Microrobotics

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Updates
Lab #4 results Lab #5 starts next week (last lab)
Instructions distributed today

HW #5 due today HW #6 distributed today (last HW)

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Introduction to Microrobotics
The physics of scaling Fabrication methods
MEMS SCM

Case studies
MEMS gyroscope MEMS crawling microrobot The Harvard Microrobotic Fly

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The physics of scaling

How can we quantify the effects of various forces as some characteristic dimension changes? Think of size as a scalar variable s representing the characteristic length Now how do various forces scale as a function of s?
Electromagnetic: s4 Electrostatic (constant field): s2 Electrostatic (increasing field): s1 Surface tension: s1 Surface friction: s2 Inertial forces: s3

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Fabrication paradigms
To create micromechanical structures, we need novel fabrication techniques
Result in feature sizes ranging from sub micron to centimeter: 1. MEMS (Micro ElectroMechanical Systems)
~0.01m to 10mm Derived from IC processes ~1m to 10cm Rapid prototyping with high performance materials

2. SCM (Smart Composite Microstructures)

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A brief history of MEMS

1750s 1824 1927 1947 1954 1958 1961 1967 1970 1977 1980 1982 1982 1984? 1988 1989 1991 1992 1992 1993? 1994 first electrostatic motors (Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Gordon) Silicon discovered (Berzelius) Field effect transistor patented (Lilienfield) invention of the transistor (made from germanium) Smith, C.S., "Piezoresistive effect in Germanium and Silicon, Physical Review, 94.1, April 1954. silicon strain gauges commercially available first silicon pressure sensor demonstrated (Kulite) Invention of surface micromachining (Nathanson, Resonant Gate Transistor) first silicon accelerometer demonstrated (Kulite) first capacitive pressure sensor (Stanford) Petersen, K.E., "Silicon Torsional Scanning Mirror", IBM J. R&D, v24, p631, 1980. disposable blood pressure transducer (Foxboro/ICT, Honeywell, $40) active on-chip signal conditioning First polysilicon MEMS device (Howe, Muller ) Rotary electrostatic side drive motors (Fan, Tai, Muller) Lateral comb drive (Tang, Nguyen, Howe) polysilicon hinge (Pister, Judy, Burgett, Fearing) Grating light modulator (Solgaard, Sandejas, Bloom) MCNC starts MUMPS first surface micromachined accelerometer sold (Analog Devices, ADXL50) XeF2 used for MEMS

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Early Semiconductor Fabrication

J. Bardeen, W.H. Brattain, The first transistor, a semiconductor triode, Phys. Rev., 74, 230 (1948).
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Intel 133 MHz Pentium Processor

3.3 million transistors 0.35 micron lithography 4 layer metalization First silicon: May 1995

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Fabrication
IC Fabrication
Deposition Lithography Removal

Bulk micromachining
Crystal planes Anisotropic etching Deep Reactive Ion Etching

Surface micromachining
Sacrificial etching Molding Bonding

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Process Flow
Integrated Circuits and MEMS identical Process complexity/yield related to # trips through central loop

Wafers

Deposition

Lithography

Etch

Chips
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Materials
Metals
Al, Au, Cu, W, Ni, TiNi, NiFe,

Insulators
SiO2 - thermally grown or vapor deposited (CVD) Si3N4 - CVD

Polymers The King of Semiconductors: Silicon

stronger than steel, lighter than aluminum single crystal or polycrystalline 10nm to 10mm

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Foundry Services and Standard Processes

MUMPS
3 level poly, no electronics started in 1992, now 6? runs per year

LIGAMUMPS
single level metal, no electronics

Sandia
5 level poly, no electronics 1 level poly w/ quality CMOS

CMOS + post-processing
EDP, TMAH, XeF2 (Parameswaran) Plasma (Fedder)

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MUMPS process flow

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MUMPS process flow

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MUMPS process flow

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Sandia National Lab 5 layer polysilicon

5-Level Polysilicon surface Micromachine Technology: Application to Complex Mechanical Systems

