3rd

International Winter School for Graduate Students (iWSG)

January 3-8, 2011

MEMS Devices:
Process Integration
K.N.Bhat
CeNSE / ECE, Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore-560 012
Email : knbhat@gmail.com
1

Organization of the talk

Process Integration case studies
Micro accelerometer

- Piezoresistive Pressure sensor

- MEMS Device packaging issues

MEMS Device Integration with Electronics

Micropump -PDMS based using SU-8 mould
2

Process Integration case studies

Micro-accelerometer
Involves
Fusion Bonding
Bulk micromachining- Lithography and
Wet Chemical or Dry etching
Surface micro-machining

Accelerometer Mass suspended by an

anchored Spring
Reference plane
Spring .
Spring constant = k
MASS

Displacement

Force, F
Fixed electrode

Steady State condition,

Displacement ,

F Ma kx

x , is a measure of acceleration a

Sensitivity =

x M

a
k

BESOI Process
(Bond and Etch nack SOI)
Etch-back
SOI layer
BOX
Bonding

Silicon Substrate

Accelerometer fabrication
1. SOI Wafer

SOI accelerometer fabrication

2. Pattern SOI Layer

SOI accelerometer fabrication

3. Oxide Etch, Release
Mass

Beam
Si (10 m)
SiO2 (1 m)
Bulk Si
8

SOI accelerometer fabrication

4. Metallize
Mass
Electrodes
(Cr / Au)

Beam
Si (10 m)
SiO2 (1 m)
Bulk Si
9

Thickness =14.45 m

Resonance frequency 35.5 KHz

measured using laser dopler
vibrometer

10

Vibration test result obtained on silicon microaccelerometer fabricated with SOI wafer processing
fabricated as part of E3-222 course in the lab at CEN
IISc Bangalore

Mass=0.6456 x10-8 kg
Natural frequency,

spring constant, k= 304 N/m

1 k
fres
34.54 kHz
2 m

11

Experimental value = 35.5 kHz (matches closely with

analytical results)
12

MICROPHOTOGRAPH OF PATTERENED SAMPLE AFTER

ETCHING

50m

13

Microphotograph Of Bent Portion Of Beam

(a) 30% KOH at 65C

Undercutting Of Convex
Corners is present

(b) 30% KOH solution

containing 30% tert-butanol
solution

Undercutting Of Convex
Corners is Absent
14

Top view and the dimensions of the seismic mass

and the supporting beams, analyzed using ANSYS
1.15 mm

1.15 mm

6mm

.1mm

. 52mm

1mm

.52mm

1mm

. 52
mm

.52mm

.2mm
.2mm

UZ 1

UZ 2

UZ3
15

0.030
Deflection (m)

Deflection (m)

0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0

UZ1

10

0.020

UZ2

0.015
0.010
0.005
0.000
0

12

Frequency (KHz)

10

0.30

20
30
Frequency (KHz)

40

0.25
Deflection (m)

Deflection versus
Frequency (dynamic
analysis) of the
devices UZ1, UZ2 and
UZ3

0.025

0.20

UZ3

0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00

8 10 12 1614 16

Frequency (KHz)

Deflection versus Acceleration (dynamic

analysis) of the devices UZ1, UZ2 and UZ3
0.07

UZ1

Deflection(m)

0.06

M
x
a
k

0.05
0.04
0.03

UZ3

0.02
0.01

UZ2

0.00
0

10

12

14

16

Acceleratio n(G )
17

Cantilever Beams and AFM tips by

Bulk micromachining

18

SiO2 Cantilever beams: fabricated at CEN IISc in INUP

program by TMAH etching of Si using bulk
micromachining : L= 35 m , W= 10 m thickness

=0.52 m , Stiffness k=0.134N/m

19

SiO2 Masking
layer

AFM tip structures

fabricated at CEN ,
IISc Bangalore by
TMAH/KOH silicon
Etching

Silicon
micro tip

20

Process Integration case studies

Pressure sensor
Integration of
Bulk micromachining- Lithography and
wet Chemistry
Piezoresistor and metal interconnection

21

Piezoresistive Sensors
They make use of the change in R due to the change in their
physical dimensions and carrier mobility when subjected to strain.
Vo

