Microelectromechanical Systems Fabrication Research Articles

BioMEMS for biosensors and closed-loop drug delivery

The efficacy of pharmaceutical treatments can be greatly enhanced by physiological feedback from the patient using biosensors, though this is often invasive or infeasible. By adapting microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to miniaturize such biosensors, previously inaccessible signals can be obtained, often from inside the patient. This is enabled by the device’s extremely small footprint which minimizes both power consumption and implantation trauma, as well as the transport time for chemical analytes, in turn decreasing the sensor’s response time. MEMS fabrication also allows mass production which can be easily scaled without sacrificing its high reproducibility and reliability, and allows seamless integration with control circuitry and telemetry which is already produced using the same materials and fabrication steps. By integrating these systems with drug delivery devices, many of which are also MEMS-based, closed loop drug delivery can be achieved. This paper surveys the types of signal transduction devices available for biosensing—primarily electrochemical, optical, and mechanical—looking at their implementation via MEMS technology. The impact of MEMS technology on the challenges of biosensor development, particularly safety, power consumption, degradation, fouling, and foreign body response, are also discussed.

Heavily Boron-Doped Silicon Layer for the Fabrication of Nanoscale Thermoelectric Devices.

Heavily boron-doped silicon layers and boron etch-stop techniques have been widely used in the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). This paper provides an introduction to the fabrication process of nanoscale silicon thermoelectric devices. Low-dimensional structures such as silicon nanowire (SiNW) have been considered as a promising alternative for thermoelectric applications in order to achieve a higher thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) than bulk silicon. Here, heavily boron-doped silicon layers and boron etch-stop processes for the fabrication of suspended SiNWs will be discussed in detail, including boron diffusion, electron beam lithography, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) etch-stop processes. A 7 μm long nanowire structure with a height of 280 nm and a width of 55 nm was achieved, indicating that the proposed technique is useful for nanoscale fabrication. Furthermore, a SiNW thermoelectric device has also been demonstrated, and its performance shows an obvious reduction in thermal conductivity.

Grasping Force Control for a Robotic Hand by Slip Detection Using Developed Micro Laser Doppler Velocimeter.

The purpose of this paper is to show the feasibility of grasping force control by feeding back signals of the developed micro-laser Doppler velocimeter (μ-LDV) and by discriminating whether a grasped object is slipping or not. LDV is well known as a high response surface velocity sensor which can measure various surfaces—such as metal, paper, film, and so on—thus suggesting the potential application of LDV as a slip sensor for grasping various objects. However, the use of LDV as a slip sensor has not yet been reported because the size of LDVs is too large to be installed on a robotic fingertip. We have solved the size problem and enabled the performance of a feasibility test with a few-millimeter-scale LDV referred to as micro-LDV (μ-LDV) by modifying the design which was adopted from MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) fabrication process. In this paper, by applying our developed μ-LDV as a slip sensor, we have successfully demonstrated grasping force control with three target objects—aluminum block, wood block, and white acrylic block—considering that various objects made of these materials can be found in homes and factories, without grasping force feedback. We provide proofs that LDV is a new promising candidate slip sensor for grasping force control to execute target grasping.

A Fast-Switching (1.35-μs) Low-Control-Voltage (2.5-V) MEMS T/R Switch Monolithically Integrated With a Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT).

This paper describes the design and fabrication of an electrostatic MEMS switch that can be co-fabricated on the same substrate with a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) as a transmit/receive (T/R) switch. The structure of the switch is modified from a single CMUT cell. An interrupted transmission line is defined across the center of the cell with control electrodes on both sides to pull a movable plate down. The plate has an insulation layer underneath and a metal bump is formed on the insulation layer and aligned to the transmission line gap, so that the switch could be turned on by pulling down the plate with electrostatic force and making the metal bump close the gap in the transmission line. The switch was designed using a finite-element model (FEM) and fabricated on a glass substrate using anodic bonding. A static characterization was first performed on a switch test structure, which shows the dc switching voltage was 68 V and the on-resistance was 50 Ω. The RF in and RF out isolation was measured as approximately 66 dB and insertion loss was approximately 4.5 dB for frequency range commonly used for medical ultrasound imaging. Then we performed the dynamic characterization in immersion. By setting the dc bias at 67 V, we found that the switch could be operated with a control-voltage as low as 2.5 V. The switching and release times are related to the rise time and the fall time of the control signal, respectively. The minimum switching time was measured as 1.34 μs with a control signal rise time of 300 ns, and the minimum release time was measured as 80 ns with a control signal fall time of 20 ns. We further demonstrated that a 1-kHz control signal with the optimized rise and fall times can be used to conduct and block a sinusoidal signal with 1-MHz frequency and 300-mV pp amplitude, as well as unipolar pulses with 5-V pp amplitude, 500-ns pulse width, and 2-kHz repetition rate. The presented MEMS switch could potentially eliminate the high-voltage process requirement for the on-chip front-end electronics of a CMUT-based ultrasound imaging system and thus improve the overall system efficiency.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy for In Vivo Metabolomics, Digitally Twinned by Computational Systems Biology, Needs a Sensitivity Boost

