Chapter 1

Micro-Electromechanical System

1. INTRODUCTION

This report deals with the emerging field of micro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS.
MEMS is a process technology used to create tiny integrated devices or systems that combine
mechanical and electrical components. They are fabricated using integrated circui batch
processing techniques and can range in size from a few micrometers to milli metres. ‘’These
devices have the ability to sense, control and actuate on the micro scale, and generate effects
on the macro scale’’. The interdisciplinary nature of MEMS utilizes design, engineering and
manufacturing expertise from a wide and diverse range of technical areas including
integrated circuit fabrication technology, mechanical engineering, materials science,
electrical engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering, as well as fluid engineering,
optics, instrumentation and packaging. The complexity of MEMS is also shown in the
extensive range of markets and applications that incorporate MEMS devices. MEMS can be
found in systems ranging across automotive, medical, electronic, communication and defence
applications. Current MEMS devices include accelerometer for airbag sensors, ink jet printer
heads, computer disk drive read/write heads, projection display chips, blood pressure sensors,
optical switches, micro valves, bio-sensors and many other products that are all manufactured
and shipped in high commercial volumes. MEMS has been identified as one of the most
promising technologies for the 21st Century and has the potential to revolutionize both
industrial and consumer products by combining silicon
based microelectronics with micro machining technology. Its techniques and micro system based
devices have the potential to dramatically affect of all of our lives and the way we live. If
semiconductor micro fabrication was seen to be the first micro manufacturing revolution, MEMS
is the second revolution. This report introduces the field of MEMS and is divided into four main
sections. In the first section, the reader is introduced to MEMS, its definitions, history, current
and potential applications, as well as the state of the MEMS market and issues concerning
miniaturization. The second section deals with the fundamental fabrication methods of MEMS
including photolithography, bulk micromachining, surface micromachining and high-aspect-ratio
micromachining; assembly, system integration and packaging of MEMS devices is also
described here. The third section reviews the range of MEMS sensors and actuators, the
phenomena that can be sensed or acted upon with MEMS devices, and a brief description of the
basic sensing and actuation mechanisms. The final section illustrates the challenges facing the
MEMS industry for the commercialisation and success of MEMS.

Micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) refer to a collection of microseconds and actuators
that can sense its environment and have the ability to react to changes in that environment with
the use of a microcircuit control. They include, in addition to the conventional microelectronics
packaging, integrating antenna structures for command signals in micro electromechanical
structures for desired sensing and actuating functions. The system may also need micro power
supply , micro relay, and micro signal processing units. Micro components make the system
faster, more reliable, cheaper, and capable of incorporating more complex functions .In the
beginning of 1990s, MEMS emerged with the aid of the development of integrated circuit (IC)
fabrication processes, in which sensors, actuators, and control functions are co fabricated in
silicon. Since then, remarkable research progresses have been achieved in MEMS under the
strong capital promotions from both government and industries. In addition to the
commercialization of some less-integrated MEMS devices, such as micro accelerometers, inkjet
printer head, micro mirrors for projection, etc., the concepts and feasibility of more complex
MEMS devices have been proposed and demon- strated for the applications in such varied fields
as micro fluidics ,aerospace, biomedical, chemical analysis, wireless communications ,data
storage, display, optics, etc . Some branches of MEMS, appearing as micro optoelectro
mechanical systems (MOEMS), micro-total analysis systems etc. have attracted a great deal of
research interests since their potential applications’ market.

1.1 What are MEMS?

MEMS stands for Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems. MEMS techniques allow both electronic
circuits and mechanical devices to be manufactured on a silicon chip, similar to the process used
for integrated circuits. This allows the construction of items such as sensor chips with built-in
electronics that are a fraction of the size that was previously possible.

How MEMS are constructed

MEMS are composed of parts such as micro sensors, microprocessors, micro actuators, units for
data processing and parts that can interact with exterior pieces.  

Unlike conventional mechatronic devices, MEMS are often manufactured with the same batch
fabrication techniques used to create integrated circuits (ICs) and many commercial MEMS
products are integrated and packaged together with ICs. MEMS fabrication allows micro-
sensors, which gather data, and micro-actuators, which convert energy into motion, to integrate
on the same substrate.

Although MEMS have a low per-device production cost, packaging can be a challenge. Each
MEMS must be packaged so that electrical or optical circuitry and other device components
remain free from air and water contamination, while still being able to interact with the
surrounding environment and accommodate motion.

MEMS Products:

Four devices using MEMS technology have been commercially successful for several years.

 MEMS accelerometer chips used to trigger airbags

 MEMS mirror chips for use in projection screen TVs

 MEMS inkjet nozzles used in printers

 MEMS pressure sensors for medical applications

Micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) is a process technology used to create tiny

integrated devices or systems that combine mechanical and electrical components. They are
fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) batch processing techniques and can range in size from a
few micrometers to milli metres. These devices (or systems) have the ability to sense, control
and actuate on the micro scale, and generate effects on the macro scale.

MEMS, an acronym that originated in the United States, is also referred to as Microsystems
Technology (MST) in Europe and Micro machines in Japan. Regardless of terminology, the
uniting factor of a MEMS device is in the way it is made. While the device electronics are
fabricated using ‘computer chip’ IC technology, the micromechanical components are fabricated
by sophisticated manipulations of silicon and other substrates using micromachining processes.
Processes such as bulk and surface micromachining, as well as high-aspect-ratio micromachining
(HARM) selectively remove parts of the silicon or add additional structural layers to form the
mechanical and electromechanical components. While integrated circuits are designed to exploit
the electrical properties of silicon, MEMS takes advantage of either silicon’s mechanical
properties or both its electrical and mechanical properties

In the most general form, MEMS consist of mechanical microstructures, micro sensors, micro
actuators and microelectronics, all integrated onto the same silicon chip. This is shown

schematically in Figure 1.