R+R

Vin

Vo
Sensitivity S
P

Gauge factor G R
R

V0

Vo

R
R - R

Strain

R - R

R+R

Resistors R are realized by boron

implantation on to N-type wafers

V in G V in G ( K P ) V in
R

22

L o n g itu d in al stress l alo n g d o tted lin e

Stress in N/mm

P=3 Bar

Membrane thickness h=10m

400
300

-250

200
100

l
250

0
-3 0 0

-2 0 0

W X L

-1 0 0

0
-1 0 0

500x500 m

500x625 m

500x750 m

500x875 m

500x1000 m

-2 0 0

100

200

300

D istan ce in m

ANSYS simulation

1N/mm2 = 1 MPa =10 Bar

2

23

Thickness 10 m , Pressure 3bar

Width of the membrane 500 m

Stress in N/mm

350
300

Longitudinal stress at the edge

250
200
L

150
W

100

Transverse stress at the edge

50
400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Length of the membrane in m

1100
24

Transverse stress
at the centre

-60

Stress in N/mm

-80
-100
-120

-140

Longitudinal stress
at the centre

-160
-180
-200
400

500

600

700

800

900

Length of the membrane in m

1000
25

COMPARISON OF GAUGE FACTORS

TYPE OF STRAIN GAUGE

Metal foil
Thin-film metal
Diffused semiconductor

Poly crystalline silicon

GAUGE FACTOR
1 to 5

2
80 to 200

30
26

Silicon micromachined pressure sensor

P-type implanted
resistors

R4

R1

R2

R3
N- type
Silicon

Fluid Pressure - P
Top View of
resistor and metal
interconnection

R1 R 2 R 3 R 4 R

R
V0 Vin
R

R2

R1

Need backside alignment

Vin

R4

- Vo +
R
R27 3

Lithography

3. Expose to collimated UV (300- 430nm)

or deep UV (150-300nm) through a mask

1. Grow 1m Thick SiO2

SiO2
230 m

(100) Si

Photo-mask
PPR

SiO2

SiO2

2. Spin PPR at 4000RPM

and pre-bake in an oven at
90 -100C for 20 - 30
minutes to drive away the
solvents

(100) Si

230 m

SiO2
4. Dip in a developer to dissolve
PPR from the exposed regions

PPR
SiO2

(100) Si
SiO2

230 m

SiO2

(100) Si
SiO2

230 m
28

6. Post bake 1t 120C for 20-30 min

SiO2

(100) Si

230 m

8. Strip off the PPR by dipping in

acetone

SiO2

7. Etch the oxide in the

window region, protecting
the back side oxide using
aler of PPR or wax

(100) Si

(100) Si

230 m

SiO2

230 m

SiO2
29

KOH etching to realize a 14 m Diaphragm

Use 40 percent KOH at 80C and immerse the wafer into this solution . The etch
rate for this solution is 1m / min. The solution must be stirred constantly
either using a magnetic stirrer or by bubbling nitrogen through the it
811 m

811 m

(100) Si
SiO2
Etch the oxide fully
in BHF and then
clean by immersing
the wafer into 1:3
mixture of H2O2 and
H2SO4 (Piranha
Solution ) for 15
minutes

230 m

500m

220m

230 m

SiO2

Flip the wafer vertically to have the diaphragm on the top

30

Top view of
the wafer

We can not see the location of the diaphragm looking from the top

Cross section

31

32
IR or backside alignment to position the resistor mask

33
IR light or backside alignment to position the resistor mask

Photograph showing the close up view of the

alignment of the resistor and metal pattern with
respect to the diaphragm structure

34

Photograph showing the Back side etching and the

V- groove side of a rectangular diaphragm cavity

35

Limitations of the single crystal

piezoresistor approach
Poor isolation between resistors
Temperature coefficient of resistivity
Diaphragm should be n-type
P-Type implanted
resistor

N-Type
diaphragm

R1
R4
R3

R2
36

Polysilicon piezoresistor on oxide

Polysilicon resistor
SiO2
Silicon
Diaphragm

Merits
1.Oxide isolation
2. Temperature coefficient
of resistivity can be
tailored to zero by doping

Limitations: Gauge factor

is lower than that of single
crystal. (about 30)
compared to 100 in single
crystal.
37

Pressure sensor fabrication with SOI Approach

Step-1 BESOI wafer
realization

Step-4,5 PolySi LPCVD,

boron implant doping

Step-2 Thermal
oxidation

Step-3 Backside
Lithography and
KOH etching

Step-7 Metal
Step-6 Aligned polySi
deposition , patterning
patterning
(Top View)
diaphragm

