Professor Electronics and Advanced Technologies Austin Community College 2 Objective The objective of the module is to introduce micro- and nano - electromechanical systems to two year community college students with special emphasis on the development, processing, applications, and materials that are currently in use to produce MEMS/NEMS. 3 Topics Introduction Brief History Electromechanical Systems MEMS Current Applications NEMS and Nanotechnology Impact of Miniaturization Challenges and Possibilities References 4 Introduction Figure 5.1: Jonathan Swift.
Courtesy Sandia National Laboratories, SUMMiT Technologies, www.sandia.gov/mstc. Figure 5.1: Drive gear chain and linkages, with a grain of pollen (top right) and coagulated red blood cells (lower right, top left) to demonstrate scale. 5 Figure 5.2: The Scale of Things. Introduction, Continued 6 MST - Microsystems Technology (European) MEMS - Microelectromechanical Systems (U.S.) Manmade devices created using compatible microfabrication techniques that are capable of Converting physical stimuli, events and parameters to electrical, mechanical & optical signals Performing actuation, sensing and other functions
Introduction, Continued Definition and Terms 7 Figure 5.3: Spider mite with legs on a mirror drive assembly. Introduction, Continued Image Courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories, SUMMiTTM Technologies, www.mems.sandia.gov 8 1962 Silicon Integrated piezo actuators BY O.N. Tufte et al. 1967 Anisotropic deep silicon etching H.A. Waggener 1967 The resonant gate transistor by H. Nathanson, et.al 1972 National Semiconductor - Pressure Sensor 1979 Thermal inkjet technology is invented at HP laboratories 1982 Silicon as a Mechanical Material K. Peterson 1982 Liga Process (KFIK, Germany) 1983 Infinitesimal Machinery R. Feynman 1983 Silicon Micromechanical devices J.B.Angel etc. 1983 Integrated Pressure Sensor Honeywell 1985 Airbag Crash Sensor 1987 Dr. Hornbeck Digital Micromirror Device or DMD (DLP by Texas Instruments) Later in 1990s micromachining begins leveraging microelectronics industry 1993 Accelerometer integrated with electronics Analog devices 1994 DRIE Etching (Bosch process is patented) 1999 Optical network switch - Lucent Brief History 9 Figure 5.4: Electromechanical Systems functional block diagram. Electromechanical Systems Functional Block Diagram 10 Materials Crystallography Forms of Silicon Amorphous Polycrystalline Crystalline Miller Planes
Figure 5.5: Miller Indices, Direction Examples MEMS Microstructure Fabrication 11 Pattern definition Photolithography Deposition Oxidation, chemical-vapor deposition, ion implantation Removal Etching, evaporation -Structural layer -Sacrificial layer deposit pattern etch Figure 5.6: Microstructure Fabrication MEMS, Continued Microstructure Fabrication, Continued 12 MEMS, Continued Processing Techniques Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) Surface Micromachining LIGA process Lithography / Electroplating / Molding SUMMIT process Microstructure Fabrication, Continued 13 MEMS Advantages The advantages of MEMS devices include Size High sensitivity Low noise Reduced cost Batch Processing The applications for MEMS are so far reaching that a multi-billion dollar market is forecast. Key industry applications include transportation, telecommunications and healthcare. MEMS, Continued 14 Worldwide MEMS Markets (in Millions of $) 2002 2007 Microfluidics 1401 2241 Optical MEMS 702 1826 RF MEMS 39 249 Other actuators 117 415 Inertial sensors 819 1826 Pressure sensors 546 917 Other sensors 273 830 Total 3900 8300 Figure 5.7: Worldwide MEMS Market (2002 vs. 2007) MEMS Economy MEMS, Continued 15 Accelerometers Micro Optical Electro Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) Digital Mirror Devices (DMD) used in Projection Devices Deformable mirrors Optical Switches Inkjet Print heads (Microfluidics) Pressure Sensors Gyrometers Magnetic RW heads for hard drives Seismic Activities - Thermal transfer
Biomedical Current Applications, Continued 17 Hand held detectors biological & chemical microsensors Chems Lab on a Chip (security applications) Micro and Radio Frequency (RF) Switches RFID Technologies Modern bar-coding system increasingly used on toll roads and materials handling applications Data Storage Systems IBM Millipede storage system AFM tip writes data bit by melting a depression into polymer mediaum and reads data by sensing depressions. Detection systems Current Applications, Continued 18 Nanotechnology manipulation of matter at the nanometer scale. Nanomaterials Started with carbon. Behavior depends on morphology. Figure 5.8: Eight allotropes of carbon: Diamond, graphite, lonsdaleite, C60, C540, C70, amorphous carbon and carbon nanotube NEMS and Nanotechnology 19 Quantum dots Nanowires Quantum films Figure 5.9: Quantum Dots. NEMS and Nanotechnology, Continued 20
Electrostatic manipulation Moving one electron or molecule at a time Patterning Dip Pen Lithography Electron Beam Lithography Self assembly Nano Fabrication NEMS and Nanotechnology, Continued 21 Cantilever Sensors Mass Storage (IBM) Millipede chip Nanochip Molecular Electronics Transistors Memory cells Nanowires Nanoswitches Merging of technologies NEMS and Nanotechnology, Continued 22 Cantilever sensors are essentially MEMS cantilevers with chemical arrays attached. The cantilevers, acting much like tuning forks, have a natural frequency of vibration which changes as more mass is attached (nano function). The change in frequency is sensed by the MEMS device indicating a measurable presence in the system of particular reacting compound. Selective chemical layer Reacting compound cantilever Figure 5.10: Cantilever sensor Merging of technologies NEMS and Nanotechnology, Continued 23 Potential Positive Impacts Reduction of disease. Job opportunities in new fields. Low-cost energy. Cost reductions with improved efficiencies. Improved product and building materials. Transportation improvements Potential Negative Impacts Material toxicity Non-biodegradable materials. Unanticipated consequences. Job losses due to increased manufacturing efficiencies.
Impact of Miniaturization 24 Fundamental and applied research Engineering and technological developments High Fidelity Modeling High Yield / Low Cost Fabrication Molecular manufacturing Challenges and Possibilities 25 References Gad-el-Hak, M. MEMS, Design and Fabrication, Second Edition. (2005) Lyshevski, S., MEMS and NEMS, CRC Press LLC. (2002) Maluf, N. and Williams, K., An Introduction to Micromechanical Systems Engineering, Second Edition, Artechouse, Inc. (2004) Microsytems, Same-Tec 2005 Preconference Workshop, July 25 &26, 2005. Taylor and Francis, MEMS Introductory Course, Sandia National Laboratories, June 13-15, 2006. What is MEMS technology? MEMS and Nanotechnology Clearinghouse. http://www.memsnet.org/mems/what-is.html.