UBM1622 BIOMEMS

Prepared by
Dr. J. Vijay
Dr. S. Arunkarthick (Course Coordinator)

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 OBJECTIVES

The objective of this course is to enable the student to

• Provide knowledge of semiconductors and solid mechanics to fabricate MEMS

devices.
• Understand various mechanical and thermal sensors and actuators and their principles
of operation at the micro scale level.
• Understand various electrostatic and piezoelectric sensors and actuators at the micro
scale level.
• Introduce microfluidic systems.
• Know on the applications of MEMS in different field of medicine.

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 Textbooks

“MEMS and Microsystems: design , manufacture, and nanoscale engineering,” 2nd

Edition, by Tai-Ran Hsu, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2008
(ISBN 978-0-470-08301-7)

Wanjun Wang and Stephen A. Soper, BioMEMS: Technologies and Applications,

CRC Press, New York, 2007.

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 Unit I

MEMS MATERIALSAND FABRICATION

Typical MEMs and Microsystems, materials for MEMS - active substrate

materials-Silicon and its compounds, Silicon piezo resistors, Gallium
Arsenide, quartz, polymers. Micromachining photolithography, thin film
deposition, doping, etching, bulk machining, wafer bonding, LIGA.

Hsu 2008
4
 Learning Objectives
The Students will be able to understand the fundamentals, types
and materials used in MEMS technology.

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 Session Outcomes
• At the end of this session, participants will be able to
– Describe the need for MEMS
– Explain the types of materials used for MEMS
– Demonstrate the microsystem fabrication processes

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 Unit I Agenda

• Introduction

• Materials for MEMS and Microsystems

• Microsystem Fabrication Processes

• Overview of Micromanufacturing

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 WHAT IS MEMS?
MEMS = MicroElectroMechanical System
Any engineering system that performs electrical and mechanical functions with
components in micrometers is a MEMS. (1 µm = 1/10 of human hair)

Available MEMS products include:

● Micro sensors (acoustic wave, biomedical, chemical, inertia, optical,

pressure, radiation, thermal, etc.)
● Micro actuators (valves, pumps and microfluidics;
electrical and optical relays and switches;
grippers, tweezers and tongs;
linear and rotary motors, etc.)
● Read/write heads in computer storage systems.
● Inkjet printer heads.
● Micro device components (e.g., palm-top reconnaissance aircrafts, mini robots
and toys, micro surgical and mobile telecom equipment, etc.)
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 HOW SMALL ARE MEMS DEVICES?

in plain English please!

They can be of the size of a rice grain, or smaller!

Two examples:

- Inertia sensors for air bag deployment systems in

automobiles

- Microcars

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Inertia Sensor for Automobile “Air Bag” Deployment System

Micro inertia sensor(accelerometer)in place:

Sensor-on-a-chip:
(the size of a
rice grain)

(Courtesy of Analog Devices, Inc)

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 Micro Cars
(Courtesy of Denso Research Laboratories, Denso Corporation, Aichi, Japan)

Rice grains

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 MEMS = a pioneer technology for
Miniaturization –

A leading technology for the 21st Century, and

an inevitable trend in industrial products and

systems development

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 Miniaturization of Digital Computers
- A remarkable case of miniaturization!

Size: 106 down

Power: 106 up

A “Lap-top” Computer in 1996

The ENIAC Computer in 1946

Size: 108 down

Power: 108 up

A “Palm-top” Computer in 2001

This spectacular miniaturization took place in 50 years!!

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 MINIATURIAZATION – The Principal Driving Force
for the 21st Century Industrial Technology

There has been increasing strong market demand for:

“Intelligent,”

“Robust,”

“Multi-functional,” and

“Low-cost” industrial products.

Miniaturization is the only viable solution to satisfy such

market demand

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 Market Demand for Intelligent, Robusting, Smaller,
Multi-Functional Products - the evolution of cellular phones
Current State-of-the Art:
Mobil phones 10 Years Ago:

Size reduction

Palm-top Wireless PC

Transceive voice+ multi-media +

others (Video-camera, e-mails, calendar,
Transceive voice only and access to Internet, GPS and a PC with
key pad input)

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The only solution is to pack many miniature function components into the device
 Miniaturization Makes Engineering Sense!!!

