MICRO ELECTRO MECHANICAL SYSTEMS

S. Santhosh Kumar V. Sandhya

Santhosh.singampalli@gmail.comsiva_kvsk@yahoo.co.insandhya_939@yahoo.com B.E. (E.E.E) B.E. (E.E.E), Andhra University College of Engineering, Visakhapatnam. Abstract: We are poised in a revolution of microelectronics, which has dramatically reduced the cost and increased the capability of electronics. This has given much potential to prosper in the area of micro mechanics encompassing MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems). MEMS promises to revolutionize nearly every product category by bringing together silicon based microelectronics with micro machining technology, making possible the realization of complete systems on a chip. The paper outlines the fabrication techniques, benefits, applications and challenges of MEMS. MEMS, often referred to as micro systems technology, are fabricated using modified silicon and non-silicon fabrication technology. It reduces cost and increases reliability of the system. MEMS--scale accelerometers, geophones and gyros are replacing some of the standard size precursors and are establishing new markets of their own. Commercial applications are inertial sensors, Power MEMS and RF switches. This technology is also used in industrial, consumer and auto motive marketing.

INTRODUCTION TO MEMS:
Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) is a technology of miniaturization that has been largely adopted from the integrated circuit (IC) industry and applied to the miniaturization of all systems not only electrical systems but also mechanical, optical, fluid, magnetic, etc. Micro Electromechanical systems or MEMS, represent an extraordinary technology that promises to transform whole industries and drive the next technological revolution. These devices can replace bulky actuators and sensors with micron-scale equivalent that can be produced in large quantities by fabrication processes used in integrated circuits photolithography. This reduces cost, bulk, weight and power consumption while increasing performance, production volume, and functionality by orders of magnitude. For example, one well known MEMS device is the accelerometer (its now being manufactured using mems low cost, small size, more reliability). Furthermore, it is clear that current MEMS products are simply precursors to greater and more pervasive applications to come, including genetic and disease testing, guidance and navigation systems, power generation, RF devices( especially for cell phone technology), weapon systems, biological and chemical agent detection, and data storage. Micro mirror based optical switches have already proven their value; several start-up companies specializing in

their development have already been sold to large network companies for hundreds of millions of dollars. The promise of MEMS is increasingly capturing the attention of new and old industrises alike, as more and more of their challenges are solved with MEMS.

Background:
MEMS are, in their most; basic forms, diminutive versions of traditional electrical and mechanical devices such as valves, pressure sensors, hinged mirrors, and gears with dimensions measured in microns manufactured by techniques similar to those used in fabricating microprocessor chips. The first MEMS products were developed in the 1960s, when accurate hydraulic pressure sensors were needed for aircraft. Such devices were further refined in the 1980s when implemented in fuel-injected car engines to monitor intake manifold pressure. In the late 80s, MEMS accelerometers for car airbags were developed as a less expensive, more reliable, and more accurate replacement for conventional crash sensor. Taking the spotlight today are optical MEMS (also known as Micro Opto Electro Mechanical Systems, or MOEMS) primarily micro mirrors, which are used as digital light processors in video projectors and as well as switches in optical network equipment. After extensive development, todays commercial MEMS also known as Micro System Technologies (MST), Micro Machines (MM), or M3 (MST, MEMS & MM) have proven to be more manufacturable, reliable and accurate, dollar for dollar, than their conventional counterparts. However the technical hurdles to attain these accomplishments were often costly and time- consuming, and current advances in this technology introduce newer challenges still. Because this field is till in its infancy, very little data on design, manufacturing processes or liability are common or shared.