38

Absolute Pressure sensor

(schematic)
Oxide

Polysilicon Resistors

SOI
BOX

Substrate with cavity

39

Absolute Pressure sensor with a vacuum cavity fabricated

with SOI approach
(2) Bond oxidized top wafer in
1.Etch Si in the cavity
Vacuum
region
Oxidized top wafer

(3) Etch top wafer to

achieve the required SOI
thickness and oxidize
SOI
Cavity

(4) Steps 4 to 7 as for the

differential pressure sensor
SOI
Cavity
Substrate with cavity
40

R2

R1

pressure sensor
Schematic

Metal
Interconnection

Membrane

Vin

- Vo +
R4

R3

Resistor

All the four

resistors experience
41
longitudinal stress

Photograph of pressure sensor chip

VIN

Membrane
outline
VOUT2

VOUT1

Polysilicon
resistor
Gnd

42

Schematic of packaged Pressure sensor

43

Pressure sensor in TO39 Package

Diced Pressure sensor

Microphotograph of the
Pressure Sensor chip
Wire bonding

Pressure port
Metal pad

Poly resistor

44

45

Temperature sensitivity of the sensors

10 m membrane 500 X 875 m

Sensitivity ( mV /V / bar )

3.7 % change

6
5
4
3
2

15 m membrane 500x 750 m

1
30

40

10% change

50
Temperature C

60

70

46

MEMS device Packaging type decided by Application

1.Intracranial Pressure (ICP) and blood pressure monitoring.
Packaging must be biocompatible

3.Oceanography-CTD sensor
for Marine Engg (NPOL , Kochin)
4. Air pressure and flow in the
ignition system of automobile

2.Mapping pressure
across the aerofoil

47

Integration of MEMS Device

and Electronics

48

Schematic Cross-sectional view of Integrated

Pressure Sensor fabricated on 11 m SOI wafer
Metal
Sensor resistors

Gate oxide of 50 nm
Gate poly (n+)

PECVD oxide

Field oxide of 0.6 m

Si membrane of 11 m

N+

N+

N+

Drain 1

Source

Drain 2

Buried oxide of 0.6 m

49

Circuit diagram of MOS Integrated pressure sensor

VDD

RD1

RD2
-VOUT+

VDD = 10V
RD = 10 k
RS = 4 k
R = 1k

RS
50

Composite mask layout of MOS

Integrated Pressure Sensor
VIN

SOUT +

VOUT -

VDD

Masks
1.Membrane
2.Active area
3.Implantation
4.Poly
5.Phosphorous
6.Contact

GND

SOUT -

GND

VOUT +

7. Metal

51

Integrated pressure sensor in wafer level

52

Photograph of Integrated pressure sensor chip

VIN

S1

VD1

Gnd

S2

Gnd

VDD

VD2
53

Photograph of Integrated pressure sensor

chip in a TO39 header
Integrated pressure sensor chip

Al Wire bonding
54

Integrated pressure sensor in a package

header

Pressure port

55

Pressure Vs Output Voltage of the packaged

Integrated Pressure Sensor
2500

Sensitivity at the sensor output = 60 mV / bar / 10 V

Sensitivity at the amplfier output = 270 mV / bar / 10 V
Diferential gain of the amplifier
= 4.5

Output ( mV )

2000

Amplified sensor output

1500

1000

sensor output
500

0
0

Pressure ( bar )

7
56

Contents
1. Introduction
2.Micro Sensors, Actuators, Systems and
Smart Materials: An Overview
3.Micromachining Technologies
4.Modeling of Solids in Microsystems
5.Finite Element Method
6.Modeling of Coupled Electromechanical
Systems
7.Electronics Circuits and Control for
Micro and Smart Systems
8.Integration of Micro and Smart Systems
9.Scaling Effects in Microsystems

July 2010

57

PDMS
Micropump
PDMS
based Micropump

MTech
project
work by
Swathi

Cross section at AA

58

RCA Cleaned Si Substrate

Spin SU-8

Remove Tygon Tubes

Spin coat PDMS

Peel PDMS

Bond PDMS on Glass

Pattern SU-8

Affix Tygon Tubes

Affix tygon tube

59

Schematic of the entire flow testing setup

60

61

62

Thank You

63