The metabolism of an organism is regulated at the cellular level, yet is strongly influenced by its environment. The precise metabolomic study of living organisms is currently hampered by measurement sensitivity; most metabolomic measurement techniques involve some compromise, whereby averaging is performed over a volume significantly larger than a single cell, or require the invasion of the organism, or an arrested state of the organism. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an inherently noninvasive chemometric and imaging method, and hence, in principle, suitable for metabolomic measurements. The digital twin of metabolomics is computational systems biology, such that NMR microscopy is potentially a viable approach to joining the theoretical and experimental explorations of the metabolomic and behavioural responses of organisms. In this study, we consider the challenge of performing in vivo NMR-based metabolomics on the small organism Caenorhabditis elegans, point he way towards possible solutions created using techniques specific to micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication, and highlight currently insurmountable challenges.

Optimization of E-jet Based Micro Manufacturing Process Using Grey Relation Analysis

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing is a micro/nano manufacturing process to deposit the functional materials for fabrication of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microelectronic devices etc. The performance of the EHD system is greatly depends on process parameters like applied voltage between the ejection aperture and the substrate, standoff height, applied pressure, and nozzle size. In this paper, an attempt has been made to optimize the process parameters to attain better printing performance. Grey relation grade (GRG) analysis has been employed as a multi objective optimization method to find out the optimal process parameters. In this study, applied back pressure, nozzle standoff height, and applied voltage have taken as control parameters and printed droplet diameter and frequency have considered as printing performance characteristics which are to be optimized.

Uniform areal-distribution of UV intensity by synchronizing signal-waveforms and position of a UV-LED array

This paper describes a theoretical approach to give an irradiated area a uniform distribution of LED light intensity by synchronizing the signal waveforms and position control of the LEDs. Although UV-LEDs have attracted considerable attention as alternative light sources for ultraviolet (UV) lithography in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication, mainly because of their low cost and low power consumption, the realization of a uniform UV intensity over an area remains challenging. Here, we propose a method to achieve a uniform areal intensity within an irradiated area by synchronizing the signal waveform and position of a UV-LED array. To verify our theoretical calculation, we developed a system with a UV-LED array whose position is controlled by a linear actuator. The intensity of the UV-LED array is controlled by a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, which is synchronized with the position of the linear actuator. Using this system, we fabricated 2D micropatterns and 3D microstructures with high uniformity in the irradiated area. The proposed method is expected to facilitate practical LED-based lithography in MEMS fabrication.

Optimization and limit of a tilt manipulation stage based on the electrowetting-on-dielectric principle

This work designed a new tilt manipulation stage based on the electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) principle as the actuating mechanism and investigated the performance of that stage. The stage was fabricated using a universal MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) fabrication method. In the previously demonstrated form of this device, the tilt stage consisted of a top plate that functions as a mirror, a bottom plate that was designed for changing the shape of water droplets, and supporters that were fixed between the top and bottom plate. That device was actuated by a voltage applied to the bottom plate, resulting in a static electric force actuating the shape change in the droplets by moving the top plate in the vertical direction. Previous experimental results indicated that that device can tilt at up to ±1.8°, with a resolution of 7 μm in displacement and 0.05° in angle. By selecting the best combination of the dielectric layer, the tilt angle was maximized. The new device, fabricated using a common and straightforward fabrication method, avoids deflection of the top plate and grounding in the bottom plate. Because of the limit of Teflon and other MEMS materials, this device has a tilt angle in the range of 3.2-3.5° according to the experimental data for friction and the EWOD device limit, which is close to 1.8°. This paper also describe the investigation of the effects of various parameters, e.g., various dielectric materials, thicknesses, and droplet type and volume, on the performance of the stage. The results indicate that the apparent frictions coefficient of the solid-liquid interface may remain constant, i.e., the friction force is proportional to the normal support force and the apparent frictions coefficient.