Micro sensors detect changes in the system’s environment by measuring mechanical, thermal,
magnetic, chemical or electromagnetic information or phenomena. Microelectronics process this
information and signal the micro actuators to react and create some form of changes to the
environment. MEMS devices are very small; their components are usually microscopic. Levers,
gears, pistons, as well as motors and even steam engines have all been fabricated by MEMS
(Figure 2). However, MEMS is not just about the miniaturization of mechanical components or
making things out of silicon (in fact, the term MEMS is actually misleading as many
micromachined devices are not mechanical in any sense). MEMS is a manufacturing technology;
a paradigm for designing and creating complex mechanical devices and systems as well as their
integrated electronics using batch fabrication techniques.

Figure(a) mems silicon motor together with a strand of human air

Figure(b) the legs of spider mite standing on gears from a microengine

From a very early vision in the early 1950’s, MEMS has gradually made its way out of
research laboratories and into everyday products. In the mid-1990’s, MEMS components
began appearing in numerous commercial products and applications including
accelerometers used to control airbag deployment in vehicles, pressure sensors for medical
applications, and inkjet printer heads. Today, MEMS devices are also found in projection
displays and for micropositioners in data storage systems. However, the greatest potential for
MEMS devices lies in new applications within telecommunications (optical and wireless),
biomedical and process control areas. MEMS has several distinct advantages as a
manufacturing technology

. In the first place, the interdisciplinary nature of MEMS technology and its micromachining
techniques, as well as its diversity of applications has resulted in an unprecedented range of
 devices and synergies across previously unrelated fields (for example biology and
microelectronics). Secondly, MEMS with its batch fabrication techniques enables
components and devices to be manufactured with increased performance and reliability,
combined with the obvious advantages of reduced physical size, volume, weight and cost.

Thirdly, MEMS provides the basis for the manufacture of products that cannot be made by
other methods. These factors make MEMS potentially a far more pervasive technology than
integrated circuit microchips. However, there are many challenges and technological
obstacles associated with miniaturization that need to be addressed and overcome before
MEMS can realize its overwhelming potential

Other structure of MEMS:

1.2 Classification:
 This section defines some of the key terminology and classifications associated with MEMS.
It is intended to help the reader and newcomers to the field of micromachining become
familiar with some of the more common terms. A more detailed glossary of terms has been
included in Appendix A. Figure 3 illustrates the classifications of micro systems technology
(MST). Although MEMS is also referred to as MST, strictly speaking, MEMS is a process
technology used to create these tiny mechanical devices or systems, and as a result, it is a
subset of MST.

Micro-opto electromechanical systems (MOEMS) is also a subset of MST and together with
MEMS forms the specialized technology fields using miniaturized combinations of optics,
electronics and mechanics. Both their micro systems incorporate the use of microelectronics
batch processing techniques for their design and fabrication. There are considerable overlaps
between fields in terms of their integrating technology and their applications and hence it is
extremely difficult to categories MEMS devices in terms of sensing domain and/or their subset
of MST. The real difference between MEMS and MST is that MEMS tends to use semiconductor
processes to create a mechanical part. In contrast, the deposition of a material on silicon for
example, does not constitute MEMS but is an application of MST.

The MEMS below is a disposable, wearable insulin pump for managing diabetes, designed by
Debiotech and STMicroelectronics. According to Debiotech, the chip is a stack of 3 layers
bonded together: a  silicon on insulator (SOI) plate with micromachined pump structures and two
silicon cover plates with through-holes. A piezoelectric actuator on the chip moves the
membrane in a reciprocating movement to compress and decompress fluid in the pumping
chamber. 

Transducer

A transducer is a device that transforms one form of signal or energy into another form. The
term transducer can therefore be used to include both sensors and actuators and is the most
generic and widely used term in MEMS.

Sensor

A sensor is a device that measures information from a surrounding environment and provides an
electrical output signal in response to the parameter it measured. Over the years, this information
(or phenomenon) has been categorized in terms of the type of energy domains but MEMS
devices generally overlap several domains or do not even belong in any one category.

These energy domains include:

• Mechanical - force, pressure, velocity, acceleration, position

• Thermal - temperature, entropy, heat, heat flow

• Chemical - concentration, composition, reaction rate

• Radiant - electromagnetic wave intensity, phase, wavelength, polarization

Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors are becoming a fundamental building block

in the realization of smart sensing systems, as they provide critical added value such
as miniaturization, low cost and low power consumption, which are needed in today’s
applications.
Micro systems is a discipline that produces systems at a micro scale. It studies materials and
processes for the realization of very small devices and systems, with similar features to existing
macro systems, but with quite different properties and behavior. The development of these
devices, such as accelerometers or pressure sensors, is not its only goal. Furthermore, the micro
fabrication processes should be regarded as manufacturing capabilities that could be used in a
synergistic way with standard processes in industry to produce better or even new products.
Microsystems technology is as old as the integrated electronic circuit technology that was
developed in the 1950s. One of the key steps in the microelectronics fabrication process is the
metal removal using chemical etching. This process is a precursor of the metal sacrificial process
used in surface micromachining. However, the deployment of the metal sacrificial process has
been much slower than the metal removal process in integrated electronics.
This is for two reasons: the difficulties in guaranteeing complex but reliable processes and the
fact that the great success of microelectronics has eclipsed Microsystems. However, nowadays
there is a set of well-defined processes that are sufficiently mature to be used for mass
production.

Actuator

An actuator is a device that converts an electrical signal into an action. It can create a force to
manipulate itself, other mechanical devices, or the surrounding environment to perform some
useful function.

