Copyright Prentice-Hall

Chapter 29Fabrication of Microelectromechanical

Devices and Systems (MEMS)

Parts Made by Chapter 29 Processes

A gyroscope sensor used for automotive applications that combined mechanical and electronic systems. Perhaps the most widespread use of MEMS devices is in sensors of all kinds. Source: Courtesy of Motorola Corporation.

Bulk Micromachining

Schematic illustration of bulk micromachining. (1) Diffuse dopant in desired pattern. (2) Deposit and pattern masking film. (3) Orientation-dependent etching (ODE) leaves behind a freestanding structure. Source: Courtesy of K.R. Williams, Agilent Laboratories.

Surface Micromachining

Schematic illustration of the steps in surface micromachining: (a) deposition of a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) spacer layer; (b) etching of spacer layer; (c) deposition of polysilicon; (d) etching of polysilicon; (e) selective wet etching of PSG, leaving the silicon and deposited polyilicon unaffected.

P

Stiction After Wet Etching

Stiction after wet etching: (1) unreleased beam; (2) unreleased beam before drying; (3) released beam pulled to the surface by capillary forces during drying. Source: After B. Bhushan.

Example: Surface Micromachining of a Hinge

(a) SEM image of a deployed micromirror. (b) Detail of the micromirror hinge. Source: Courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories.

(a)(b)

Example: Hinge Manufacture

Schematic illustration of the steps required to manufacture a hinge. (a) Deposition of a phosphosilicate glass (PSG) layer and polysilicon layer. (b) Deposition of a second spacer layer. (c) Selective etching of the PSG. (d) Deposition of polysilicon to form a staple for the hinge. (e) After selective wet etching of the PSG, the hinge can rotate.

Digital Pixel Technology

The Texas Instruments digital pixel technology device. (a) Exploded view of a single digital micromirror device. (b) View of two adjacent pixels. (c) Images of DMD arrays with some mirrors removed for clarity; each micromirror measures approximately 17 µm (670 µin.) on a side. (d) A typical digital pixel technology device used for digital projection systems, high definition televisions, and other image display systems. The device shown contains 1,310,720 micromirrors and measures less than 50 mm (2 in.) per side. Source: Courtesy of Texas Instruments Corporation.

Digital Pixel Technology Device Manufacture

Manufacturing sequence for the Texas Instruments DMD device.

Ceramic flat-package construction used for the DMD device.

SIMPLE

Schematic illustration of silicon micromachining by single-step plasma etching (SIMPLE) process.

Diffusion Bonding and DRIE

(a) Schematic illustration of silicon-diffusion bonding combined with deep reactive-ion etching to produce large, suspended cantilevers. (b) A microfluid-flow device manufactured by DRIE etching two separate wafers, then aligning and silicon-diffusion bonding them together. Afterward, a Pyrex layer (not shown) is anodically bonded over the top to provide a window to observe fluid flow. Source: (a) After N. Maluf. (b) Courtesy of K.R. Williams, Agilent Technologies.

Thermal Inkjet Printer

Sequence of operation of a thermal inkjet printer. (a) Resistive heating element is turned on, rapidly vaporizing ink and forming a bubble. (b) Within five microseconds, the bubble has expanded and displaced liquid ink from the nozzle. (c) Surface tension breaks the ink stream into a bubble, which is discharged at high velocity. The heating element is turned off at this time, so that the bubble collapses as heat is transferred to the surrounding ink. (d) Within 24 microseconds, an ink droplet (and undesirable satellite droplets) are ejected, and surface tension of the ink draws more liquid from the reservoir. Source: From Tseng, F-G, "Microdroplet Generators," in The MEMS Handbook, M. Gad-el-hak, (ed.), CRC Press, 2002.

Electroformed Structures

Figure 29.17 (a) Electroformed, 200 µm tall nickel structures; (b) Detail of 5 µm wide nickel lines and spaces. Source: After Todd Christenson, MEMS Handbook, CRC Press, 2002.

(a) (b)

Example: Rare Earth Magnets

Fabrication process used to produce rare-earth magnets for microsensors. Source: T. Christenson, Sandia National Laboratories.

Wafer-Scale Diffusion Bonding

(a) Multilevel MEMS fabrication through wafer-scale diffusion bonding. (b) A suspended ring structure for measurement of tensile strain, formed by two-layer wafer-scale diffusion bonding. Source: After T. Christenson, Sandia National Laboratories.

Case Study: Airbag Accelerometer

Figure 29.24 Schematic illustration of a micro-acceleration sensor. Source: After N. Maluf.

Photograph of Analog Devices’ ADXL-50 accelerometer with a surface micromachined capacitive sensor (center), on-chip excitation, self-test and signal conditioning circuitry. The entire chip measures 0.500 by 0.625 mm. Source: From R.A. Core, et al., Solid State Technol., pp. 39-47, October 1993