• Small systems tend to move or stop more quickly due to low mechanical inertia. It is
thus ideal for precision movements and for rapid actuation.
•Miniaturized systems encounter less thermal distortion and mechanical vibration due to
low mass.
• Miniaturized devices are particularly suited for biomedical and aerospace
applications due to their minute sizes and weight.
• Small systems have higher dimensional stability at high temperature due to low
thermal expansion.
• Smaller size of the systems means less space requirements.
This allows the packaging of more functional components in a single device.

• Less material requirements mean low cost of production and transportation.

• Ready mass production in batches.

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 Enabling Technologies for
Miniaturization
Microsystems Technology Atop-down approach
(MST)
(1 m- 1 mm)* Initiated in 1947 withthe invention of
transistors, but the term “Micromachining”
was coined in 1982

Miniature devices
(1 nm - 1 mm)

Abottom-up approach
Inspired byRichard Feynmanin 1959, with active
Nanotechnology (NT) R&D began in around 1995
(0.1 nm– 0. 1 m)**
There is a long way to building nano devices!

* 1 m = 10-6 m  one-tenth of human hair

** 1 nm = 10-9 m  span of 10 H2 atoms

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 The Lucrative Revenue Prospects for
Miniaturized Industrial Products
Microsystems technology:
$43 billion - $132 billion* by Year 2005
( *High revenue projection is based on different definitions
used for MST products)

Source: NEXUS http://www.smalltimes.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=3424

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 The Lucrative Revenue Prospects for
Miniaturized Industrial Products – Cont’d
Nanotechnology:
$50 million in Year 2001
$26.5 billion in Year 2003
(if include products involving parts produced by nanotechnology)

$1 trillion by Year 2015 (US National Science Foundation)

An enormous opportunity for manufacturing industry!!

● There has been colossal amount of research funding to NT by

governments of industrialized countries around the world b/c
of this enormous potential.

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 MEMS Products

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 MEMS as a Microsensor:
Power
Supply

Micro
Input Transduction Output
Sensing Unit
Signal Signal
Element

Micro pressure sensors

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 MEMS as a Microactuator- motor:
Power
Supply

Micro
Output Transduction
Actuating
Action Unit
Element

Micro motor produced

Rotor by a LIGA Process
Torque
Stators Transmission
Gear

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 Components of Microsystems

Power
Supply

Signal
Transduction &
Processing
Unit

Sensor Actuator

Microsystem

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 Typical Microsystems Products

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 Inertia Sensor for “Air Bag” DeploymentSystem
(Courtesy of Analog Devices, Inc.)

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 Inertia Sensor for Automobile “Air Bag” Deployment System

Micro inertia sensor(accelerometer)in place:

Sensor-on-a-chip:
(the size of a
rice grain)

Collision

(Courtesy of Analog Devices, Inc)

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 Unique Features of MEMS and Microsystems
- A great challenge to engineers

• Components are in micrometers with complex geometry

using silicon, si-compounds and polymers:

A micro gear-train by
Sandia National Laboratories

25 m

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 Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) Network Systems for
Biomedic Analysis
A simple capillary tubular network with cross-sectional area of 20x30 µm is illustrated below:

Buffer
Reservoir,B
Analyte Analyte Waste
Reservoir,A Reservoir,A’
Injection Channel

Separation Channel
“Plug”

Waste
Reservoir,B’ Silicon Substrate

Work on the principle of driving capillary fluid flow by applying electric voltages at the
terminals at the reservoirs.

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 Commercial MEMS and
Microsystems Products
Micro Sensors: Micro Actuators:

Acoustic wave sensors Grippers, tweezers and tongs

Biomedical and biosensors Motors - linear and rotary
Chemical sensors Relays and switches
Optical sensors Valves and pumps
Pressure sensors Optical equipment (switches, lenses &
Stress sensors mirrors, shutters, phase modulators,
filters, waveguide splitters, latching &
Thermal sensors
fiber alignment mechanisms)

Microsystems = sensors + actuators

+ signal transduction:
• Microfluidics, e.g. Capillary Electrophoresis (CE)
• Microaccelerometers (inertia sensors)

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 Intelligent Microsystems -
Micromechatronics systems
Package on a single “Chip”

INPUT:
Desired Sensing and/or
Transduction
Measurements actuating
unit
or element Signal
functions Conditioner
& Processor
MEMS

OUTPUT:
Controller Actuator M easurements
or Actions

Signal
Processor

Comparator Measurements

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 Evolution of Microfabrication

●There is no machine tool with today’s technology can produce

any device or MEMS component of the size in the micrometer
scale (or in mm sizes).