Our thin film capabilities allow us to act as a pure-play foundry for a wide range of MEMS
devices & actuators

MEMS actuators are a type of Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) that convert
energy into motion. MEMS are systems that integrate mechanical and electrical components
with dimensions on the order of micrometers. Therefore, the typical motions achieved by
MEMS actuators are on the order of micrometers as well.
MEMS actuators, devices that convert electrical energy to mechanical motion, comprise more
than 50% of the rapidly growing MEMS market. They are used in a variety of optical, RF, and
industrial applications.

Examples include variable capacitors (varactors), micro-relays for low-power VLSI, optical
phase-shifters, next generation displays, micro-grippers for robotic surgery, and focusing
mechanisms for cameras in mobile devices.

The kingdom of MEMS actuators mainly

consists of four
families: electrostatic, piezoelectric, thermal and
magnetic. It
is instructive to subdivide each family into
classes, a s s h o w
The kingdom of MEMS actuators mainly
consists of four
families: electrostatic, piezoelectric, thermal and
magnetic. It
is instructive to subdivide each family into
classes, a s s h o w

Families and classes of MEMS displacement sensors.

Electron
Capacitive AFM Optical tunnelling
Parallel plate [60] Piezoresistive [61] On chip [62]
[63]
Fringe [64] Piezoelectric [65]
Optical [66]
in table 1. For example, the family of magnetic
MEMS
actuators comprises the four classes of
electromagnetic,
magnetostrictive, magnetic relay and external
field. The first
three of these classes are essentially contained
on the chip;
however, the external field magnetic actuator
has a significant
portion of the device mounted off-chip. This
indicates a degree
of judgement in our methodology. We adopt the
pragmatic
view that an on-chip device contains most if not
all of the
operative elements on-chip.
The number of classes is minimized by
grouping different
actuators together as much as possible. For
example, the
thermal in-plane flexural actuator [10] is
catalogued as a
topology-optimized actuator since the geometry
is so designed
to achieve the required motion through thermal
expansion. A
representative reference is included in table 1
for each class of
actuator, but this is neither exhaustive nor
exclusive. Interested
readers are directed to [11], which contains the
complete
database underpinning this work. While on this
subject,
it is worth noting that published summaries of
research on
particular devices are often lacking key aspects
of the device
performance by which it might be compared to
other devices.
One of the intended contributions of the present
paper is to
promote more rigorous reporting of device
performance data.
To this end the classification system presented
here can be
developed further, with each class sub-divided
into a set of
members, for example, reflecting the many
different designs
of
Families and classes of MEMS displacement sensors.
Electron
Capacitive AFM Optical tunnelling
Parallel plate [60] Piezoresistive [61] On chip [62]
[63]
Fringe [64] Piezoelectric [65]
Optical [66]
in table 1. For example, the family of magnetic
MEMS
actuators comprises the four classes of
electromagnetic,
magnetostrictive, magnetic relay and external
field. The first
three of these classes are essentially contained
on the chip;
however, the external field magnetic actuator
has a significant
portion of the device mounted off-chip. This
indicates a degree
of judgement in our methodology. We adopt the
pragmatic
view that an on-chip device contains most if not
all of the
operative elements on-chip.
The number of classes is minimized by
grouping different
actuators together as much as possible. For
example, the
thermal in-plane flexural actuator [10] is
catalogued as a
topology-optimized actuator since the geometry
is so designed
to achieve the required motion through thermal
expansion. A
representative reference is included in table 1
for each class of
actuator, but this is neither exhaustive nor
exclusive. Interested
readers are directed to [11], which contains the
complete
database underpinning this work. While on this
subject,
it is worth noting that published summaries of
research on
particular devices are often lacking key aspects
of the device
performance by which it might be compared to
other devices.
One of the intended contributions of the present
paper is to
promote more rigorous reporting of device
performance data.
To this end the classification system presented
here can be
developed further, with each class sub-divided
into a set of
members, for example, reflecting the many
different designs
of
The kingdom of MEMS actuators mainly
consists of four
families: electrostatic, piezoelectric, thermal and
magnetic. It
is instructive to subdivide each family into
classes, a s s h o w n
Table 2. Families and classes of MEMS displacement
sensors.
Electron
Capacitive AFM Optical tunnelling
Parallel plate [60] Piezoresistive [61] On chip [62]
[63]
Fringe [64] Piezoelectric [65]
Optical [66]
in table 1. For example, the family of magnetic
MEMS
actuators comprises the four classes of
electromagnetic,
magnetostrictive, magnetic relay and external
field. The first
three of these classes are essentially contained
on the chip;
however, the external field magnetic actuator
has a significant
portion of the device mounted off-chip. This
indicates a degree
of judgement in our methodology. We adopt the
pragmatic
view that an on-chip device contains most if not
all of the
operative elements on-chip.
The number of classes is minimized by
grouping different
actuators together as much as possible. For
example, the
thermal in-plane flexural actuator [10] is
catalogued as a
topology-optimized actuator since the geometry
is so designed
to achieve the required motion through thermal
expansion. A
representative reference is included in table 1
for each class of
actuator, but this is neither exhaustive nor
exclusive. Interested
readers are directed to [11], which contains the
complete
database underpinning this work. While on this
subject,
it is worth noting that published summaries of
research on
particular devices are often lacking key aspects
of the device
performance by which it might be compared to
other devices.
One of the intended contributions of the present
paper is to
promote more rigorous reporting of device
performance data.
To this end the classification system presented
here can be
developed further, with each class sub-divided
into a set of
members, for example, reflecting the many
different designs
of comb drive which have been demonstrated
The kingdom of MEMS actuators mainly
consists of four
families: electrostatic, piezoelectric, thermal and
magnetic. It
is instructive to subdivide each family into
classes, a s s h o w n
Table 2. Families and classes of MEMS displacement
sensors.
Electron
Capacitive AFM Optical tunnelling
Parallel plate [60] Piezoresistive [61] On chip [62]
[63]
Fringe [64] Piezoelectric [65]
Optical [66]
in table 1. For example, the family of magnetic
MEMS
actuators comprises the four classes of
electromagnetic,
magnetostrictive, magnetic relay and external
field. The first
three of these classes are essentially contained
on the chip;
however, the external field magnetic actuator
has a significant
portion of the device mounted off-chip. This
indicates a degree
of judgement in our methodology. We adopt the
pragmatic
view that an on-chip device contains most if not
all of the
operative elements on-chip.
The number of classes is minimized by
grouping different
actuators together as much as possible. For
example, the
thermal in-plane flexural actuator [10] is
catalogued as a
topology-optimized actuator since the geometry
is so designed
to achieve the required motion through thermal
expansion. A
representative reference is included in table 1
for each class of
actuator, but this is neither exhaustive nor
exclusive. Interested
readers are directed to [11], which contains the
complete
database underpinning this work. While on this
subject,
it is worth noting that published summaries of
research on
particular devices are often lacking key aspects
of the device
performance by which it might be compared to
other devices.
One of the intended contributions of the present
paper is to
promote more rigorous reporting of device
performance data.
To this end the classification system presented
here can be
developed further, with each class sub-divided
into a set of
members, for example, reflecting the many
different designs
of comb drive which have been demonstra
1.3 HISTORY