Electrostrictive microelectromechanical fibres and textiles

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) enable many modern-day technologies, including actuators, motion sensors, drug delivery systems, projection displays, etc. Currently, MEMS fabrication techniques are primarily based on silicon micromachining processes, resulting in rigid and low aspect ratio structures. In this study, we report on the discovery of MEMS functionality in fibres, thereby opening a path towards flexible, high-aspect ratio, and textile MEMS. The method used for generating these MEMS fibres leverages a preform-to-fibre thermal drawing process, in which the MEMS architecture and materials are embedded into a preform and drawn into kilometers of microstructured multimaterial fibre devices. The fibre MEMS functionality is enabled by an electrostrictive P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) ferrorelaxor terpolymer layer running the entire length of the fibre. Several modes of operation are investigated, including thickness-mode actuation with over 8% strain at 25 MV m−1, bending-mode actuation due to asymmetric positioning of the electrostrictive layer, and resonant fibre vibration modes tunable under AC-driving conditions.

Thermal energy recovery via integrated small scale boiler and superheater

Abstract A small-scale exhaust energy recovery system has been designed and tested using MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical System) fabrication techniques in combination with Additive Manufacturing. The system extracts thermal energy from low temperature exhaust flows with a porous copper heat exchanger and passes that energy to a unified superheater/boiler. MEMS fabrication techniques were utilized for the boiler and Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) was used to combine with the superheater. Capillary channels were utilized within the boiler to achieve internal working fluid pumping action. The phase changed working fluid was then passed to the superheater for superheat. The prototype system was tested in two configurations: first with boiler atop exhaust heat exchanger and second with combined boiler and superheater working in combination. The boiler operating without superheater captured 66% of incoming thermal energy. Operating in combination with the superheater showed a 10% increase in thermal absorption capability at working fluid flow rate of 3 mg/s. Working fluid was superheated successfully from saturation temperature of 76 °C–85 °C. Increased head loss associated with the superheater and boiler combination limited flow rates. The system achieves measurable superheat of working fluid when applied to the real-world challenge of thermal energy scavenging.

An Application of Diazonium‐Induced Anchoring Process in the Fabrication of Micro‐Electromechanical Systems

AbstractIn situ generation of diazonium cations and their subsequent reduction and grafting is a versatile technique to modify a variety of substrates. In the absence of a conducting substrate, the grafting of aminophenylene layer can be achieved with assistance of a reducing agent (diazonium‐induced anchoring process—DIAP). Here, a systematic investigation of the possible effect of the type substrate on the thickness of aminophenyl layer is carried out using Fe powder reducing agent. The study is carried out on three different substrates: p‐doped Si, TiN, and Cu films and concludes that the film‐growth mechanism is independent of the type of substrate. This work is particularly important for many industrial applications, which require unifying a single film deposition process for multiple structural materials. The first results obtained with mechanical Si test structures clearly show that surface amination at room temperature, in open air, and aqueous medium using DIAP can be easily integrated into the fabrication of microelectromechanical systems and, therefore, can potentially replace the currently industrialized organic‐based silanization process.

MEMS Tunable Diffraction Grating for Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopic Applications.

Diffraction gratings are among the most commonly used optical elements in applications ranging from spectroscopy and metrology to lasers. Numerous methods have been adopted for the fabrication of gratings, including microelectromechanical system (MEMS) fabrication which is by now mature and presents opportunities for tunable gratings through inclusion of an actuation mechanism. We have designed, modeled, fabricated and tested a silicon based pitch tunable diffraction grating (PTG) with relatively large resolving power that could be deployed in a spaceborne imaging spectrometer, for example in a picosatellite. We have carried out a detailed analytical modeling of PTG, based on a mass spring system. The device has an effective fill factor of 52% and resolving power of 84. Tuning provided by electrostatic actuation results in a displacement of 2.7 at 40 . Further, we have carried out vibration testing of the fabricated structure to evaluate its feasibility for spaceborne instruments.

Design and Development of a Dual-Axis Force Sensing MEMS Microgripper

This paper presents the design, simulation, fabrication, and testing processes of a new microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microgripper, which integrates an electrostatic actuator and a capacitive force sensor. One advantage of the presented gripper is that the gripping force and interaction force in two orthogonal directions can be, respectively, detected by a single force sensor. The whole gripper structure consists of the left actuating part and right sensing part. It owns a simple structure and compact footprint. The actuator and sensor are fixed and linearly guided by four leaf flexures, respectively. The left arm of the gripper is driven through a lever amplification mechanism. By this structure, the displacement from the electrostatic actuator is transmitted and enlarged at the gripper tip. The right arm of the gripper is designed to detect the gripping and interaction forces using a capacitive sensor. The MEMS gripper is manufactured by SOIMUMPs process. The performance of the designed gripper is verified by conducting finite element analysis (FEA) simulation and experimental studies. Moreover, the demonstration of biocellulose gripping confirms the feasibility of the developed gripper device.