●The complex geometry of these minute MEMS components can

only be produced by various physical-chemical processes – the
microfabrication techniques originally developed for producing
integrated circuit (IC) components.

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 • Significant technological development towards miniaturization
was initiated with the invention of transistors by three Nobel
Laureates, W. Schockley, J. Bardeen and W.H. Brattain of Bell
Laboratories in 1947.

• This crucial invention led to the development of the concept of

integrated circuits (IC) in 1955, and the production of the first
IC three years later by Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments.

• ICs have made possible for miniaturization of many

devices and engineering systems in the last 50 years.

• The invention of transistors is thus regarded as the

beginning of the 3rd Industrial Revolution in human
civilization.

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 Comparison of Microelectronics and Microsystems

Microelectronics Microsystems (silicon based)

Primarily 2-dimensional structures Complex 3-dimensional structure
Stationary structures May involve moving components
Transmit electricityfor specificelectrical functions Performa great varietyof specificbiological, chemical,
electromechanical and optical functions
IC die is protected from contacting media Delicatecomponentsare interfaced with workingmedia
Use single crystal silicon dies, silicon compounds, Use singlecrystal silicondies andfewother materials,
ceramics and plastic materials e.g. GaAs, quartz, polymers, ceramics and metals
Fewer components to be assembled Many more components to be assembled
Mature IC design methodologies Lackof engineeringdesignmethodologyand standards
Complexpatterns with highdensityof electrical Simpler patterns oversubstrates with simpler electrical
circuitry over substrates circuitry
Largenumber of electrical feed-throughand leads Fewer electrical feed-through and leads
Industrialstandards available Noindustrialstandardto follow in design,material
selections, fabricationprocesses andpackaging
Mass production Batch production, or on customer-need basis
Fabrication techniques are proven and well Manymicrofabrication techniques areusedfor
documented production, but with no standard procedures
Manufacturing techniques are proven and well Distinctmanufacturingtechniques
documented
Packaging technology is relatively well established Packagingtechnologyis at theinfantstage
Primarily involves electrical and Involves all disciplines of scienceand engineering
33 chemical engineering
 The Multi-disciplinary Nature of Microsystems Engineering

Natural Science:
Physics & Biochemistry

Electrochemical Quantum physics

Material
Processes Solid-state physics
Science
Scaling laws

Mechanical Engineering
• Machine components design
Electrical Engineering • Precision machine design Materials Engineering
• Power supply • Mechanisms & linkages • Materials for substrates
• Electric systems for • Thermomechanicas: & package
electrohydro- (solid & fluid mechanics, heat • Materials for signal
dynamics and transfer, fracture mechanics) mapping and transduction
signal transduction • Intelligent control • Materials for fabrication
• Electric circuit • Micro process equipment processes
design design and manufacturing
• Integration of • Packaging and assembly design
MEMS and CMOS

Chemical Engineering
• Micro fabrication Industrial Engineering
processes • Process design
• Thin film technology • Production control
• Micro assembly
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 Commercialization of MEMS and
Microsystems
Major commercial success:

Pressure sensors and inertia sensors (accelerometers) with

worldwide market of:

• Airbag inertia sensors at 2 billion units per year.

• Manifold absolute pressure sensors at 40 million units per year.
• Disposable blood pressure sensors at 20 million units per year.

Recent Market Dynamics

Old MEMS New MEMS

Pressure sensors BioMEMS
Accelerometers IT MEMS for Telecommunication:
Other MEMS (OptoMEMS and RF MEMS)

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 Application of MEMS and Microsystems in
Automotive Industry

52 million vehicles produced worldwide in 1996

There will be 65 million vehicle produced in 2005

Principal areas of application of MEMS and microsystems:

• Safety
• Engine and power train
• Comfort and convenience
• Vehicle diagnostics and health monitoring
• Telematics, e.g. GPS, etc.