The idea of creating MEMS started in the 1980’s; however, the means to produce MEMS (the
designing and manufacturing infrastructure) was not available enough until the 1990’s. One of
the first few types of MEMS produced was for air-bag controllers and inkjet print heads. In the
late 1990s, a projector was made using micro mirrors (which utilizes MEMES). Much of the
original support for MEMS came from the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency Research and Development Electronics Technology Office.

Over time, micro sensors began being used for a large number of sensor types, including sensors
for temperature, pressure, magnetic fields and radiation. In many cases, sensors that used MEMS
were much more efficient performance wise when compared to larger counterparts.

Today, most people interact with MEMS daily. Each new automobile that rolls off an assembly
line has at least 50 MEMS; they are essential components in various mandated safety systems,
including airbags, electronic stability control (ESC) and tire pressure monitoring systems
(TPMS).

Micro electro mechanical systems are devices that have static or moveable components with
some dimensions on the scale of a micrometer to nano meter. For comparison, a human hair is
about 80 micrometers in diameter. MEMS combine microelectronics and micro mechanics and
sometimes micro optics and micro magnetic. A decade ago, hundreds of MEMS components
were prototyped and dozens were commercially available. Many people then viewed the
technology as the classical “solution looking for a problem to solve.” The situation changed
markedly during the 1990s when the market for MEMS took off in a manner reminiscent of the
sales growth of integrated circuits in the 1960s. At present, roughly 100 million MEMS
components are being sold annually. Patents on MEMS are being granted at the global rate of

about one per workday or 200 annually. While MEMS devices will not be used as commonly as
integrated circuits, they will be found in a great diversity of products and installations. Just as
most people in technological societies own products with integrated circuits and microlasers,
pervasive ownership and use of MEMS are clearly in prospect. Micromechanical devices will
both improve the performance of existing systems and enable entirely new applications.

Dozens of companies make and sell MEMS. Now that MEMS devices are available in a greater
variety and in large numbers, it is possible for the applications engineer to incorporate them in
many different products. Most products are the systems for which particular MEMS were
designed, but others are targets of opportunity. That is, the MEMS components are simply
devices that are available for incorporation into whatever systems can use them.
Figure 2.1 shows the dollar volume for MEMS products as a function of year as compiled and
projected by several studies.

It is striking that the compilations vary so widely in their absolute value and in their rate of
growth. The variance in values is due to differences in what is included in the study: for
example, are micromachined ink jet print heads counted as MEMS or not? Some studies also
include products enabled by the availability of MEMS devices. However, all the studies indicate
that the production of MEMS is already a multibillion dollar industry that doubles every 2 to 4
years. The associated growth rates of 17 to 35% are noteworthy.
 FIGURE 2.1

The first micromechanical device made by modern manufacturing techniques was demonstrated
in the mid-1960s. Significant commercial production of MEMS started in the 1980s, with the
appearance of pressure sensors for automotive and medical applications. Then, in the
1990s, micro accelerometers were mass-produced for air bag triggers in cars. Volume production
of micro fluidic devices also began in that decade. Optical MEMS for displays came to market a
few years ago, and micro mirrors for switching signals in fiber networks are poised to enter the
volume production stage. MEMS switches for control of radio-frequency signals and micro wave
signals is the next predictable market for MEMS devices. Devices for dense data storage and
many new medical applications are also in prospect.

The integration of microelectronics and micromechanics is a historic advance in the technology

of small-scale systems and is very challenging for designers and producers of MEMS. We will
show examples of monolithic (single substrate) and hybrid (two substrate) MEMS later in this
review. We now pause to appreciate the scope and impact of integrating microelectronics and
micromechanics. One way to do this is to consider Figure 2.3. It is arguably the most important
graphic in the entire field of MEMS. We note that the microelectronic personal computer and
Internet revolutions all

occurred using components without moving parts. The addition of micromachined parts to
microelectronics opens up a large and very important parameter space to technological
development and exploitation. The figure also shows the regions into which fall both current and
future applications of MEMS. Most commercial MEMS have only a few electronic and
mechanical components.

Two commercially important exceptions are the ADXL micro accelerometers from Analog
Devices and the Digital Mirror Display (DMD) from Texas Instruments. These are reviewed in
the upcoming paragraphs. The variety of potential applications shown in Figure 2.3 is
remarkable. The impacts of MEMS will increasingly be felt in many industries and by many
consumers.

