MEMS: MicroElectroMechanical System

• Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are

integrated micro devices or systems combining electrical
and mechanical components fabricated using integrated
circuit (IC) compatible batch-processing techniques and
range in size from micrometers to millimeters. Current
MEMS applications include accelerometers, pressure,
chemical, and flow sensors, micro-optics, optical
scanners, and fluid pumps. MCNC, North Carolina

• Scale: 1mm이하에서부터 1mm 이상까지

• 제조공정: 반도체 제작공정
• 기능: micro-mechanics, -electronics, -fluidics, -optics,...
MEMS
 Some Definitions
• MEMS: Microelectromechanical System
– 현재 MEMS 분야는 매우 빨리 발전, 변화하면서 optical,
magnetic, thermal, fluidic, chemical, biological
system 등의 분야로 그 응용 가능성을 넓혀 가고 있기
때문에 MEMS라는 이름은 더 이상 적절하지 않다고 볼
수도 있다.
– MEMS의 다른 Definitions:
• MST: Micro Systems Technology
• Micro Sensors and Actuators
• Micromachined Transducers
[Transducer: converts on form of energy into another.
This term encompasses “sensors” and
“actuators.”]
 MEMS market
• Total MEMS market (pressure sensors,
inertial sensors, fluidics, data storage,
displays, biochips, communication)
– 1995: $1.4B
– 2005: $6.7B [J. Bryzek 1998]
• $13B by2000 (system planning corporation)
• IC market ($150B)
 Successful MEMS Products
• Automotive industry: manifold air pressure
sensor, air bag sensor (accelerometer with
self-test)

• TI digital mirror display (DMD)

Video projection system (development cost ~ $1B)

• Inkjet nozzles (HP, Canon, Lexmark)

Up to 1600 X 1600 resolution (~30M units per yr)
Mirror Mechanism with a Spider Mite

From Sandia National

Laboratories
(http://mems.sandia.gov)

Spider mite with legs on a mirror drive assembly.

Triple-Piston Micro Steam Engine

From Sandia National

Laboratories
(http://mems.sandia.gov)

Water inside of three compression cylinders is heated by

electric current and vaporizes, pushing the piston out.
Capillary forces then retract the piston once current is
removed.
Conventional vs. MEMS Inertial
Measurement Units

From DARPA
 Fabricated Micro Mirrors

From T.I. From T.I.

http://www.dlp.com/
 Scheme of Display Using
Mirror Array

screen in screen screen

out in

V off V on V on V off V off V on

http://www.dlp.com/
 MEMS의 설계 및 제작과정
기구/시스템의 디자인:
역학, electronics,
electrostatics, fludics,
… 제작공정 디자인:
물리적 화학적으로 적
합한 제작공정 개발

시스템 해석:
Modeling, simulation
제작(micromachining):
청정실(clean room)에
서 제작

시험:
Microscope, probe
station, SEM, SPM,…
 코끼리와 개미

• 코끼리 만큼 큰 개미가 있다면?

 Scaling law
변수 기호 관계식 Scaling law 비고

길이 L L L
표면적 S  L2 L2
체적 V  L3 L3
질량 m V L3  : 밀도
표면장력 fS L L
압력 fp SP
S dx
L2 P : 압력
점성력 ff m
d dt L22
L L
탄성력 fe YS
L
중력 fg mg L3 m : viscosity, d : gap
관성력 fi m
2
d x L4 Y : Young ' s modulus
dt 2
 Scaling law
변수 기호 관계식 Scaling law 비고
스프링 상수 K 2uV /(L) 2 L u : potential energy / volume

공진 주파수  K /m L1
Moment of inertia I  mr 2 L5 r : radius
중력에 의한 처짐 D m/ K L2
Reynolds number Re fi / f f L2
전도 Qc AT / d L  : thermal conductivity
A : cross sectional area
T : temperatur e difference

대류 Qt hST L2 h : heat transfer rate

복사 Qr CST 4 L2 C : constant

정전력 Fe 2
SE 2 L0
mm
전자기력 Fm SH 2 L4
2
L(T )
열 팽창력 FT YS L2
L
 Micromachining
• Micromachining은 아주 작은(mm에서 mm까
지) 구조물을 제작하는 초정밀 제작기술을 모
두 포함

• Micromachining은 본래 집적회로(Integrated
Circuit)를 제작하기 위해서 개발된 기술

• 그러나 MEMS가 발전하면서 MEMS만을 위

한 새로운 제작기술과 IC 제조에 사용되지 않
던 새로운 재료들이 광범위하게 사용됨
 Micromachining Materials
Substrates:
• Silicon
• GaAs
• Other elemental or compound semiconductors
• Metals (bulk and foils)
• Glasses
• Quartz
• Sapphire
• Ceramics
• Plastics, polymers and other organics
 Micromachining Materials
Additive materials:
• Silicon (amorphous, polycrystalline, epitaxial)
• Silicon compounds (Oxides, nitrides, carbides,…)
• Metals and metal compounds
• Glass
• Ceramics
• polymers and other organics
• biomaterials
 Micromachining의 기본 공정
3개의 기본 공정으로 구성됨
• Pattern definition
– lithography
• Additive Process (성층)
– Thin film growing: Oxidation
– Thin film deposition: CVD, epitaxial growth,
evaporation, sputtering, electro-plating, spin-on,
bonding
• Subtractive Process (식각)
– Dry etching, wet etching, isotropic, anisotropic
Bulk vs. Surface Micromachining
• Micromachining은 기본적으로 3개의 공정으
로 구성되어 있지만 궁극적으로 구조물을 이
루는 재료에 따라서 surface micromachining
과 bulk micromachining 으로 구별하기도 한
다.
– Bulk micromachining: use (silicon) substrate

– Surface micromachining: use deposited thin

films
 Surface micromachining
• Structure Layer (구조층): 좋은 기계적 성직, 내식각성
• Sacrificial Layer (희생층): 식각 용이성
• Poly-Si & PSG, Metal & Metal, Metal & 감광재, Metal
Polyimide
• Release Process: Stiction Problems
Surface Micromachining
 Bulk micromachining
• Anisotropic Etching of Crystalline Si: TMAH,
KOH, EDP (1mm/min)

• Deep Reactive Ion Etching