Micro-Electro-

Mechanical Systems
-The Future Technology, but Today’s choice

Presented by… Vinayak Hegde

Guide: Mrs. Priti M
 AIM OF MY
PRESENTATION

 To familiarize what the MEMS

TECHNOLOGY is all about

 To explain about Microfabrication

Process.

 Applications of the MEMS in various

fields.
April 20, 2009 2
 Outline of My
Presentation
Introduction
Historical Background
(MEMS Evolution)
Preparation Process of MEMS
(Fabrication Process)
Applications of MEMS
(Fields where MEMS Used)
Interrelationship between MEMS and
Nano
(Future Scope of MEMS)
Conclusion
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 Introduction
What is MEMS Technology?
 MEMS technology is based on a number of tools
and methodologies, which are used to form
small structures with dimensions in the
micrometer scale

 MEMS fabrication approach that conveys the

advantages of miniaturization, multiple
components, and microelectronics to the design
and construction of integrated
April Electromechanical
20, 2009 systems 4
 Introduction Conti…
What are MEMS?
• Micro - Small size, microfabricated
structures
• Electro - Electrical signal /control ( In /
Out )
• Mechanical - Mechanical functionality
(Out/ In )
• Systems - Structures, Devices,
Systems controls
What is the size of MEMS?
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 MEMS Scaling

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 Building Blocks In
MEMS
 How MEMS are prepared?
 There are three basic building blocks in MEMS
technology.
 Deposition: The ability to deposit thin
films of material on a
substrate.
 Lithography: To apply a patterned mask
on top of
the films by photolithograpic
imaging.
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 Etching: To etch the films selectively to the
 MEMS Deposition
Technology
MEMS deposition technology can be classified in
two groups:

 Depositions that happen because of a

chemical reaction:
 Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
 Electrodeposition
 Epitaxy
 Thermal oxidation
 Depositions that happen because of a physical
reaction:
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 Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
 MEMS Lithography
Technology
MEMS lithography technology can be
classified in two groups:
2. Pattern Transfer
3. Lithographic Module
a. Dehydration bake and HMDS prime
b. Resist spin/spray and Soft bake
c. Alignment, Exposure
d. Post exposure bake and Hard bake
e. Descum
April 20, 2009 9
 MEMS Etching
Technology
There are two classes of etching process:

 Wet etching: The material is dissolved

when immersed in a chemical solution.

 Dry etching: The material is sputtered or

dissolved using reactive ions or a vapor
phase etchant.

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 Microfabrication
Process

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 Photolithography
Clean wafer : to remove particles on the surface as well as
any traces of organic, ionic, and metallic impurities
Dehydration bake: to drive off the absorbed water on the
surface
Coating
Coat wafer with adhesion promoting film
Coat with photoresist
Soft bake : to drive off excess solvent and to promote
adhesion
Exposure
Post exposure bake: to suppress standing wave-effect
Develop, Clean, Dry
Hard bake: to harden the PR and improve adhesion to the
substrate
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 Photolithography

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 Additive Processes
Oxidation
Thermal Oxidation of Silicon is done in a furnace in wet or dry conditions

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 Additive Processes
Doping
Dopants : N type (Phosphorous, Arsenic), P type (Boron)

Doping Methods
2. Diffusion
Dopants are diffused thermally into the
substrate in furnace at 950 – 1280 0C.
It is governed by Fick’s Laws of Diffusion.

2. Ion
Implantation Dopant ions bombarded into targeting
substrate by high energy.
Ion implantation are able to place any ion at
any depth in sample.
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 Additive Processes
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
1. Evaporation
Deposition is achieved by
evaporation or sublimation of
heated metal onto substrate.

2. Sputtering
Sputtering is achieved by
accelerated inert ion by DC drive
in plasma through potential
gradient to bombard metallic
target.

Then the targeting material is

sputtered away and deposited
onto substrate placed on anode.
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 Additive Processes
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

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 Additive Processes
Chemical Vapor Deposition
(CVD)
Materials deposited: Polysilicon, silicon nitride, silicon oxide,
silicon carbide etc.

How does CVD Work?