Briefly history of MEMS

1958

Silicon strain gauges commercially available

1959:

“There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom” – Richard Feynman gives a milestone presentation
at California Institute of Technology. He issues a public challenge by offering $1000 to the
first person to create an electrical motor smaller than 1/64th of an inch.

1960’s

1961

First silicon pressure sensor demonstrated

1967
Invention of surface micromachining. Westinghouse creates the Resonant Gate Field Effect
Transistor, (RGT). Description of use of sacrificial material to free micromechanical devices
from the silicon substrate.

1970’s

1970 First silicon accelerometer demonstrated 1979 First micro machined inkjet nozzle
1980’s Early 1980’s

first experiments in surface micro machined silicon. Micro machining leverages

microelectronics industry and widespread experimentation and documentation increases
public interest.

1982

Disposable blood pressure transducer

1982

“Silicon as a Mechanical Material” [9] . Instrumental paper to entice the scientific

community – reference for material properties and etching data for silicon.

1987

LIGA Process

1988

First MEMS conference

1990’s

Methods of micromachining aimed towards improving sensors.

1992

MCNC starts the Multi-User MEMS Process (MUMPS) sponsored by Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

1992

First micro machined hinge

1993
 First surface micro machined accelerometer sold (Analog Devices, ADXL50) 1994 Deep
Reactive Ion Etching is patented

1995

Bio MEMS rapidly develops 2000 MEMS optical-networking components become big
business

1.4 Application of MEMS

Typical Applications:

There are plenty of applications for MEMS. As a breakthrough technology, MEMS is building
synergy between previously unrelated fields such as biology and microelectronics, many new
MEMS and Nanotechnology applications will emerge, expanding beyond that which is currently
identified or known.

MEMS technology finds applications in the below general domains

A)Automotive domain:

 Airbag system
 Vehicle security system
 Intertial Brake Lights
 Headlight Leveling
 Rollover Detection
 Automatic Door Locks
 Active Suspension

B)Consumer domain:

 Appliances
 Training sport devices
 Computer Peripherals
 Car and Personal Navigation Devices
 Active Subwoofers

C) Industrial domain

 Earthquake Detection and Gas Shutoff

 Machine Health
 Shock and Tilt Sensing

D)Military:

 Tanks
 Planes
 Equipment for Soldiers

E)Biotechnology:
  Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) microsystems for DNA amplification and
identification
 Micromachined Scanning Tunneling Microscopes (STMs)
 Biochips for detection of hazardous chemical and biological agents
 Microsystems for high-throughput drug screening and selection
 Bio-MEMS in medical and health related technologies from Lab-On-Chip to
biosensor & chemosensor.

. The commercial applications include:

 Inkjet printers, which use piezo-electrics or thermal bubble ejection to deposit ink on
paper.
 Accelerometers in modern cars for a large number of purposes including airbag
deployment in    collisions.
 Accelerometers in consumer electronics devices such as game controllers, personal media
players     / cell phones and a number of Digital Cameras.
 In PCs to park the hard disk head when free-fall is detected, to prevent damage and data
loss.
 MEMS gyroscopes used in modern cars and other applications to detect yaw; e.g. to
deploy a roll     over bar or trigger dynamic stability control.
 Silicon pressure sensors e.g. car tire pressure sensors, and disposable blood pressure
sensors
 Displays e.g. the DMD chip in a projector based on DLP technology has on its surface
several      hundred thousand micro mirrors.
 Optical switching technology, which is, used for switching technology and alignment for
data      communications
 Interfero metric modulator display (IMOD) applications in consumer electronics
(primarily displays for     mobile devices).
 Improved performance from inductors and capacitors due the advent of the RF-MEMS
technology

 Few examples of real MEMS products are;

 Adaptive Optics for Ophthalmic Applications
 Optical Cross Connects
 Air Bag Accelerometers
 Pressure Sensors
 Mirror Arrays for Televisions and Displays
 Micro mirrors High Performance Steerable
 RF MEMS Devices
 Disposable Medical Devices
 High Force, High Displacement Electrostatic Actuators
 MEMS Devices for Secure Communications

 MEMS devices used in Space exploration field include:

 Accelerometers and gyroscopes for inertial navigation
 Pressure sensors
  RF switches and tunable filters for communication
 Tunable mirror arrays for adaptive optics
 Micro-power sources and turbines
 Propulsion and attitude control
 Bio-reactors and Bio-sensors, Microfluidics
 Thermal control

Medicine

There are a wide variety of applications for MEMS in medicine. The first and by far the most
successful application of MEMS in medicine (at least in terms of number of devices and market
size) are MEMS pressure sensors, which have been in use for several decades. The market for
these pressure sensors is extremely diverse and highly fragmented, with a few high-volume
markets and many lower volume ones. Some of the applications of MEMS pressure sensors in
medicine include:

 The largest market for MEMS pressure sensors in the medical sector is the disposable
sensor used to monitor blood pressure in IV lines of patients in intensive care. These
devices were first introduced in the early 1980’s. They replaced other technologies that
cost over $500 and which had a substantial recurring cost since they had to be sterilized
and recalibrated after each use. MEMS disposable pressure sensors are delivered pre-
calibrated in a sterilized package from the factory at a cost of around $10.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used to measure intrauterine pressure during birth. The
device is housed in a catheter that is placed between the baby's head and the uterine
wall. During delivery, the baby's blood pressure is monitored for problems during the
mother's contractions.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used in hospitals and ambulances as monitors of a patient’s
vital signs, specifically the patient’s blood pressure and respiration.
  The MEMS pressure sensors in respiratory monitoring are used in ventilators to monitor
the patient’s breathing.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used for eye surgery to measure and control the vacuum
level used to remove fluid from the eye, which is cleaned of debris and replaced back
into the eye during surgery

 Special hospital beds for burn victims that employ inflatable mattresses use MEMS
pressure sensors to regulate the pressure inside a series of individual inflatable chambers
in the mattress. Sections of the mattress can be inflated as needed to reduce pain as well
as improve patient healing.