M. Steven Rodgers and Jeffry J. Sniegowski

Solid-State Sensor and Actuator Workshop Hilton Head 1998

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Smart Composite Microstructures

Fills the gap between MEMS and macro-scale manufacturing techniques (i.e. machine shops) Involves the use of laminated, laser-micromachined components 1. Laser micromachine the various components

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SCM
2.
a) b) c) d) e) f) g)

Layup/deposit polymers and other layers

a) b) c) d) e) f) g) To create actuators Composite prepreg Deposit passive layers Deposit electroactive materials Deposit passive layers Flip and repeat Cure Release

To create rigid links and compliant joints Composite prepreg Laser micromachine Deposit thin film polymer Cure/release Micromachine mirrored version Cure release

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SCM
3. Cure and release
Follow the cure cycle of the matrix material Apply even curing pressure

2D vacuum bagging apparatus

Computer controlled pressurized oven

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Materials
Metals
Cu, Stainless, Brass

Ceramics
Piezoceramics

Polymers
Polyimide polyester

Composites
Carbon fiber Glass fiber Boron fiber

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Case Study: MEMS gyroscopes

Detect the Coriolis force acting on a proof mass due to angular velocities T T T The Coriolis force is defined by:

Fc ! 2m[ v v

Thus the proof mass must be excited to a known (or measured) velocity Then we can detect this force with a number of transducers
e.g. capacitive sensor, strain sensor, etc

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MEMS Gyroscope Chip

Rotation induces Coriolis acceleration

Proof Mass

Sense Circuit

Digital Output

Electrostatic Drive Circuit

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J. Seeger, X. Jiang, and B. Boser

MEMS Gyroscope Chip

J. Seeger, X. Jiang, and B. Boser

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Case Study: A walking silicon microrobot

Created by Prof. Kris Pister, U.C. Berkeley Microlab Has the goal of creating a crawling microrobot that is fully autonomous:
Onboard power and control Uses MEMS processes and standard IC processes

Has shown successful 2D motion

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Silicon Inchworm Motors

1mm
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Solar Cells

Legs

CMOS Sequencer 8.6 mm

Motors
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Microrobot Three Processes

The Actuation Hinges, Motors, Legs, Frame The Power Solar Cell Arrays and High Voltage Transistors The Brain - CMOS Digital Circuits
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Assembly
Solar Cell/High Voltage Chip Robot Legs and Motors Chip CMOS Chip

Affix robot to wax for wirebonding 21 wirebonds

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Robot Leg Layout

Inchworm Motor

Drive Actuator

Clutch Shuttle Preset Structure

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Actuators Leg and Linkage

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Design of 2DOF Leg

Shuttles Tendons Knee Poly Crossover

Hip
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Foot

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Case Study: The Harvard Microrobotic Fly

Goal: create a robotic insect capable of sustained autonomous flight Key specs: 3cm wingspan, 60mg, 2 wings

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Wing rotation and the aerodynamic basis of insect flight

Due to the small size, insects operate in a more viscous environment

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Wing rotation and the aerodynamic basis of insect flight

Thoracic deformations produce the bulk of the mechanical work, smaller tuning muscles alter the thrust

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Components
1. 2. 3. 4. Four primary mechanical components: Airframe Actuator Transmission Airfoils

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Actuation
High power density piezoelectric bending cantilevers Key specs:
40mg ~400W/kg (as good as best DC motors at any scale) ~2kHz dynamic range Scalable and tailorable

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Results
Wing stroke nearly identical to biological counterparts

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Results
Wing stroke nearly identical to biological counterparts

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Results
Liftoff!
The worlds first demonstration of an at-scale robotic insect that can produce sufficient thrust to accelerate vertically Every component created with SCM

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Digital Light Processor

(Texas Instruments)

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Next class
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Outline of active research areas Mobile robot navigation Sensors and actuators Computer vision Microrobotics Surgical robotics Grasping/teletaction/haptics

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