Gaseous reactants are introduced into chamber at elevated
temperatures.
Reactant reacts and deposits onto substrate

Types of CVD
LPCVD (Low Pressure CVD),
PECVD (Plasma Enhanced CVD)

Salient Features
CVD results depend on pressure, gas, and temperature
Can be diffusion or reaction limited
Varies from film composition, deposition rate and electrical and
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mechanical properties
 Subtractive Processes
Dry Etching

Dry Chemical Etching

HF Etching
HF is a powerful etchant and hence, highly dangerous.
XeF2 Etching

2XeF2+Si→2Xe+SiF4
 Isotropic etching (typically 1-3µm/min)
 Does not attack aluminum, silicon dioxide, and silicon
nitride
April 20, 2009 19
 Subtractive Processes
Dry Etching

Plasma Etching

Reaction Mechanism
Produce reactive species in gas-phase Reactive species diffuse to the solid
Adsorption, and diffuse over the surface Reaction Desorption Diffusion

April 20, 2009 20

Subtractive Processes
Dry Etching
Deep Reactive Ion Etching
(DRIE)
A very high-aspect-ratio silicon etch
method

DRIE Etched Pillars

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 Subtractive Processes

Wet Etching

Isotropic Wet
Etching
Isotropic etchants etch in all
directions at nearly the same
rate.

Commonly use chemical for

Silicon is
HNA (HF/HNO3/Acetic Acid)
This results in a finite amount
April 20, 2009 22
 Subtractive Processes
Wet Etching
Anisotropic Wet
Etching
Anisotropic etchants etch much
faster in one direction than in
another.

Etchants
Reaction : are generally Alkali
Hydroxides (KOH,+NaOH,
Silicon (s) + Water CeOH
Hydroxide Ions → Silicates + Hydrogen

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 Metal Patterning

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 Surface
Micromachining

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 MEMS Packaging

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Example: An insulin pump fabricated by classic MEMS

technology

1. Pumping membrane 2. Pumping chamber

3. Inlet 4. Outlet
5. Large mesa 6. Upper glass plate
7. Bottom glass plate 8. patterned thin layer (for improved fluidics)

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 MEMS Applications
 Micro-engines –Micro Reactors,
Vibrating Wheel
 Inertial Sensors –Virtual Reality Systems
 Accelerometers –Airbag Accelerometer
 Pressure Sensors –Air Pressure Sensors
 Optical MEMS –Pill Camera
 Fluidic MEMS -Cartridges for Printers
 Bio MEMS -Blood Pressure Sensors
 MEMS Memory Units -Flash Memory

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 iPod Touch: Techno
Sensitiveness
The two key elements of
a
MEMS are:
 MEMS sensor, the
silicon mechanical
element which senses
the motion;
 Interface chip, the IC
which converts the
motion measured by
the sensor into an
analog or digital signal.
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 Bio MEMS Application

An implantable blood
pressure sensor
developed by
CardioMEMS

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 MEMS Memory
[Nanochip]

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 MEMS driven Storage
Devices
 TB to PB device
capacities
 Massively parallel data
transfer rates
 Very fast file access
times
 Improved reliability
 Smaller size and weight
 Device costs less than
today's devices
 Excellent fit for
applications
April 20, 2009
to 32
enterprise
 Future of Magnetic
Storage
 HAMR-Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording or
TAR -Thermally Assisted Recording
 SOMA-Self Organized Magnetic Assemblies; a
form of directed patterned media.
 Super high coercivity storage layers (such
as FePt) with stable grain sizes averaging <
2nm.
 Super servos for (coarse/fine) tracking and
flying height control.
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 Advantages and
Disadvantages
Minimize energy and Farm establishment
materials use in requires huge
manufacturing investments
Cost/performance Micro-components are
advantages Costly compare to
Improved macro-components
reproducibility Design includes very
Improved accuracy much complex
and reliability procedures
Increased selectivity Prior knowledge is
and
April sensitivity
20, 2009
needed to integrate 34
 Conclusion
The medical, wireless technology,
biotechnology, computer, automotive and
aerospace industries are only a few that will
benefit greatly from MEMS.

This enabling technology promises to create

entirely new categories of products

 MEMS will be the indispensable factor for

advancing technology in the 21st century
April 20, 2009 35
 References for MEMS
IEEE Explore
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/DynWel.jsp
PDF Files http://www.scribd.com/mems/

Introduction to Microengineering
http://www.dbanks.demon.co.uk/ueng/
MEMS Clearinghouse
http://www.memsnet.org/
MEMS Exchange
http://www.mems-exchange.org/
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