 Physician’s office and hospital blood analyzers employ MEMS pressure sensors as
barometric pressure correction for the analysis of concentrations of O2, CO2, calcium,
potassium, and glucose in a patient's blood.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used in inhalers to monitor the patient’s breathing cycle and
release the medication at the proper time in the breathing cycle for optimal effect.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used in kidney dialysis to monitor the inlet and outlet
pressures of blood and the dialysis solution and to regulate the flow rates during the
procedure.

 MEMS pressure sensors are used in drug infusion pumps of many types to monitor the
flow rate and detect for obstructions and blockages that indicate that the drug is not
being properly delivered to the patient.

Another applications of MEMS

The contribution to patient care for all of these applications has been enormous. More recently,
MEMS pressure sensors have been developed and are being marketed that have wireless
interrogation capability. These sensors can be implanted into a human body and the pressure can
be measured using a remotely scanned wand. Another application are MEMS inertial sensors,
specifically accelerometers and rate sensors which are being used as activity sensors. Perhaps the
foremost application of inertial sensors in medicine is in cardiac pacemakers wherein they are
used to help determine the optimum pacing rate for the patient based on their activity level.
MEMS devices are also starting to be employed in drug delivery devices, for both ambulatory
and implantable applications. MEMS electrodes are also being used in neuro-signal detection
and neuro-stimulation applications. A variety of biological and chemical MEMS sensors for
invasive and non-invasive uses are beginning to be marketed. Lab-on-a-chip and miniaturized
biochemical analytical instruments are being marketed as well.

 Automotive airbag sensor Automotive airbag sensors were one of the first commercial
devices using MEMS. They are in widespread use today in the form of a single chip
containing a smart sensor, or accelerometer, which measures the rapid deceleration of a
vehicle on hitting an object. The deceleration is sensed by a change in voltage. An electronic
control unit subsequently sends a signal to trigger and explosively fill the airbag. Initial air
bag technology used conventional mechanical ‘ball and tube’ type devices which were
relatively complex, weighed several pounds and cost several hundred dollars. They were
usually mounted in the front of the vehicle with separate electronics near the airbag. MEMS
has enabled the same function to be accomplished by integrating an accelerometer and the
electronics into a single silicon chip, resulting in a tiny device that can be housed within the
steering wheel column and costs only a few dollars (Figures 4 and 5). The accelerometer is
essentially a capacitive or piezoresistive device consisting of a suspended pendulum proof
mass/plate assembly. As acceleration acts on the proof mass, micromachined capacitive or
piezoresistive plates sense a change in acceleration from deflection of the plates. The sense
plates can be seen in Figure 4.
 The airbag sensor is fundamental to the success of MEMS and micromachining
technology. With over 60 million devices sold and in operation over the last 10 years and
operating in such a challenging environment as that found within a vehicle, the reliability
of the technology has been proven. An example of this success is today’s vehicles – the
BMW 740i has over 70 MEMS devices including anti-lock braking systems, active
suspension, appliance

and navigation control systems, vibration monitoring, fuel sensors, noise reduction,
rollover detection, seatbelt restraint and tensioning etc. As a result, the automotive
industry has become one of the main drivers for the development of MEMS for other
equally demanding environments. Some of the leading airbag accelerometer
manufacturers include Analog Devices, Motorola, SensorNor and Nippondenso.
Accelerometers are not just limited to automotive applications. Earthquake detection,
virtual reality video games and joysticks, pacemakers, high performance disk drives and
weapon systems arming are some of the many potential uses for accelerometers.

 MEMS application is the miniature disposable pressure sensor used to monitor blood
pressure in hospitals. These sensors connect to a patients intravenous (IV) line and monitor
the blood pressure through the IV solution.
For a fraction of their cost ($10), they replace the early external blood pressure sensors that
cost over $600 and had to be sterilized and recalibrated for reuse. These expensive devices
measure blood pressure with a saline-filled tube and diaphragm arrangement that has to be
connected to an artery with a needle.

The disposable sensor consists of a silicon substrate which is etched to produce a

membrane and is bonded to a substrate (Figure 6). A piezoresistive layer is applied on the
membrane surface near the edges to convert the mechanical stress into an electrical
voltage. Pressure corresponds to deflection of the membrane. The sensing element is
mounted on a plastic or ceramic base with a plastic cap over it, designed to fit into a
manufacturer’s housing (Figure 7). A gel is used to separate the saline solution from the
sensing element. As in the case of the MEMS airbag sensor, the disposable blood
pressure sensor has been one of the strongest MEMS success stories to date. The
principal manufacturers being Lucas Nova sensor , EG & G IC Sensors and Motorola
with over 17 million units per year. More recently, the technology from the blood
pressure sensor has been taken a step further in the development of the catheter-tip
pressure sensor. This considerably smaller MEMS device is designed to fit on the tip of a
catheter and measure intravascular pressure (its size being only 0.15 mm x 0.40 mm x
0.90 mm). Pressure sensors are the biggest medical MEMS application to date with the
accelerometer MEMS a distant second. Although the majority of these accelerometer
applications remain under development, advanced pacemaker designs include a MEMS
accelerometer device that measures the patient’s activity. The technology, similar to that
 found in the airbag sensor, enables the patient’s motion and activity to be monitored and
signals the pacemaker to adjust its rate accordingly.