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 Principal Sensors
(7)

(4) (6)(1)
(3)

(2)
(10)
(9) (5)
(8)
(1) Manifold or Temperature manifold (6) Gasoline direct injection pressure sensor
absolute pressure sensor
(7) Fuel tank evaporative fuel pressure sensor
(2) Exhaust gas differential (8) Engine oil sensor
pressure sensor
(3) Fuel rail pressure sensor (9) Transmission sensor
(4) Barometric absolute pressure sensor (10) Tire pressure sensor
(5) Combustion sensor
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 Silicon Capacitive Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor

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 Application of MEMS and Microsystems in
Aerospace Industry
• Cockpit instrumentation. • Sensors and actuators for safety - e.g. seat ejection
• Wind tunnel instrumentation • Sensors for fuel efficiency and safety
• Microsattellites

• Command and control systems with MEMtronics

• Inertial guidancesystems with microgyroscopes, accelerometers and fiber optic gyroscope.
• Attitude determinationand control systems with micro sun and Earth sensors.
•Power systems with MEMtronic switches for active solar cell array reconfiguration, and electric
generators
•Propulsion systems with micro pressure sensors, chemical sensors for leak detection, arrays of single-shot
thrustors, continuous microthrusters andpulsed microthrousters
• Thermal control systems with micro heat pipes, radiators and thermal switches
•Communications and radar systems with very high bandwidth, low-resistance radio-frequency switches,
micromirrors andopticsfor lasercommunications,andmicrovariablecapacitors, inductors and oscillators.

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 Application of MEMS and Microsystems in
Biomedical Industry
• Disposable blood pressure transducers:
• Lifetime 24 to 72 hours; annual production 20 million units/year, unit
price $10
• Cathetertip pressure
sensors
• Sphygmomanometers
• Respirators

• Lung capacity meters

• Barometriccorrection
instrumentation
• Medical process monitoring

• Kidney dialysis equipment

• Micro bio-analytic systems: bio-chips, capillary electrophoresis, etc.

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 Application of MEMS and Microsystems in
Consumer Products
• Scubadiving watchesandcomputers

• Bicyclecomputers

• Sensors for fitness gears

• Washers withwater level controls

• Sport shoeswithautomaticcushioningcontrol

• Digital tire pressuregages

• Vacuumcleaning with automatic adjustmentof brush beaters Smart

toys

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 Application of MEMS and Microsystems in the
Telecommunication Industry
• Optical switching and fiber optic couplings

• RF relays and switches

• Tunable resonators

Microlenses: Microswitches:

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 Projected Market for
OptoMEMS

Unit: $million

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Micro Optical Switches

2-Dimensional

3-Dimensional
 Concluding Remarks

1. Miniaturization of machines and devices is an inevitable trend in

technological development in the new century.

2. There is a clear trend that microsystems technology will be further scaled

down to the nano level.
(1 nm = 10-3 µm = 10 shoulder-to-shoulder H2 atoms).

3. Despite the fact that many microelectronics technologies can be used to

fabricate silicon-based MEMS components, microsystems engineering
requires the application of principles involving multi- disciplines in science
and engineering.

4. Team effort involving multi-discipline of science and engineering is the key to

success for any MEMS industry.

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 Quiz
The largest market share of MEMS products currently
belongs to
A) microfluidics b)microsensors c) micro accelerometers

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 Quiz
• The largest market share of MEMS products currently
belongs to
A) microfluidics b)microsensors c) micro accelerometers

Answer: b)microsensors

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 Quiz
A modern IC may contain
A) 100,000 b)1,000,000 c) 10,000,000 transistors and
capacitors

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 Quiz
A modern IC may contain
A) 100,000 b)1,000,000 c) 10,000,000 transistors and
capacitors

Answer: c) 10,000,000

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 Quiz
A typical ULSI may contain
A) one b)ten c) 100 million transistors and capacitors

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 Quiz
A typical ULSI may contain
A) one b)ten c) 100 million transistors and capacitors

Answer: c) 100 million

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