacenamiento masivo de datos.
Etc.
Aplicaciones
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Fuerzas electrostticas.
Se tienen ultra baja masa.
Los sistemas pticos tienen que ser ultra precisos, para
no ser afectador por las deflexiones en las anchos de
banda de las ondas de luz.
Otros relacionados con el tamao.
Problemtica
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Fin