Fabrication and Electromechanical Modeling of a Flexural-Mode MEMS Piezoelectric Transformer in AlN

This paper presents the fabrication and electromechanical characterization of a novel AlN-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) flexural-mode piezoelectric transformer (PT) realized in a silicon-on-insulator bulk-micromachining process with segmented electrodes at the secondary side, which are series-connected in order to increase the output voltage. The goal of this work is to propose a MEMS-based alternative to inductors and magnetic transformers for power management in micro-power mm-scale electronic systems. The fabricated device is fully modeled by means of the Butterworth-Van Dyke (BVD) two-port network. The device is modeled analytically with the classic equations of a fully clamped-edge membrane and through finite-element method simulations. Characterization is performed through impedance measurements and an alternative empirical method suitable for MEMS devices is proposed for directly extracting its lumped parameters electromechanical circuit. Finally, the effect of the feed-through capacitance is fully analytically modeled, and this paper presents a variant of the BVD network of the PT with an inner BVD circuit, allowing an easier estimation of the effects of the complex zeros introduced by the feed-forward capacitance. The presented device achieves a measured maximum voltage gain of 58mV/V at ~36.3 kHz and maximum efficiency of ~75%.

A study on an AC electroosmotic micropump using a square pole – Slit electrode array

The paper presents a novel AC electroosmotic micropump using a square pole – slit electrode array called the SS-ACEO-MP. The AC electroosmosis (ACEO) generates convection flows when AC voltage is applied to a liquid such as water with fixed electrodes. The ACEO flow is stable without electrolysis due to the low AC voltage; however, to realize a micropump for wide applications, a special mechanism for a unidirectional flow is required. For that purpose, conventional devices utilize asymmetric electrodes, induced-charge electroosmosis, and traveling wave voltage. For practical applications, high slip velocity due to ACEO is required. The proposed pump consists of a square pole – slit electrode array, and efficiently generates a total flow by the slip velocity mainly on the slit electrodes. The proposed pump features a simple pillar-shaped structure without moving parts, efficient flow generation, and easy improvements of the pressure and the flow rate due to the arrayed structure. First, 3D FEM (finite element method) simulation of the SS-ACEO-MPs was performed and the characteristics were clarified. The size parameters that maximize the effective slip velocity under no load were clarified. Second, the SS-ACEO-MPs were fabricated by a MEMS (micro electro mechanical systems) fabrication process that included electroforming. Third, experiments on the SS-ACEO-MPs were performed. The characteristics of the SS-ACEO-MPs were clarified. Finally, at the applied voltage of 26Vpp, the maximum effective slip velocity of 1.6mm/s was realized with a unit size of 0.2×0.2×0.05mm3.

Silicon Micropore-Based Parallel Plate Membrane Oxygenator.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life support system that circulates the blood through an oxygenating system to temporarily (days to months) support heart or lung function during cardiopulmonary failure until organ recovery or replacement. Currently, the need for high levels of systemic anticoagulation and the risk for bleeding are main drawbacks of ECMO that can be addressed with a redesigned ECMO system. Our lab has developed an approach using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques to create novel gas exchange membranes consisting of a rigid silicon micropore membrane (SμM) support structure bonded to a thin film of gas-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This study details the fabrication process to create silicon membranes with highly uniform micropores that have a high level of pattern fidelity. The oxygen transport across these membranes was tested in a simple water-based bench-top set-up as well in a porcine in vivo model. It was determined that the mass transfer coefficient for the system using SµM-PDMS membranes was 3.03 ± 0.42 mL O2 min-1 m-2 cm Hg-1 with pure water and 1.71 ± 1.03 mL O2 min-1 m-2 cm Hg-1 with blood. An analytic model to predict gas transport was developed using data from the bench-top experiments and validated with in vivo testing. This was a proof of concept study showing adequate oxygen transport across a parallel plate SµM-PDMS membrane when used as a membrane oxygenator. This work establishes the tools and the equipoise to develop future generations of silicon micropore membrane oxygenators.

