Design of a novel MEMS resonator based neuromorphic oscillator

Abstract

A novel MEMS based neuromorphic oscillator is presented. Due to compatibility with CMOS process, on-chip integration of electro-statically actuated microresonators is possible with very small size. Also, taking advantage of sacrificial sidewall spacer technique for fabrication of 100nm vertical gap, as low actuation voltages as 0.5V is enough for such resonators. Oscillatory neuron dynamics are also studied and design of the resonator and its characteristics are described as a neuromorphic oscillator. There are several practical barriers associated with MEMS implementation of neuromorphic oscillators such as existence of near-to-main mode spurious modes, requiring of UHF high gain trans-impedance amplifier because of very high motional resistance of such resonators, and automatic amplitude control circuit which all investigated in the paper and surmounted as well. A coupling technique for weak connection of such resonators is also described in the paper which allows mechanical low velocity connection of UHF contour mode disk resonators for the first time.