Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)

1. Introduction
➢ It is a small type of sensor or called as a small machine.
➢ It is a technique of combining electrical and mechanical components together
on a chip to produce a system of miniature dimensions.
➢ This system consist of microelectronic elements, actuators, sensors, and built
onto a substrate which is usually silicon.
or, We can say MEMS is the integration of mechanical elements, sensors,
actuators, and electronics components built on a common silicon substrate through
micro fabrication technology.

➢ Integration of a number of microcomponents on a single chip which allows the

microsystem to both sense and control the environment.
➢ Made up of components between 1 to 100 micrometer in size.
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 2. Components
Micro Sensors
• Constantly gather data from environment
• Can monitor mechanical, thermal, biological,
chemical, optical, and magnetic readings
• Pass data to microelectronics for processing

Micro Electronics

• It process all the information's that is gathered and

transferred by the sensors

Micro Actuator
• Act as a trigger to activate external device
• Microelectronic will instruct to activate in the
environment
Micro Structures
• Extremely small structures built onto surface of chip
• Built over a silicon substrates

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 3. Fabrication Process
➢ Fabrication of MEMS device involves the basic IC fabrication methods along
with the micromachining process.
➢ In some cases, micromachining is the utilization of modified IC manufacturing
process in conjunction with other process such as deep bulk etching, laser
assisted chemical vapour deposition.
➢ MEMS micromachining technique allows for the construction of 3D micro sized
structures, components and various elements on or within a substrate.

The different fabrication methods are

1. Bulk Micromachining
2. LIGA
3. Surface Micromachining

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 Contd… Bulk Micromachining UV
Exposure
Masking Film (SiO2) Mask Glass
Photoresist Mask
Mask
Alignment
Si-Substrate
Coating with
Photoresist

Stripping Etching

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Contd… LIGA
L- Lithographic/Lithography
G- Galvanoformung- Electroforming
A- Abformung- Molding
Deposit Expose Develop Electroform CMP PMMA Stripping
Release
X-Ray

Masking Expose Area

(Gold)

Si-Substrate
After Developing
Photoresist (PMMA)

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Contd…

After Electroforming

Chemical Mechanical
Polishing

Release

Remove PMMA
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 4. Applications
▪ In Bio Medicine
The majority of MEMS are used in biomedical applications which act as a sensor.
Example
➢ Critical sensors used during surgery
➢ Measuring blood pressure
➢ Glucose Monitoring

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Contd…
▪ In Automotive Systems
Now a days MEMS are being used in automobile also
➢ Airbag systems
➢ Vehicle Security Systems
➢ Inertial Brake lights
➢ Automatic door locks