Graphene-polydimethylsiloxane/chromium bilayer-based flexible, reversible, and large bendable photomechanical actuators

We demonstrate the fabrication of highly versatile photomechanical actuators based on graphene-polymer/metal bilayers that offers fast, low-cost fabrication, large deflection, reversible actuation under zero applied pre-strain, and wavelength-selective response. The photomechanical actuator consists of a graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite with a thin chromium metal coating of 35 nm thickness on the backside of the structure. The photomechanical response of the GNP-PDMS/Cr photomechanical actuator was measured by recording the variation of the bending angle upon infrared (IR) light illumination. The bending in the bilayer actuator is caused by the generation of thermal stress due to the large mismatch (the ratio being 1/20) of the thermal expansion coefficient between the two layers as a result of IR absorption by GNPs and a subsequent increase in the local temperature. The maximum bending angle was found to be about 40 degrees with a corresponding large deflection value of about 6–7 mm within 6 s for IR illumination with an intensity of 550 mW cm−2. The corresponding actuation response and relaxation times were about 1 and 3 s, respectively. The GNP-PDMS/Cr bilayer combination when integrated with the standard surface micromachining technique of micro-electromechanical system fabrication can find useful applications in the realization of micro soft-robotics, controlled drug delivery, and light-driven micro switches i.e. micro-optomechanical systems.

Modified TMAH based etchant for improved etching characteristics on Si{1 0 0} wafer

Wet bulk micromachining is a popular technique for the fabrication of microstructures in research labs as well as in industry. However, increasing the throughput still remains an active area of research, and can be done by increasing the etching rate. Moreover, the release time of a freestanding structure can be reduced if the undercutting rate at convex corners can be improved. In this paper, we investigate a non-conventional etchant in the form of NH2OH added in 5 wt% tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) to determine its etching characteristics. Our analysis is focused on a Si{1 0 0} wafer as this is the most widely used in the fabrication of planer devices (e.g. complementary metal oxide semiconductors) and microelectromechanical systems (e.g. inertial sensors). We perform a systematic and parametric analysis with concentrations of NH2OH varying from 5% to 20% in step of 5%, all in 5 wt% TMAH, to obtain the optimum concentration for achieving improved etching characteristics including higher etch rate, undercutting at convex corners, and smooth etched surface morphology. Average surface roughness (Ra), etch depth, and undercutting length are measured using a 3D scanning laser microscope. Surface morphology of the etched Si{1 0 0} surface is examined using a scanning electron microscope. Our investigation has revealed a two-fold increment in the etch rate of a {1 0 0} surface with the addition of NH2OH in the TMAH solution. Additionally, the incorporation of NH2OH significantly improves the etched surface morphology and the undercutting at convex corners, which is highly desirable for the quick release of microstructures from the substrate. The results presented in this paper are extremely useful for engineering applications and will open a new direction of research for scientists in both academic and industrial laboratories.

MEMS for Nanopositioning: Design and Applications

Nanopositioners are high-precision mechatronic devices that are capable of generating mechanical motion with nanometer or sub-nanometer resolution. With this motion typically being available over mechanical bandwidths of several kilohertz or greater, nanopositioners have become important tools for many areas of nanotechnology. A major development in nanopositioning has been the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication processes to produce microscale nanopositioners. These MEMS-based devices are conceptually similar to their macroscale counterparts, typically comprising an end effector, actuators, sensors, and suspension structures. However, MEMS nanopositioners potentially offer additional significant advantages as a result of their microfabricated nature, including a much smaller footprint, higher bandwidth, batch manufacturability, and potential for integration with electronic circuits. This paper reviews key concepts regarding the design, actuation, and sensing of MEMS nanopositioners, and explores how they have been implemented in state-of-the-art devices within a range of nanotechnology applications.

Lubrication Mechanism of SU-8/Talc/PFPE Composite

SU-8, a very promising structural polymer for the next-generation 3D fabrication of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), has extremely poor tribological properties. The improvement in tribological properties has been recently addressed by developing SU-8/talc (30 wt%) /perfluoropolyether (PFPE) (30 wt%) composite. This composite showed wear durability approximately five orders of magnitude greater in comparison with that of pure SU-8. This drastic increment was found to be because of the in situ lubrication mechanism provided by the PFPE liquid droplets present in the composite. In this present investigation, the lubrication mechanism for SU-8/talc (30 wt%)/PFPE (10, 20 and 30 wt%) composites was further investigated by varying sliding speed (0.1–1.0 m/s) and normal load (2 N and 4 N) using silicon nitride ball of 4 mm diameter as the counterface. The data show that the coefficient of friction and interfacial shear strength follows linear relations with the logarithm of the sliding velocity. Normal load has effect on marginally reducing the coefficient of friction.