1. FABRICATION:
1.1 MATERIALS USED For the Fabrication Process:
MEMS devices are fabricated using a number of materials, depending on the application requirements. One popular material is polycrystalline silicon, also called polysilicon or poly. This material is sculpted with techniques such as bulk or surface micro- machining, and Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), proving to be fairly durable for many mechanical operations. Another is nickel, which can be shaped by PMMA (a form of plexiglass) mask platng (LIGA), as well as by conventional photolithographic techniques. Other materials such as diamond, aluminum, silicon carbide and gallium arsenide are currently being evaluated for use in micro machines for their desirable properties; e.g., the hardness of diamond and silicon carbide. To create moveable parts, several layers are needed for structural and electrical interconnect (ground plane) purposes, with so-called sacrificial oxide layers in between. The current manufacturing record is five layers, making possible a variety of complex mechanical systems. These capabilities, developed over the last several years, are beginning to unlock the almost unlimited possibilities of MEMS applications.

1.2 Fabrication Techniques:

The methods used to integrate multiple patterned materials together to fabricate a completed MEMS device are just as important as the individual processes and materials themselves. Depending on the type of material used fabrication techniques are classified as:

1.2.1 Silicon Micro fabrication:

The three most general methods of MEMS integration are: Surface micro machining Bulk micro machining Single point diamond machining Here one of the above methods is explained.

Surface micro machining:

Simply stated, surface machining is a method of producing MEMS by depositing, patterning, and etching a sequence of thin films, typically1 m thick. One of the most important processing steps that is required of dynamic MEMS devices is the selective removal of an underlying film, referred to as a sacrificial layer, without attacking an overlaying film, referred to as the structural layer, used to create the mechanical parts. Surface micro machining has been used to produce a wide variety of MEMS devices for many different applications. In fact, some of them are produced commercially in large volumes. Advantages of surface micro machining are a) b) Structures, especially thicknesses, can be smaller than 10 m in size, The micro machined device footprint can often be much smaller than bulk wetetched devices,

c) d)

It is easier to integrate electronics below surface micro-structures, and Surface microstructures generally have superior tolerance compared to bulk wetetched devices. The primary disadvantage is the fragility of surface microstructures to handling, particulates and condensation during manufacturing.

Fig: steps First a sacrificial silicon dioxide is deposited on the wafer and patterned, then a structural layer of polysilicon is deposited and patterned. This polysilicon layer will become structural elements such as gears. Other layers are then deposited and patterned making the rest of the structure. Etching in buffered hydrofluoric acid, HF, removes the sacrificial layers leaving the gears shown below. Surface Micro machining is being used in commercial products such as accelerometers to trigger air bags in automobiles.

Fig: Gears

1.2 Non-Silicon Micro fabrication:

The development of MEMS has contributed significantly to the improvement of non-silicon micro fabrication techniques. Two prominent examples are LIGA and plastic molding from micro machined substrates.

LIGA
LIGA is a German acronym standing for lithographie, galvanoformung (plating), and abformung (molding). However, in practice LIGA essentially stands for a process that

combines extremely thick-film resists (often >1 mm) and x-ray lithography, which can pattern thick resists with high fidelity and results in vertical sidewalls. Although some applications may require only the tall patterned resist structures themselves, other applications benefit from using the thick resist structures as plating molds (i.e., material can be quickly deposited into the mold by electroplating). A drawback to LIGA is the need for high-energy x-ray sources that are very expensive and rare. The LIGA process exposes PMMA (poly methyl metha crylate) plastic with synchrotron radiation through a mask. This is shown at the top of the Figure 1. Exposed PMMA is then washed away, leaving vertical wall structures with spectacular accuracy. Structures a third of a millimeter high and many millimeters on a side are accurate to a few tenths of a micron. Metal is then plated into the structure, replacing the PMMA that was washed away. This metal piece can become the final part, or can be used as an injection mold for parts made out of a variety of plastics. A cheap alternative to LIGA, with nearly the same performance, has been developed. The solution is to use a special epoxy-resin-based optical resist, called SU-8, that can be spun on in thick layers (>500 m), patterned with commonly available.