 Inkjet printer head One of the most successful MEMS applications is the inkjet printer
head, superseding even automotive and medical pressure sensors. Inkjet printers use a series
of nozzles to spray drops of ink directly on to a printing medium. Depending on the type of
inkjet printer the droplets of ink are formed in different ways; thermally or piezoelectrically.
Invented in 1979 by Hewlett-Packard, MEMS thermal inkjet printer head technology uses
thermal expansion of ink vapour. Within the printer head there is an array of tiny resistors
known as heaters. These resistors can be fired under microprocessor control with electronic
pulses of a few milliseconds (usually less than 3 microseconds). Ink flows over each
resistor, which when fired, heat up at 100 million ºC per second, vaporizing the ink to form
a bubble. As the bubble expands, some of the ink is pushed out of a nozzle within a nozzle
plate, landing on the paper and solidifying almost instantaneously. When the bubble
collapses, a vacuum is created which pulls more ink into the print head from the reservoir in
the cartridge (Figure 8). It is worth noting there are no moving parts in this system (apart
from the ink itself) illustrating that not all MEMS devices are mechanical
A piezoelectric element can also be used to force the ink through the nozzles (Figure 9). In this
case, a piezoelectric crystal is located at the back of the ink reservoir of each nozzle. The
piezoelectric crystal element receives a very small electric charge causing it to vibrate. When it
vibrates inwards it forces a tiny amount of ink out of the nozzle. As the element vibrates back
out, it pulls some more ink into the reservoir to replace the ink that was sprayed out. Epson
patented this technology but it is also used by the majority of the other leading printer
companies. MEMS has enabled more and more heating elements and piezoelectric crystals to be
incorporated into a printer head. Early printers had 12 nozzles with resolutions of up to 92 dpi
possible. Today, modern inkjet printers have up to 600 nozzles which can all fire a droplet
simultaneously enabling 1200 dpi. Epson, Lexmark, Hewlett-Packard, Olivetti, Xerox and Canon
all use a form of these MEMS in their inkjet printers. Over 350 million units were sold in 2000.
 Overhead projection display One of the early MEMS devices used for a variety of display
applications is the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) from Texas Instruments. The device
contains over a million tiny pixel-mirrors each measuring 16 µm by 16 µm and capable of
rotating by ±10º, over 1000 times a second (Figure 10). Light from a projection source
impinges on the pupil of the lens (or mirror) and is reflected brightly onto a projection
screen. DMD’s are used for displays for PC projectors, high definition televisions (HDTV’s)
and for large venues such as digital cinemas where traditional liquid crystal technology
cannot compete. MEMS has enabled the micromirrors to be only 1 µm apart, resulting in an
image taking up a larger percentage (89 percent) of space on the DMD chip's reflective
surface, as compared to a typical LCD (12 to 50 percent). This reduces the pixelation and
produces an overall sharper and brighter image. Today over 30 manufacturers use the DMD
(Kodak being the largest) and over 500,000 systems have been shipped.

1.5 PROBLEM STATEMENT:

 To date, only a handful of MEMS-based devices are being commercialized.  This is in fact

quite disheartening given the many research facilities and research personnel involved in
this field.  But a closer look will reveal that given the slightly more than 10 years of works
 done in this area, it is only recently that the amount of resources involved in the research
and development of MEMS have increased dramatically.  This can be seen from the number
of published works and authors from the pioneering years to date.  This recent explosion in
interest in the MEMS area could have been, in part, a result of the successful
commercialization of some high profile products like the micro-accelerometer and Bubble
Jet Printer Head. In order to make MEMS technology a successful commercial one, a great
amount of efforts will be needed on the research and development of sensors, actuators,
materials and processing technologies.

 Despite the size and scale of MEMS research and development investments, they are small
compared to the R&D expenditures made by the integrated circuit industry. However, the
size of the MEMS industrial base is still very small and unable to sustain large R&D
expenditures.

Since its inception, MEMS technology has been able to leverage heavily from the development
in the IC technologies. However, the magnitude of this leveraging has begun to lessen due to the
speed of progress and change in the IC fabrication arena. Most industrial commercialization of
the technology will likely come from the relatively more direct applications in the future. These
include simple structural components, where the short-term return can be readily attainable.
Unfortunately, in most cases, either the device has yet to exist, or have not even been imaged by
potential users.

 The accessibility of companies, both small and large, to MEMS fabrication facilities
needs to be increased. Currently . Most companies who wish to explore the potential of
MEMS technology have very limited options for getting devices prototyped or
manufactured. A mechanism allowing these organizations to have responsive and
affordable access to MEMS fabrication resources for prototyping and manufacturing is
essential.

 
  The output of well-trained MEMS engineers and scientists from universities needs to
increase. MEMS is a multidisciplinary field that consists of a wide range of technical and
design expertise ranging from chemical to electrical engineering and from mechanical or
electrical field. Depending on the area of use of the MEMS device, knowledge of other
disciplines like biology and materials might be needed in the designing of the
devices. Aincreasing number of MEMS engineers and scientists is urgently needed. Also
it is necessary to gather expertise from different disciplines to work into the development
of MEMS devices for their successful applications.

 Quality control standards for MEMS technologies are needed. Frequently, the quality of
many MEMS devices fabricated at either academic or commercial facilities is low. Part
of the problem is that the technology is so new that the fabricators do not yet know how
to define quality, much less measure it.

Other technical challenges. For example,

 Advanced simulation and modeling tools for MEMS design are urgently needed;
 The packaging of MEMS devices and systems needs to improve considerably from its
current primitive states;
 MEMS device design must be separated from the complexities of the fabrication
sequences, etc..
1.5Objectives

 Gain a fundamental understanding of standard micro fabrication techniques and its

uses
 Know the major classes components and applications of MEMS devices,systems and
to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles behind the operation
of these devices/systems

 Understanding the unique requirement and applications of MEMS

 Apply the knowldeg of microfabrication techniques and applications to the designe

and understanding of MEMS devices or Microsystems

 Foster interest for further study

 2. FABRICATION OF MEMS WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES

Micro Electro Mechanical System is a system of miniaturized devices and structures that can be
manufactured using microfabrication techniques. It is a system of microsensors, microactuators,
and other microstructures fabricated together on a common silicon substrate. A typical MEMs
system consists of a microsensor that senses the environment and converts the environment
variable into an electrical circuit. The microelectronics process the electrical signal and the
microactuator accordingly works to produce a change in the environment.