2. Benefits of MEMS:
Because of increase in micromachining technology, hundreds of MEMS can be made from a single 8-inch wafer of silicon. Below is an image which shows how small MEMS are in comparison to a dime. Because an entire system can be made this small and in such quantities, prices are reduced for products which incorporate this technology. MEMS also have no moving parts, so they are much more reliable than a macro system. Because of the reduced cost and increased reliability, there is almost no limit to what MEMS can be used for.

3. APPLICATIONS OF MEMS:
MEMS applications in various fields are as follows.

3.1 Communications:
High frequency circuits will benefit considerably from advent of the RF-MEMS technology. Electrical components such as inductors and tunable capacitors can be improved significantly compared to their integrated counter parts if they are made using MEMS technology. If the integration of such components, the performance of communication circuits will improve, while the total circuit area, power consumption and cost will be reduced. In addition, the mechanical switch, as developed by

several research groups, is a key component with huge potential in various micro wave circuits. The demonstrated samples of mechanical switches have quality factors much higher than anything previously available. The MEMS technology has the potential of replacing many radial frequency components such as switches phase shifters, capacitors, inductors, and filters, used in to days mobile, communication and satellite systems. RF mems components promise superior performance in comparison with current technologies. This also enables new functionality and system capability that are not possible with current technologies such as nano satellites.

3.2 Biotechnology:
MEMS enabling new discoveries in science and engineering such as the polymerase chain Reaction (PCR) Microsystems for DNA amplification and identification, micro machined scanning Tunneling microscopes (STMs), Biochips for detection of hazardous chemical and biological agents, and Microsystems for high-throughput drug screening and selection.

3.3 Inertial sensors:

Inertial sensors are mechanics sensors aiming at measuring accelerations, in the mechanics science definition. There are two categories of inertial sensors. They are, accelerometers which measures variation of rotational speed and gyroscopes which measures variation of rotational speed.

Accelerometers:

Schematic of micro accelerometer, ADXL series, produced by Analog Device. On these diagrams, we can see a micro accelerometer device and the chip including associated electronics, made by Analog Device. This is a two axis micro accelerometer. This means it is able to measure accelerations in two directions at a time (in the directions of the plane). Micro accelerometers were the first MEMS device to flood the market. Micro accelerometers measure variation of translational speed. So acceleration, deceleration, even very high deceleration, likeshock! The sensor that detects a shock and

launches the airbag is a micro accelerometer combined with a electronic circuit able to decide wether or not the shock was an accident or just your car passing a pothole. There are lots of applications, like navigation, micro accelerometers can help in increasing precision. There are more and more to say about micro accelerometers, they are still the spearhead of MEMS industry.

Gyroscopes:
Micro gyroscopes are newer in the market compared to micro accelero meters. Some devices have appeared on the market for navigation application. The key point in these devices is sensitivity.

3.4 RF switches:
RF switches have been under development for years, but the commercial applications just begin to appear. The reason is the difficulty to combine high efficiency, reproducibility and reliability. RF switches will be preferred to full electronic switches on applications where security, integration capabilities, power consumption and other parameters are critical.

Schematic of a R.F. electromechanical micro switch in action

3.5 Consumer Market:

Sports Training Devices Computer Peripherals Car and Personal Navigation Devices Active Subwoofers

3.6 Industrial Market:

Earthquake Detection and Gas Shutoff Machine Health Shock and Tilt Sensing

3.7 Military:
Tanks Planes

Equipment for Soldiers

4. CURRENT CHALLENGES:
MEMS 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 potential of MEMS have very limited options for prototyping or manufacturing devices, have no capability or expertise in micro fabrication technology. Few companies will their own fabrication facilities because of high cost. A Mechanism giving smaller organizations responsive and affordable access to MEMS is essential.

Fabrication knowledge Required:

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

MEMS packaging is more challenging than IC packaging due to the diversity of MEMS devices and the requirement that many of devices be in contact with their environment.

Packaging:

CONCLUSION:
MEMS is an emerging technology which will rapidly revolutionize all the fields in the near future, if the level of fabrication knowledge of current designer of MEMS devices and the packaging techniques are still improved.