Fabrication of MEMs device involves the basic IC fabrication methods along with the
micromachining process involving the selective removal of silicon or the addition of other
structural layers.

DIAGRAM

Steps of MEMs Fabrication using Bulk Micromachining:

FIGURE 2.1
 Step1: The first step involves the circuit design and drawing of the circuit either on a
paper or on using software like PSpice or Proteus.

 Step 2: The second step involves the simulation of the circuit and modeling using
CAD( Computer-Aided Design). CAD is used to design the photolithographic mask
which consists of the glass plate coated with chromium pattern.

 Step 3: The third step involves photolithography. In this step, a thin film of insulating
material like Silicon Dioxide is coated over the silicon substrate, and over this, an organic
layer, sensitive to ultraviolet rays is deposited using spin coating technique. The
photolithographic mask is then placed in contact with the organic layer.  The whole wafer
is then subjected to UV radiation, allowing the pattern mask to be transferred to the
organic layer. The radiation either strengthens the photoresistor weakens it. The
uncovered oxide on the exposed photoresist is removed using Hydrochloric acid. The
remaining photoresist is removed using hot Sulphuric acid and the resultant is an oxide
pattern on the substrate, which is used as a mask.

 Step 4: The fourth step involves the removal of the unused silicon or etching. It involves
the removal of a bulk of the substrate either using wet etching or dry etching. In wet
etching, the substrate is immersed in a liquid solution of a chemical etchant, which etches
out or removes the exposed substrate either equally in all directions(isotropic etchant) or
a particular direction(anisotropic etchant). Popularly used etchants are HNA
(Hydrofluoric acid, Nitric acid, and Acetic acid) and KOH(Potassium Hydroxide).
 Step 5: The fifth step involves the joining of two or more wafers to produce a multi-
layered wafer or a 3 D structure. It can be done using fusion bonding which involves
direct bonding between the layers or using anodic bonding.

 Step 6: The 6th step involves assembling and integrating the MEMs device on the single
silicon chip.

 Step 7: The 7th step involves the packaging of the whole assembly to ensure protection
from the outer environment, proper connection to the environment, minimum electrical
interference. Commonly used packages are metal can package and ceramic window
package. The chips are bonded to the surface either using a wire bonding technique or
using flip-chip technology where the chips are bonded to the surface using an adhesive
material that melts on heating, forming electrical connections between the chip and the
substrate.

FIGURE 2.2
 The first step involves the deposition of the temporary layer (an oxide layer or a nitride
layer) on the silicon substrate using a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition technique.
This layer is the sacrificial layer and provides electrical isolation.

 The second step involves the deposition of the spacer layer which can be a
phosphosilicate glass, used to provide a structural base.

 The third step involves subsequent etching of the layer using the dry etching technique.
Dry etching technique can be reactive ion etching where the surface to be etched is
subjected to accelerating ions of the gas or vapor phase etching.

 The fourth step involves the chemical deposition of phosphorus-doped polysilicon to

form the structural layer.

 The fifth step involves dry etching or removal of the structural layer to reveal the
underlying layers.
 The 6th step involves the removal of the oxide layer and the spacer layer to form the
required structure.
 The rest of the steps are similar to the bulk micromachining technique.
MEMs fabrication using LIGA Technique.

It is a fabrication technique that involves lithography, electroplating, and molding on a single

substrate.

LIGA PROCESS
FIGURE 2.3

 1st step involves the deposition of a layer of Titanium or copper or Aluminum on the

substrate to form a pattern.

 2nd step involves the deposition of a thin layer of Nickel which acts as the plating base.

 3rd step involves the addition of an X-ray sensitive material like PMMA (polymethyl

metha acrylate).

 4th step involves aligning a mask over the surface and exposing the PMMA to x-ray
radiation. The exposed area of PMMA is removed and the remaining one covered by the
mask is left.
 5th step involves placing the PMMA based structure into an electroplating bath wherein
the Nickel is plated on the removed PMMA areas.

 6th step involves the removal of the remaining PMMA layer and the plating layer, to
reveal the required structure.
Advantages of MEMs technology

 It provides an efficient solution to the need for miniaturization without any

compromise on functionality or performance.
 The cost and time of manufacturing are reduced.
 The MEMs fabricated devices are more fast, reliable and cheaper
 The devices can be easily integrated into systems.

Three Practical Examples of MEMs fabricated devices

 Automobile Airbag Sensor:  The pioneer application of MEMs fabricated devices was
the automobile airbag sensor which consisted of an accelerometer (to measure the speed
or acceleration of the car) and the control electronics unit fabricated on a single chip
which can be embedded on the airbag and accordingly control the inflation of the airbag.

 BioMEMs device: A MEMs fabricated device consists of teeth like structure that has
been developed by Sandia National Laboratories which has the provision to trap a red
blood cell, inject it with DNA, proteins, or drugs and then release it back.

 Inkjet Printer Header: A MEMs device has been fabricated by HP which consists of an
array of resistors that can be fired using microprocessor control and as the ink passes
through the heated resistors, it gets vaporized to bubbles and these bubbles are forced out
of the device through the nozzle, onto the paper and instantly solidify.
 So I have given a basic idea about MEMs fabrication techniques. It’s quite complicated
than it appears. Even there are many other techniques. if you have any queries on this
topic or the electrical and electronic projects Get to know about them and do add your
knowledge here.